The Obama Administration decided to discontinue defending the federal gay marriage law that denies married lesbians and gay men the same rights as those accorded to heterosexual married couples.
According to the today’s New York Times, “Attorney General Eric H. Holder, Jr. sent a letter to Congress on Wednesday saying that the Justice Department will now take the position in court that the Defense of Marriage Act should be struck down as a violation of gay couples’ right to equal protection under the law.” See: http://www.nytimes.com/2011/02/24/us/24marriage.html
The article further explains that this new position will require the Obama Administration to file new briefs in ongoing litigation about the constitutionality of the legislation.
The Human Rights Campaign, the nation’s largest lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender civil rights organization, praised the Obama Administration’s new position in a media release posted on its web site today. See: http://www.hrc.org/15338.htm
The Independent Adoption Center supports same-sex marriage as a basic civil right, and because it provides legal protection to biological and adopted children who are part of these families.
