Gays, Defense Of Marriage Act | featured news

What is at stake? The case concerns the part of the law that defines marriage as the union of a man and a woman for purposes of federal benefits. Should the court strike it down, same-sex couples in the nine states that allow such unions, along with the District of Columbia, would start to receive federal benefits. Such a ruling would not require other states to allow same-sex marriage.

Senate Democrats who back gay marriage have decided now is the time to repeal a federal law defining marriage as the union of a man and a woman.

When suits challenge the Defense of Marriage Act, the 1996 law barring recognition of same-sex marriages, federal lawyers will now tell judges it should be struck down.