Senate DOMA Vote Reactions

Log Cabin Republicans

"Today's hearing in the Senate Judiciary Committee makes clear what we already knew - that while the nation is fast approaching a tipping point in favor of respecting all marriages, we are not there yet," said R. Clarke Cooper, Log Cabin Republicans Executive Director. "There is much work to be done before we cross the finish line. Today's hearing was a principled discussion about the meaning of federalism, the priorities of our nation in a challenging time, and what marriage means in America today. Passing the Respect for Marriage Act will require determined and strategic outreach to leaders on both sides of the aisle, and the courageous leadership of more Republicans like Congresswoman Ileana Ros-Lehtinen (R-FL), who has already signed on to DOMA repeal."

National Gay & Lesbian Task Force

“This vote marks an important step toward recognizing our common humanity, and moves us closer to ending a grave injustice against thousands of loving, committed couples who simply want to provide and care for each other as other married couples are allowed to do. It is shocking and an outrage that, in modern-day America, legally married same-sex couples are being singled out and selectively denied fundamental rights by their own federal government. The Respect for Marriage Act respects and protects the rights of these couples to live free of this government-sponsored discrimination. We thank the Senate Judiciary Committee for passing this bill today, and urge the full Senate to follow suit. DOMA has only served to hurt families, and it is long past time to wipe it from the books once and for all.”

Freedom To Marry

“Today’s vote represents real progress toward a repudiation of the radically unfair, misnamed Defense of Marriage Act,” said Evan Wolfson, founder and President of Freedom to Marry. “We are one step closer to eliminating DOMA’s gay exception, which unfairly withholds the federal protections and responsibilities of marriage from loving and committed same-sex couples who are legally married.” The committee held its first-ever hearing on the bill in July, when witnesses harmed by the discriminatory law and experts including Wolfson testified on the hardship DOMA inflicts on same-sex couples and their families.

Courage Campaign

"For the first time in history, the Senate Judiciary Committee voted to make gays and lesbians whole people,” said Rick Jacobs, the chair and founder of the Courage Campaign, an online, grassroots political organization with more than 750,000 members around the country. "This truly historic vote today should never have been necessary because this absurd law should never have been on the books. Thanks to Sen. Dianne Feinstein, we have a bill that can move to the Senate floor where fair-minded people who believe in a nation united, not divided, can end federal discrimination against gay and lesbian couples legally married in six states and the District of Columbia. Sadly, the Republicans think this is a partisan issue, but then some thought the same about the other great civil rights issues of this nation. Eventually, America is just."