Ellison, McCollum cosponsor repeal of marriage ban

A bill to repeal the Defense of Marriage Act [DOMA] was introduced in the U.S. House on Tuesday, garnering 92 cosponsors including Minnesota Reps. Keith Ellison and Betty McCollum. The bill would direct the federal government to recognize same-sex marriage performed in states where the practice is legal.

The bill reads:

For the purposes of any Federal law in which marital status is a factor, an individual shall be considered married if that individual’s marriage is valid in the State where the marriage was entered into or, in the case of a marriage entered into outside any State, if the marriage is valid in the place where entered into and the marriage could have been entered into in a State.

“[DOMA] does real harm by denying thousands of lawfully-married same-sex couples the federal rights and benefits that only flow through marriage. Many of these include the protections couples turn to in times of need, like Social Security survivors’ benefits, medical leave to care for an ailing spouse and equal treatment under U.S. immigration laws,” said Human Rights Campaign president Joe Solmonese on Tuesday. “Today’s introduction of legislation to repeal DOMA is a welcome step, and as more states recognize the commitment of loving same-sex couples and their families, it’s time for this law to go into the history books where it belongs.”