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Subscribe to RSSSenate Democrats have scheduled a committee vote on a bill to repeal DOMA -- the federal Defense of Marriage Act -- as a federal appeals court moves toward taking up legal challenges to the law.
Patrick Leahy of Vermont, chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, said Tuesday the committee will begin debate Nov. 3rd on the Respect for Marriage Act, introduced in March by Sen. Diane Feinstein (D-CA). It would repeal DOMA, signed into law by President Clinton, which defines marriage, for federal purposes, as a relationship between a man and a woman.
A committee vote could happen Nov. 3rd, but is more likely a week later. All 10 committee Democrats support repeal of DOMA, but the bill's prospects are less certain in the full Senate. It faces virtually certain defeat in the Republican-controlled House.
House Republicans earlier this year authorized hiring a law firm to defend DOMA against two court challenges, after the Obama administration announced it had concluded that the law was unconstitutional and would therefore no longer defend it in court, even though the administration would continue to enforce it.
Both lawsuits, one filed by the state of Massachusetts, are pending before a federal appeals court, which has notified the parties that a panel of three judges will hear oral argument on the legal challenges in January, though the exact date has not yet been set. A decision would not be expected for several more months, making it impossible to seek review in the U.S. Supreme Court before the court's current term ends in late June.
A repeal of DOMA would not force states to permit same-sex marriage but would require the federal government to recognize such marriages in states where they are legal.
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Ya think? lol
Over in the house they're too busy acting as uterus Nazi's!
Feisty:
Those are the vagina vigilantes. They know what's good for you, and don't you forget it.
Obviously, you don't understand small, less intrusive (Don't look up "intrusive", OK?) government. Now, behave yourself and act like chattel.
OMG - I am TOTALLY swiping that David! ;o)
Of course I will credit where credit is due!
Not in MY lifetime - well behaved women rarely make history! lol
While I support the repeal, we have worse problems and congress will spend time on this right now? What happened to jobs, jobs, jobs? Love the image Feisty! Uterus Nazis strike again!
"We have met the enemy and he is us!" Pogo by Walt Kelly
Nurse,
These are the democrates here making the schedule. So ask them.
It looks as if being stupid just comes naturally to you.
Repeal DOMA now!
As for those saying shouldn't Congress be dealing with jobs instead of this issue, I say since Congress cannot even agree on the color of paper a jobs bill should be printed upon, the priority of DOMA's repeal is a moot point.
Feisty...you crack me up!
And you couldn't be more right. I can't believe the energy the Republicans spend on fighting against equality....simply mind boggling.
Thanks Vipp!
I have sent numerous e-mails to my Congressman Peter Roskum (R) IL - reminding him he won't find ANY jobs in my uterus...
So far, he has failed to respond! ;o)
I try not to be insulting, but seriously.
That's vile. To even think about saying 'No jobs in my uterus' is a phrase that can only be declared grotesque.
teknishan:
If you find that to be so vile, why don't you ask Republican Congresspersons why they are so insistent that they have any business whatsoever in a woman's uterus? There really are no jobs there. You do remember don't you. The Republicans promised jobs. Surely, they weren't lying, were they?
yep reid, working on getting the economy rolling again must have wore you out. Nice to see your ability to focus. BTW- how is the FY2012 budget plan coming?
It is fair to point out that the President dragged his feet so long on DADT that his position on the repeal of DOMA may not be what his supporters think it is.
Another classic example of his leading from behind on the domestic front relates to his proposal yesterday on the mortgage mess and helping folks who are under water on their loans. 18 months ago this would have struck me as a principaled position designed to get around Congress's inaction. Now it seems like very little awfully late.
Don't get me wrong--I have to vote for him but only because the alternatives would, like Bush, be disastrous on an epic scale.
Don't really care about this one way or the other. States that don't now & never will allow poofter marriages, still won't have to recognize them & the Federal government CANNOT make them recognize them. This only applies to those screwed up states that allow poofter marriages. Poofter's will still be lower than 2nd class citizens in my opinion.
Actually Dave, under the Full Faith and Credit clause, the states will have to recognize them, particularly if the marriage is conducted by a judge, since each state has to give full faith and credit to the the judicial acts of other states.
DOMA was enacted because the hicks from the South were afraid the gays would run off to Hawaii, get married and then they would have to recognize the marriage.
DOMA will be thrown out, it is unconstitutional.
me thinks dave protest too much....Dave, do you are have you ever spent an inordinate amount of time in an airport men's room?
dirp101, no states that do not recognize gay marriage will still not have to recognize gay marriage even if DOMA is struct down. Between 1996 and 2004 39 states create mini DOMA's within their own state constitutions prohibitng gay marriage & also choosing not to recognize any others states gay marriage contracts. The Supreme Court has not yet heard a case arguing that the Full Faith & Credit clause applies here. So you ARE WRONG as uaual!
gpotts-1106111, I believe it is you that has the issues with mens bathrooms at airports.
Gays are like road kill, you run over them once, then back up over them again to make sure you squash them!
DOMA was enacted to side step the full faith and credit clause.
You know folks gay marriage is here to stay. Who cares, I don't. The younger people don't care. Its just a distraction from the real issues. Thats why you see it all the time.
bitch bitch bitch bitch thats all u people do
quit calling for your girlfriends.