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3 November Hearings On Repeal Of Defense of Marriage Act

Let us start by congratulating Evan Wolfson and Cheng He on their nuptials. We now have word that the moment that the two have been working hard to get to is rapidly approaching. On 3 November, the Senate Judiciary Committee will debate the Respect for Marriage Act, which is designed to repeal the Defense of Marriage Act. Senator Patrick Leahy of Vermont is the chair of that committee, and he has become a staunch ally of the LGBT Community over the last decade and a half.

Freedom to Marry notes that:

Senator Patrick Leahy, who announced earlier in the month that the bill would receieve a mark-up, announced today that debate on legislation to repeal the so-called Defense of Marriage Act will start at the beginning of next month. The Committee held the first-ever hearing on repealing DOMA in July, where Freedom to Marry’s President Evan Wolfson testified and called on Congress to end the discriminatory law once and for all.

There’s certainly ample support for the Respect for Marriage Act amongst members of the committee, as all 10 member Democrats have already signed on as cosponsors to the bill.

While the hearing and debate will take place, it is still unlikely that this will, if passed by the Senate, pass in the House of Representatives. Of course, the fact that, at this point, even noted homophobe Pat Robertson is beginning to say that the GOP base is too far to the right, one has to wonder if this could actually get passed if the Republicans realize that they are in danger of losing because of their hateful view of the LGBT

Hat Tip to Towleroad