Washington, D.C. — Hundreds of major corporations from across the country have collectively signed on to two Supreme Court briefs supporting homosexual marriage.

According to reports, approximately 250 high-profile corporations and general business entities lent their name to an amicus brief that challenges the federal Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA). Google Inc., Microsoft Corp., Amazon, Inc., Starbucks Corp., Citigroup, Inc., Marriott International, Inc., Johnson and Johnson, Walt Disney Corp., the Jim Henson Company (the Muppets), Twitter, Inc. and the pharmaceutical company Pfizer were all included among those who supported same-sex “marriage.”

“We are proud of our longstanding commitment to diversity, inclusion, and equal treatment of all our employees within our benefits programs,” David Rodriguez, executive vice president of Marriott, wrote in a statement. “Joining the Business Coalition for DOMA Repeal affirms that commitment, and we urge Congress to pass this important legislation.”

The document filed on behalf of the corporations asserts that DOMA “requires that employers treat one employee differently from another, when each is married, and each marriage is equally lawful.”

Cities such as Boston, Massachusetts; Bangor, Maine; San Francisco, California; Seattle, Washington; Providence, Rhode Island and New York City also were included in the brief.

A copy may be viewed here, which includes a complete listing of the supporting entities beginning on page 52.

A second brief, signed by approximately 75 corporations, seeks to overturn California’s Proposition 8, which sought to enshrine marriage in the state constitution as being solely between a man and woman. The brief argues that the 41 states that have banned same-sex nuptials are harming workplace morale.

“No matter how welcoming the corporate culture, it cannot overcome the societal stigma institutionalized by Proposition 8 and similar laws,” it states.

Companies that signed their name to the brief include Apple Inc., Morgan Stanley, Nike Inc., Ebay Inc., Panasonic Corp., Office Depot Inc., Barnes and Noble Inc., Abercrombie and Fitch Co., and the popular social networking site Facebook.

As previously reported, a number of Republicans also submitted a brief supporting same-sex “marriage.” Stephen Hadley, former security adviser to George W. Bush, former justice department official James Coney, former commerce secretary Carlos Gutierrez, and former Reagan budget director David Stockman were among the signees. Former New Jersey governor Christine Todd Whitman, former Massachusetts governors William Weld and Jane Wift, and former California gubernatorial candidate Meg Whitman are all among those included as well.

However, over two dozen individuals and organizations have filed contrary briefs with the court supporting Biblical marriage. According to Alliance Defending Freedom (ADF), which is at the forefront of the cases currently before the court, attorney generals from 19 states have filed joint briefs with the Supreme Court in favor of marriage remaining between a man and woman, and at least four legal organizations discussed the religious liberty concerns that the legalization of homosexual “marriage” would raise.

Additionally, three African American groups explained to the court their belief that homosexuality cannot be compared to matters of race or interracial marriage. Approximately 37 legal scholars contended that the states should have the right to preserve marriage and not be forced to do otherwise, and 17 judges and scholars spoke of how international law does not support redefining marriage. Self-identified homosexual and bisexual individuals also expressed their support for leaving marriage the way it has been from the beginning of creation.

The United States Supreme Court is scheduled to hear oral argument in both the Proposition 8 and Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) cases next month and rule on the matter in June.

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