Politics & Government

Supreme Court Strikes Down DOMA

The United States Supreme Court Wednesday declared the Defense of Marriage Act—the ban on federally recognizing same-sex marriage—unconstitutional in states that recognize same-sex marriage.

—By Andy Ambrosius

The U.S. Supreme Court has officially struck down a portion of the Defense of Marriage Act banning federal recognition of same-sex marriage.

The court's ruling deemed DOMA unconstitutional as a deprivation of the equal liberty of persons, protected by the Fifth Amendment, SCOTUS blog reports.

“(SCOTUS) decision is a major step forward in the ongoing fight to ensure that government won’t discriminate and will treat all love equally,” Chicago’s Mayor Rahm Emanuel tweeted. “…This decision should strengthen our commitment in IL toward ensuring that the life-long commitments of all Americans are honored.”

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The Supreme Court also dismissed a challenge to California’s Prop 8 which banned same-sex marriage in the state. The decision will likely mean same-sex marriage will resume in California.

"This is one of the most important days in the history of our movement for LGBT civil rights," said Rick Garcia, Policy Director and Director of the Equal Marriage Illinois Project for The Civil Rights Agenda, told ChicagoPride.com. "Although we are thrilled with the ruling, we are painfully cognizant that in Illinois same-gender couples still cannot be married and we must change that immediately. The Illinois House of Representatives must act as soon as possible."

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