Rep. Sean Maloney (D-N.Y.) announced this week that he is engaged to Randy Florke, his partner of 21 years.
"After 21 years together, we are excited for the next step in our journey as a family," the couple said in a statement released by Maloney's office. "For decades, we've fought to ensure that all families can experience the joys of loving commitment and we are proud to have our friends and family share this special moment with us in the near future."
According to The Hill, the couple was engaged on Christmas Day. They have yet to set a date for their wedding.
Maloney spoke about his recent engagement in an interview with BuzzFeed published Monday.
"When you're our age, and you've been together as long as we have, you know what your relationship is and you don’t consider it something less than someone else's,” Maloney said. “In the eyes of young children, it matters that you’re married. It means something to them and so we saw that through their eyes."
In the BuzzFeed interview, Maloney said his youngest child had asked Santa Claus for Florke and Maloney to get married.
"It was a pretty emotional experience all around," he said.
Maloney will be the second member of Congress to legally marry a same-sex partner while in office. Former Rep. Barney Frank (D-Mass.) became the first in 2012.
The congressman, elected to his seat in 2012, has three adopted children with Florke.
(h/t The Hill)
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