House Democrats Introduce Bill Aimed at Overturning DOMA

2 years ago

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Washington Reporter

House Democrats are mobilizing around a new bill that would overturn the 1996 Defense of Marriage Act, which defined marriage as between a man and a woman and relieved states of recognizing same-sex marriage performed in other states. Three representatives, including Jared Polis (D-Colo.), the first openly gay man to be elected to Congress as a non-incumbent, introduced their bill, the Respect for Marriage Act, at a news conference this morning.

In his remarks at the press conference, Rep. Jerrold Nadler (D-N.Y.) said that same-sex couples "have debunked the baseless myth that their marriages would somehow undermine or destroy the institution of marriage. The sky has not fallen, as our opponents had argued it would." The true harm of the law, he said, "is the harm it causes same-sex couples and their families."

The new bill already has 90 co-sponsors, though House leaders are skeptical that the timing is favorable to the cause. Rep. Barney Frank (D-Mass.) told the Washington Blade that he saw little hope of the law passing "in the near term," and recommended the courts as a better option to overturn DOMA. President Obama has expressed support for repealing the '96 law, but is yet to make any moves toward doing so.

House Dems Take Aim at Marriage Law [The Caucus]

Filed Under: House, Gay Rights

Tagged: daily guidance, DailyGuidance, defense of marriage act, DefenseOfMarriageAct, gay rights, GayRights, same sex marriage, SameSexMarriage

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