Representative Sean Patrick Maloney announced on Monday that he will marry his longtime same-sex partner; making the 47-year-old the second current gay member of Congress to ever marry their partner.
Maloney made the announcement along with his partner, Randy Florke. The two got engaged on Christmas Day, a spokeswoman for Maloney told Reuters.
"After 21 years together, we are excited for the next step in our journey as a family" Malony and Florke said in a statement obtained by CNN.
"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," the statement said.
Maloney and Florke, who live in Cold Spring, New York, have three adopted children together. They met in 1992 on Maloney's first day in New York City. The two were waiting in line to get inside a club, CNN reported.
Maloney later served as the senior advisor during President Bill Clinton's second term. He was also a senior staff member to Governors David Paterson and Eliot Spitzer, CNN reported. Maloney currently serves as a first-term representative for New York's 18th Congressional District, located almost 70 miles north of the city.
Right before the two got engaged, their youngest daughter Essie wrote a letter to Santa, hoping he would "try making my wonder-ful fathers get married," Essie wrote in the letter, CNN reported.
"They are a loving couple!" Essie wrote. Florke later proposed to Maloney.
Gay marriage has been legal in New York since 2011. Gay marriage is also legal in 16 other states and the District of Columbia.
Former Democratic Representative Barney Frank from Massachusetts became the first sitting congressman to enter a same-sex marriage when he married his partner Jim Ready in 2012. Frank is now retired.
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