Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Corbett delivers an address to a joint session of the Pennsylvania House and Senate in Harrisburg, Pa.

WASHINGTON — For the second day in a row, a federal judge — this time in Pennsylvania — has struck down a state ban on same-sex couples' marriages.

Less than 24 hours after U.S. District Court Michael McShane — an Obama appointee — struck down Oregon's state constitutional amendment barring same-sex couples from marrying, U.S. District Court Judge John E. Jones III — appointed to the bench by President George W. Bush in 2002 — reached the same ultimate conclusion in Pennsylvania.

"We now join the twelve federal district courts across the country which, when confronted with these inequities in their own states, have concluded that all couples deserve equal dignity in the realm of civil marriage," Jones wrote.

Like McShane in Oregon, Jones provided for no stay of his ruling, meaning it goes into effect immediately — and same-sex couples should be able to apply for marriage licenses immediately, although there is a three-day waiting period to get the license.

Although Pennsylvania has no constitutional amendment barring same-sex couples from marrying, Jones on Tuesday struck down the state's 1996 statute banning same-sex couples from marrying and barring recognition of out-of-state marriages of same-sex couples.

As to his legal conclusion, Jones wrote, "[W]e hold that Pennsylvania's Marriage Laws violate both the Due Process and Equal Protection Clauses of the Fourteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution. Because these laws are unconstitutional, we shall enter an order permanently enjoining their enforcement. By virtue of this ruling, same-sex couples who seek to marry in Pennsylvania may do so, and already married same-sex couples will be recognized as such in the Commonwealth."