The Senate Judiciary Committee met today to discuss legislation
that would repeal the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA), but after
a procedural holdup the legislation has been delayed until next
week for a vote. Passed in 1996, DOMA defines marriage as “a
legal union between one man and one woman as husband and wife.”
The Respect for Marriage Act, which was introduced in March of
this year, would provide federal protection to couples married
in states that recognize same-sex marriages. “DOMA has created a
tier of second-class families who are not treated equally under
the law,” said Sen. Patrick Leahy, D-Vt., chairman of the Senate
Judiciary Committee. “This runs counter to the values upon which
America was founded.” The bill would redefine marriage to be
determined by the states, as it historically has been. “The
Respect for Marriage Act would restore the power of states to
define and determine ‘marriage’ without the federal government
imposing its restrictive definition of marriage on the states,”
said Leahy.