Front Door to Marriage -Respect for Marriage Act (RMA)

09/15/09-by Melanie Nathan

Gotta Love the Name -

This morning at a press conference on Capitol Hill, Members of Congress led by Reps. Jerry Nadler of New York, Tammy Baldwin of Wisconsin and Jared Polis of Colorado will introduce legislation to repeal the discriminatory Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA).  The bill is titled the Respect for Marriage Act (RMA) and would restore the rights of all lawfully married couples — including same-sex couples — to receive the benefits of marriage under federal law. The bill also provides same-sex couples with certainty that federal benefits and protections would flow from a valid marriage celebrated in a state where such marriages are legal, even if a couple moves or travels to another state.  We’re talking about rights like Social Security survivors’ benefits, medical leave to care for an ailing spouse and equal treatment under U.S. immigration laws along.  In fact a GAO report cites 1,138 instances in federal law in which marital status is cited.  see HRC post at http://www.hrcbackstory.org/2009/09/momentum-building-for-doma-repeal/  .

A Poll questioning priorities revealed that lack of Immigration Rights for binational couples is not a priority on the list of  hardships.   The latter refl;ecting the typical – “if it affects me then I will consider it attitude.”  One may note that the fight for Immigration equality has been left to the “victims” of the inequality.   The Binationals! 

Human Rights Campaign asked ” which effects of DOMA are most harmful to same-sex married couples and their families (allowing people to choose up to three).  No Social Security Survivor Benefits: 64.3% / Unfair Inheritance Taxation: 53.4% / Denial of surviving mothers’ and fathers’ benefits for children of same-sex parents: 45.1% / Unfair health plan taxation: 40.0% / Being strangers under federal law: 36.2% / Not being allowed to take family medical leave: 32.1%.”

Jerrold Nadler has finally provided us with the Vehicle legislation for UAFA.  I believe this is a bettetr horse to back than Comprehensive Immigration Reform as a means to getting Immigration rights for binational couples.  If RMA passes it seems we will indeed have our path to immigration and the Right wing Sessions of the World can stop worrying that UAFA is a backdoor to marriage – because we will indeed have our front door.  Well done HRC and all the advocates – mostly big thanks to  Jerrold Nadler, Tammy Baldwin and Jared Polis their dedicated staffers.

Calling on Senators for a Senate Version!

  Blogged by MELANIE NATHAN, CEO of Private Courts, Inc. Consulting, mediation & private advocacy ; motivated by injustice, I blog about family law/mediation, politics, news and LGBT equality and anything that ‘tickles my fancy.’ Otherwise blogging as O-blog-dee-o-blog-da. Websites and blogs include: http://www.privatecourts.com; http://www.divorcemediators.us; www.oblogdeeoblogda.wordpress.com.