WASHINGTON - July 20 - The Senate Judiciary Committee held a hearing today on the repeal of the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA). Senator Dianne Feinstein and Chairman Patrick Leahy are leading the push to end the discriminatory law, which prohibits the federal government from recognizing the legal marriages of gay couples and has kept thousands of married couples from enjoying the full rights and responsibilities of marriage.

“For far too long, DOMA has unconstitutionally denied the benefits of marriage to thousands of legally married couples and enshrined second-class citizenship into federal law,” said Michael Keegan, president of People For the American Way. “Based purely on prejudice, the law has prevented gay Americans from enjoying not only the many protections afforded by the stability of marriage, but the basic right of equal treatment under the law. But times have changed. Today, the president, the attorney general, the federal courts and a majority of the American people believe that it’s time to end this unjust law. I commend Senators Feinstein and Leahy for their efforts to extend the full benefits of marriage to all married Americans.”

People For the American Way’s petition, Dump DOMA, contains thousands of signatures of people who believe that the federal government should no longer discriminate against loving families by denying them equal access to the legal protections that are only available to legally married couples.