More Federal Rights For Married Gays

Saturday night Attorney General Eric Holder spoke at the Human Rights Campaign's annual gala at New York City's Waldorf-Astoria where he announced that today the Justice Department will issue a memorandum outlining "full federal equality" for married same-sex couples.

Same-sex couples will be afforded the right to decline to give testimony in court that might violate marital privilege; will be eligible to file for bankruptcy jointly; and will be subject to domestic support obligations such as alimony debts. Same-sex couples will also be entitled to visitation and correspondence rights with spouses in federal prisons. The federal government will also recognize same-sex couples for key benefit programs like the Radiation Exposure Compensation Program and the September 11th Victim Compensation Fund, Holder said. “In every courthouse, in every proceeding and in every place where a member of the Department of Justice stands on behalf of the United States, they will strive to ensure that same-sex marriages.

VIDEO: Last night the HRC posted Holder's message in full.