Today, Senate Democrats officially took sides on DOMA by voting 10-8 in the Judiciary Committee to support the misnamed “Respect for Marriage Act” that would repeal the federal Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA). The vote was along strict party lines with all 8 Republicans voting against it.
“To me, this debate is about stable families, good environments for raising children and religious beliefs,” said Sen. Chuck Grassley, the committee’s ranking Republican. “It’s not about discriminating against anyone.”
FRC President Perkins had this to say after the vote: “Marriage is not some prize that liberals can award to a small, vocal and already well-off special interest group. Marriage between one man and one woman was created prior to the formation of any governments and is given benefits by governments because it uniquely contributes to a productive society.”
Though the Democrats control the U.S. Senate, the repeal is not expected to proceed any further as they do not have the 60 votes necessary to stop a Republican filibuster. Our own Sen. Scott Brown is a supporter of DOMA and would be a vote to block repeal, while Sen. John Kerry has been a vocal opponent of DOMA. Furthermore, the U.S. House is firmly opposed to any repeal of DOMA.
