Lawmakers Pushing to Repeal DOMA
September 16, 2009 by James Hipps
Yesterday, more than 70 lawmakers launched a drive to repeal the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) the 1996 law that prevents the federal government from recognizing same-sex marriages.
Supporters of the measure are anticipating the bill’s initiation will speed up effort to repeal the law in Congress. President Obama has stated he fully supports the repeal of the DOMA.
A spokesperson for Representative Jerry Nadler (D-NY), said about 70 Democratic lawmakers have already signed on to the legislation. Nadler is one of the leading co-sponsors of the bill.
People have been highly critical of President Obama for not moving swiftly enough in repealing the discriminatory law, but according to a statement the President made in June of this year:
“Unfortunately, my Administration is not authorized by existing Federal law to provide same-sex couples with the full range of benefits enjoyed by heterosexual married couples. That’s why I stand by my long-standing commitment to work with Congress to repeal the so-called Defense of Marriage Act. It’s discriminatory, it interferes with States’ rights, and it’s time we overturned it.”
Everyone needs to go to http://yesongaymarriage.com/do/legislator/ and send their legislators a letter to pass this bill. I already personally lobbied my congresscritters and gave them the list of the 1040 federal rights, responsibilities and obligations that married people have and which married gays are denied because of DOMA. The Church of Latter Day Saints (Mormons) have already given Maggie Gallagher 6 million dollars to try and stop this legislation and we have to do everything we can to see that it passes.