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Senator Kirsten Gillibrand Praises DOMA Repeal Hearings

The Family Research Council is busy running around screaming, ranting and drooling all over themselves over the fact that there are hearing into the repeal of the Defense of Marriage Act.  Still, there are others who are praising the move, including New York Senator Kirsten Gillibrand.
Senator Gillibrand stated that:

“I applaud Chairman Leahy for beginning this historic debate to end the discrimination that is currently enshrined into U.S. law.

“Marriage is the true foundation for strong families. Every loving, committed couple deserves the basic human right to get married, start a family, and have access to all the same rights and privileges that my husband and I enjoy. No politician should stand in the way of this fact.

“If Democrats and Republicans can come together to do what’s right in New York, I know we can do the same in Congress to do what’s right for all of America. Now is the time to act on the federal level.”

Vermont Senator Patrick Leahy indicated today that the bill will now get a vote in the full committee.  He also had a few things to say about this bill.  He stated that “The Respect for Marriage Act would restore the power of states to define and determine ‘marriage’ without the federal government imposing its restrictive definition of marriage on the states.  No one can dispute that the issue of marriage has traditionally been left to the states.  Repealing DOMA would return this power to the states where it belongs. I look forward to the repeal of DOMA.  This Committee taking favorable action on this bill takes us closer to that day.”

All ten Democrats on the Senate Judiciary Committee have signed on to support the Respect for Marriage Act.  Both Gillibrand and Leahy come from states where same-sex marriage is the law.