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US: One Third of Senate Supports DOMA Repeal

Thursday, December 22nd, 2011

Box Turtle Bulletin’s Timothy Kincaid points out that one-third of all senators have now signed on to legislation repealing the Defense of Marriage Act, including 13 Democrats who voted for the legislation in 1996 as senators or representatives.

Sen. Bob Menendez (D-NJ) was the latest Democrat to announce his support for repealing the law, which prohibits the federal government from recognizing same-sex couples married in one of the six states (and the District of Columbia). The Senate Judiciary Committee advanced the repeal legislation — sponsored by Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-CA) — earlier this year.

Full Story from Think Progress

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Tags: doma, repeal, senators, us senate

US: Senate Committee Passes DOMA Repeal Bill

Thursday, November 10th, 2011

A Senate committee took historic action on Thursday against the Defense of Marriage Act by approving legislation that would lift the anti-gay law from the books.

The Senate Judiciary Committee reported the legislation to the floor by a vote of 10-8 along a party-line basis.

The committee vote marks the first-time ever that any component of Congress has voted to repeal DOMA, which prohibits federal recognition of same-sex marriage, since it was first enacted in 1996.

Full Story from The Washington Blade

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Tags: committee, doma, repeal, us senate, vote

Why the Senate Vote to Repeal DOMA Matters

Thursday, November 10th, 2011

Today, the Senate Judiciary Committee will vote on the Respect for Marriage Act, a bill that repeals the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA). Barring complications with amendments or unforeseen circumstances, all 10 Democrats are expected to vote to pass the bill, sending it to the full Senate for consideration. This is a milestone that’s been a long time coming.

When I talk about the effort to repeal DOMA, I often focus on the milestones we’ve reached since the Respect for Marriage Act was introduced in March: a record number of senators supporting repeal (31), a record number of House members also on board (133), public support for repeal at a record high (over 50%), a majority on the Senate Judiciary Committee pledging to vote “aye” on the repeal bill today, and a president who has formally endorsed the bill, despite a longstanding policy of the Obama administration to never take a position on bills that haven’t passed at least one house of Congress.

Despite all of this, people scoff. If you live inside the Beltway, you probably hear (or are thinking) what we’ve heard since Election Day 2010: “So what? It’ll never get through the Republican-controlled House, so why bother?” It’s a classic cynical response to organizing, one that overvalues the short-term and shortchanges the long-term.

Full Story from

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Tags: defense of marriage act, doma, Respect for Marriage Act, us senate

US: Senate Committee Due to Vote Today on DOMA Repeal

Thursday, November 10th, 2011

The Senate Judiciary Committee will vote Thursday on whether to move forward a bill to repeal the Defense of Marriage Act.

With the support of all 10 Democrats on the committee, the Respect for Marriage Act is expected to pass through today, though its prospects on the Senate floor at an undetermined future date remain unknown. Introduced in the Senate in March by Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.), the bill currently has 30 cosponsors.

A House version of the bill is not expected to move this session: Republican leadership continues to defend DOMA in multiple federal lawsuits following the Obama administration’s February announcement that it would no longer defend the law in court.

Full Story from The Advocate

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Tags: defense of marriage act, doma, repeal, Respect for Marriage Act, us senate, vote

DOMA Repeal Likely to Pass in US Senate Committee

Wednesday, November 2nd, 2011

A U.S. Senate committee on Thursday is expected to vote on a bill that would repeal the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA), the 1996 law that bars federal agencies and the military from recognizing the legal marriages of gay and lesbian couples.

The law also allows states to ignore the marriages of gay couples.

A majority of the members on the Senate Judiciary Committee support the bill, including its chairman, Vermont Senator Patrick Leahy, making passage an almost foregone conclusion. Senator Dianne Feinstein, a Democrat from California, sponsored the bill in the Senate.

Full Story from On Top Magazine

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Tags: defense of marriage act, doma, repeal, us senate

NOM: GOP Will Block Senate DOMA Repeal

Monday, October 31st, 2011

The National Organization for Marriage (NOM), the nation’s most vociferous opponent of gay marriage, has said it is certain Republicans will block an effort to repeal the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) in the U.S. Senate.

A Senate committee is expected on Thursday, November 3 to approve a bill that would repeal the 1996 law that bars federal agencies and the military from recognizing the legal marriages of gay and lesbian couples.

A majority of the members on the Senate Judiciary Committee support the bill, including its chairman, Vermont Senator Patrick Leahy, making passage an almost foregone conclusion.

Full Story from On Top Magazine

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Tags: defense of marriage act, doma, nom, repeal, us senate

DC: Senate Committee Holds Hearing on Defense of Marriage Act Repeal

Thursday, July 21st, 2011

Proponents of same-sex marriage are likening their cause to the civil rights battles, calling once more for repeal of a 1996 law that defines marriage as between a man and a woman. The new pleas came Wednesday at a hearing the Senate Judiciary Committee held on legislation that would repeal the Defense of Marriage Act.

The committee also heard from several supporters of existing law who said repeal would undermine traditional marriage and the will of most Americans. Rep. John Lewis, D-Ga., who led civil rights marches during the 1960s, called the law a stain on democracy. He said that Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. answered those who opposed interracial marriages by noting that individuals, not entire races, fall in love and get married. “Marriage is a basic human right,” Lewis said. “No government, federal or state, should tell people they cannot marry.”

But Rep. Steve King, R-Iowa, said that repeal of the Defense of Marriage Act would devalue marriage. Those who claim they cannot choose who they fall in love with could make the same argument to justify polygamy, he said.

Full Story from the Sacramento Bee

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Tags: defense of marriage act, hearing, repeal, us senate

US Senate Holding DOMA Repeal Hearing Today

Wednesday, July 20th, 2011

oday’s hearing is before the full Senate Judiciary Committee. There will be a livestream at the Committee’s website here. CSPAN won’t be covering the hearing.

Democrats on the Committee are: Chairman Patrick J. Leahy, D-VT, Herb Kohl D-WI, Dianne Feinstein D-CA, Chuck Schumer D-NY, Dick Durbin, D-IL, Sheldon Whitehouse D-RI, Amy Klobuchar D-MN, Al Franken D-MN, Christopher A. Coons D-DE, Richard Blumenthal D-CT. All except Klobuchar are sponsors of DOMA repeal and she told me at Netroots Nation that she does support repeal, even though she’s not a cosponsor.

On the GOP side, there are some of the more despicable characters in the Senate — all blatant homophobes (and one who would probably be better categorized as self-loathing): Ranking Member Chuck Grassley R-IA (his constituents can get married, so he’s actively discriminating against Iowans), Orrin G. Hatch R-UT (wannabe teabagger these days), Jefferson Beauregard Sessions R-AL (confederate wannabe), Jon Kyl R-AZ, Lindsey Graham R-SC (enough said), John Cornyn R-TX (he’s just a dick), Teabagger Michael S. Lee R-UT and Tom Coburn R-OK.

Full Story from AmericaBlog

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Tags: defense of marriage act, hearing, repeal, us senate

US Senate: DOMA Repeal Has Enough Votes to Advance Out of Committee

Wednesday, April 27th, 2011

New support for legislation that would repeal the Defense of Marriage Act assures that the necessary votes are in place for a favorable Senate committee vote on the measure as advocates maintain hearings should take place first before advancing the bill.

Last week, the Respect of Marriage Act, legislation sponsored by Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.) that would repeal the 1996 anti-gay law that prohibits federal recognition of same-sex marriage, gained two additional co-sponsors: Sens. Tom Harkin (D-Iowa) and Herb Kohl (D-Wis.).

Kohl’s support for the legislation is critical because he’s a member of the Senate Judiciary Committee and would have a vote when the roll is called to move the legislation to the floor. Lynn Becker, a Kohl spokesperson, said the senator had previously considered DOMA a state issue.

Full Story from the Washington Blade

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Tags: defense of marriage act, doma, repeal, us senate

CA: Fiorina Calls Anti-Marriage Equality Position “Consistent With Our President”

Thursday, September 2nd, 2010

The Republican candidate for U.S. Senate in California on Wednesday invoked President Obama’s opposition to same-sex marriage while explaining her position against marriage rights for gay couples.

Carly Fiorina, who’s seeking to unseat U.S. Barbara Boxer (D-Calif.), said during a debate she believes marriage is between one man and one woman and expressed support for civil unions.

“And actually, the position I’ve consistently espoused is consistent with that of our president and a vast majority of senators in the U.S. Senate,” she said.

Full Story from The Washington Blade

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Tags: carly fiornina, debate, Gay Marriage, marriage equality, same sex marriage, us senate