DOMA was enacted September 21, 1996, it defines marriage as the legal union of one man and one woman. DOMA passed both houses of Congress by large majorities and was signed into law by President Bill Clinton on September 21, 1996.
The Huelskamp amendment passed by 245 to 171. Roll Call here.
Via The Politico:
Just hours after President Barack Obama publicly backed gay marriage, the House struck back and passed a measure aimed at reinforcing the Defense of Marriage Act.
With a 245-171 vote, the House voted to stop the Justice Department from using taxpayer funds to actively oppose DOMA — the Clinton-era law defining marriage as between a man and a woman that the Obama administration stopped enforcing in February 2011.
“It is not President Obama’s prerogative to decide which laws matter and which do not, nor his right to challenge constitutional amendments duly passed by the various states,” said the measure’s sponsor, Rep. Tim Huelskamp (R-Kan.). “The Justice Department is duty-bound to enforce DOMA and to not do so is a flagrant disregard for the Constitution and for the rule of law.”
CNN has put together a list of responses by in support of Obama's new position on gay marriage from GOP presumptive presidential candidate Mitt Romney, to politicians from both sides of the aisle and from interested groups both in support and opposition.
Memeorandum has links to discussions all over the Internet and in the media.
