WASHINGTON — U.S. Rep. Mike Kelly, R-3rd, of Butler opposes two rulings by the U.S. Supreme Court regarding gay marriage and the Affordable Care Act.

The court Friday affirmed gay marriage nationwide and on Thursday it upheld that the government can provide financial aid to people for health insurance premiums.

Kelly issued this statement on the same-sex marriage issue:

“The high court had a responsibility to follow the Constitution but instead chose to follow the wishes of a political movement.

“The natural, traditional definition of marriage that I and millions of others believe in worldwide remains a cornerstone of human civilization.

“Today’s ruling rips this critical debate from the democratic process by redefining marriage for all 50 states.

“Going forward, defenders of our Constitution have a renewed duty to protect every single citizen’s First Amendment rights and guarantee that no person or organization’s religious freedom is in any way undermined by today’s controversial decision.”

Regarding the health insurance ruling, Kelly in an e-mail statement said, “The Affordable Care Act has proved to be unaffordable for millions of Americans, including thousands in Western Pennsylvania. It is forcing premiums and deductibles to rise and quality of medical care and innovation to drop. It is hurting our economy and stifling job creation.

“Obamacare should still be fully repealed and replaced with a patient-centered alternative that helps the most vulnerable among us without disrupting anyone’s coverage.”