Chris Coons Sponsors DOMA Repeal

On Wednesday Senator Chris Coons announced that he is a co-sponsor of a new bill to repeal a provision of the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA). This is the same provision that the Obama administration announced that it would no longer defend in court.

U.S. Senator Chris Coons (D-Del.) today reiterated his call for a repeal of the Defense of Marriage Act, cosponsoring a bill introduced today by Senator Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.) and 17 other Democratic Senators. The Respect for Marriage Act would repeal the provision in the Defense of Marriage Act that forces the federal government to recognize only marriages between a man and a woman and instruct that the federal government shall no longer discriminate against same-sex couples.

“There are thousands of same-sex couples legally married in several states but whose marriages have been deemed invalid or unworthy by the federal government,” Senator Coons said. “The Respect for Marriage Act not only reverses this discriminatory provision but ensures LGBT families will be afforded the same federal rights as every other American. I am proud to be an original cosponsor of this bill.”

The Respect for Marriage Act does not legalize same-sex marriage beyond the states in which it is already legal. It respects the right of states to set their own marriage laws but ends federal discrimination against those same-sex couples legally married in those states in which it is permitted.

This would allow for civil unions in Delaware to be recognized by the Federal government. This could have big effects for same sex couples, allowing them to file joint tax forms but also allowing them to share pension and Social Security benefits. Marriage equality would become a state-by-state fight and the fight favors the supporters of marriage equality. The Human Rights campaign had the results of a poll on DOMA:

51 percent of voters oppose DOMA while 34 percent favor it. Independent voters, who were instrumental in the Republican House takeover, oppose the law by a 52 percent to 34 percent margin. Additionally, when read statements for and against defending DOMA in court, 54 percent of voters oppose the House Republicans’ intervention, while only 32 percent support it. Given a list of issues important in determining their vote for President, voters ranked the economy and jobs (54 percent), Medicare and Social Security (23 percent) and education (19 percent) as most important with only 5 percent of respondents saying marriage was most important to them. Finally, when presented with the actual benefits from which married same-sex couples are excluded, voters overwhelmingly support extending those benefits.

I have read previously that social changes can come quickly. The push for marriage equality is probably only about 20 years old. I remember when traditional marriage constitutional amendments were a winning issue for Republicans and way to bring their voters out to the polls. It’s now looking like a winning issue for Democrats:

On Wednesday, House and Senate Democrats held separate press conferences announcing the introduction of legislation to repeal DOMA. Rep. Barney Frank (D-MA), one of the sponsors of the House bill, was asked whether Democrats were politicizing gay rights as a wedge issue against the GOP, as Majority Leader Eric Cantor alleged last month.

“What do I say to the idea that this is a wedge issue? I say ‘Hallelujah,'” Frank told reporters. “The fact that we’ve now evolved to the point where the Republicans are complaining about the fact that we introduced this bill because it causes them political problems is a great sign of progress. It used to be the other way around.”

Sometimes being on the right side of history actually pays off. I think activists have a lot to learn from LGBT activism. Here’s a group that is motivated and effective. They give a lot of money and they vote. That’s why they are wielding political power. Their work is paying off and I’m happy to see it happening in my lifetime.