Thursday, July 7, 2011

DoMA: Impending Senate Hearing

From the website of Senator Patrick Leahy (D-VT):


WASHINGTON (Thursday, July 7, 2011) – Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.) Thursday announced that, in the coming weeks, the Committee will hold the first congressional hearing on proposals to repeal the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA).

Earlier this year, Leahy joined with Senator Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.), Senator Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.) and others to introduce the Respect for Marriage Act, a bill that would repeal DOMA and restore the rights of all lawfully married couples, including same-sex couples, to receive the benefits of marriage under federal law.

The hearing will be entitled “S.598, The Respect for Marriage Act: Assessing the Impact of DOMA on American Families,” and is expected to be held in the coming weeks.  The hearing will be webcast live online.  Further details will be announced at a later date.

This will be the first ever congressional hearing on the so-called Defense of Marriage Act.

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