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May 9, 2012
NEW YORK STATE BAR ASSOCIATION PRESIDENT VINCENT E.
DOYLE III PRAISES PRESIDENT OBAMA AND URGES CONGRESS TO REPEAL DOMA
The New York State Bar Association applauds President Obama for
endorsing the right of same-sex couples to marry.
The State Bar has long supported equal rights for same sex couples,
and was proud to advocate for legislative recognition of the right of
these couples to marry in New York. The state’s Marriage Equality
Act was signed into law on June 24, 2011.
A month after that historic event, President Obama endorsed
legislation that would repeal the federal Defense of Marriage Act
(DOMA), which discriminates against married same-sex couples in New York
and elsewhere.
DOMA denies federal benefits, such as spousal social security or the
ability to file joint tax returns, that are granted to other married
couples. It also allows other states to disregard the marital
status of New York's same-sex couples.
The State Bar Association has advocated for the repeal of DOMA, and
identified it as a legislative priority of the Association. Same-sex
couples in New York and elsewhere are entitled to full equality under
the law.
We urge Congress to repeal DOMA.
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The 77,000-member New York State Bar Association is the
largest voluntary state bar association in the nation. It was
founded in 1876.
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