The
Advocate
has learned that Democratic representatives Jerrold Nadler of New York, Tammy
Baldwin of Wisconsin, and Jared Polis of Colorado will be introducing
legislation to repeal the Defense of Marriage Act next Tuesday. A Democratic
aide confirmed that a press conference to announce the bill will be held
September 15 at 11 a.m. at the House Triangle.
The source said the bill currently has just over 50 cosponsors, but Congressman
Nadler’s office has not yet officially circulated a letter to his fellow House
members.
Nadler told the Bay Area Reporter in July that the bill would amount to
a full repeal of DOMA, including Section 2, which advises states to disregard
same-sex marriages that have been legally performed in other states, and
Section 3, which prohibits the federal government from recognizing same-sex
marriages.
President Barack Obama supported full repeal of the legislation as a candidate
and has reiterated that support in the White House. “I believe it's
discriminatory, I think it interferes with states' rights, and we will work
with Congress to overturn it,” Obama said of the 1996 law during an Oval Office
signing ceremony in June.
Eleveld
is The Advocate's Washington correspondent.
