California Lawmakers Ask President To Repeal Marriage Act
California lawmakers are asking President Barack Obama and Congress to repeal the federal Defense of Marriage Act, saying it discriminates against same-sex married couples.
The state Senate voted 22-12 Monday for a resolution urging that the 1996 law be overturned. It defines marriage as being between a man and a woman and allows states to refuse to recognize same-sex marriages performed in other states.
The Assembly approved AJR19 last August.
Critics of the Defense of Marriage Act say it deprives gay couples of important federal rights and benefits.
California voted in 2008 to ban gay marriage. On Aug. 4, a federal judge overturned the ban, sending the case to the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals.
