Nadler to reintroduce DOMA repeal bill on Wednesday

Rep. Jerrold Nadler (D-N.Y.) (Blade photo by Michael Key)

House and Senate Democrats are set on Wednesday to make another attempt to repeal the Defense of Marriage Act legislatively by introducing a bill that would remove the anti-gay statute from the books.

In the House, Rep. Jerrold Nadler (D-N.Y.) is set to introduce the legislation, known as the Respect for Marriage Act, along with 105 co-sponsors including the four openly gay members of Congress: Reps. Barney Frank (D-Mass.), Tammy Baldwin (D-Wis.), Jared Polis (D-Colo.) and David Cicilline. Nadler previously introduced the legislation in 2009 during the 111th Congress.

Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.) is set to introduce the legislation in the Senate. Her introduction would mark the first-time ever that a DOMA repeal bill has been introduced in the upper chamber. According to a news release, among the original co-sponsors will be Sens. Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.), Chris Coons (D-Del.) and Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.).

Passed by Congress in 1996, DOMA prohibits federal recognition of same-sex marriage, denying married gay couples certain responsibilities and rights including full access to programs like Social Security.

The Blade will have a more detailed report on the bill upon its introduction.