News & Events

Press Advisory- Repeal DOMA

For Immediate Release: April 8, 2009
Contact: Kelley Moran (916-265-3390)
kelley@yesongaymarriage.com

Yes On Gay Marriage Urges Repeal of the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA)

During the 2008 campaign, President Barack Obama promised to work towards the repeal of the Federal Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA). Since the opening session of the 111th Congress, there has been little effort to repeal this discriminatory law. Yes on Gay Marriage, a national movement, is launching a comprehensive website on gay marriage and calling for supporters across the nation to urge their elected officials to repeal DOMA during the current session.

“Even former Congressman Bob Barr, the original author of DOMA, has called for its repeal,” Dan Kirk, President, of Yes on Gay Marriage says. “DOMA is unfair and unjust. Yes on Gay Marriage says this is the time to repeal DOMA--we’ve waited long enough.”

DOMA was passed by Congress in 1996 and signed into law by President Bill Clinton. It refuses recognition of same-sex marriages at the federal level, affecting thousands of couples across the nation. Whether it is denying benefits to spouses of federal employees, requiring same-sex spouses to pay additional federal taxes because they are not allowed to file as a married couple, or limiting immigration rights, the federal government discriminates against lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) couples each and every day because of DOMA. Yes on Gay Marriage is dedicated to repealing this law.

Even with the current legal gay marriages granted by states in California, Connecticut, Massachusetts, and most recently Iowa and Vermont, these married couples are denied over 1138 federal benefits because of DOMA.

About Yes on Gay Marriage (www.yesongaymarriage.com):

Yes on Gay Marriage is a national non-profit organization whose mission is to provide leadership, education, funding and resources necessary to work for the legalization of gay marriage in all fifty states and the recognition of gay marriage by the federal government.

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