Senator Mark Udall (D. CO) is helping put an end to DOMA:
http://www.denverpost.com/...
Colorado's two Democratic Senators are signing onto a legal challenge against the federal Defense of Marriage Act.
Senators Mark Udall and Michael Bennet are among 212 members of congress who signed the argument that the law unconstitutionally prohibits the federal government from recognizing same-sex married couples. The legal brief was filed Friday with the U.S. Supreme Court.
The challenge to the Defense of Marriage Act is one of two major gay marriage cases on the Supreme Court's agenda this year. - Denver Post, 3/1/13
Section 3 of DOMA states that even if a same sex couple are legally married, their marriage is still not recognized by the federal government. Here's what Udall and his colleague, Senator Michael Bennet (D. CO), had to say:
http://www.markudall.senate.gov/...
"We must ensure that all Americans are treated equally and fairly under federal law, regardless of whom they love," Udall said. "There is no greater impediment to that ideal than the so-called Defense of Marriage Act, and I am proud to stand with more than 200 of my colleagues - and members of both political parties - to call on the U.S. Supreme Court to strike it down. Our laws must respect the long-term - and legal - commitments of same-sex married couples across this country."
The amicus brief filed today makes clear that many members of Congress believe that this section should be struck down because there simply is no legitimate federal interest in denying married same-sex couples the legal security, rights and responsibilities that federal law provides to all other married couples. As the brief explains, "DOMA imposes a sweeping and unjustifiable federal disability on married same-sex couples."
"The federal Defense of Marriage Act, which basically says that gay couples are not entitled to the same benefits as their straight peers, discriminates against LGBT Americans and should be overturned," Bennet said. "Loving, committed couples, regardless of their sexual orientation, should enjoy their full rights under the law, just like my wife and me." - markudall.senate.gov, 3/1/13
Udall and Bennet are two of 40 Senators who have signed on in calling for an end to DOMA along with 172 members of the House. Senator Udall came out for marriage equality in 2011:
http://www.towleroad.com/...
Senator Mark Udall (D-CO) has gone on record for the first time in support of marriage equality at One Colorado's Ally Awards at the Denver Botanic Gardens on Saturday, in a statement to Colorado activist Sunnivie Brydum. Udall was previously a supporter of civil unions.
Said the Colorado Senator:
"I support marriage equality. We have work to do. Let's go do it...I think the way in which it is unfolding has lessons for all of us. Let's work in our states, let's work with our neighbors, let's work with our communities, let's work with our elected officials...I have no doubt that soon we'll reach marriage equality in states, and then across our nation." - Towle Road, 8/22/11
Thank you Senator Udall for helping in overturning DOMA and helping ensure that the federal government recognizes same sex marriages as legitimate marriages. In other Udall related news, Udall is trying to ease the pain of the upcoming sequester cuts:
http://www.9news.com/...
Democrat Mark Udall and Republican Susan Collins propose that federal agencies determine what gets cut rather than reducing spending across the board. The $85 billion in cuts are required to be unilateral. Managers are expressly forbidden from choosing what gets trimmed and what doesn't.
The cuts were put into place by a 2011 deal to raise the debt ceiling. They were designed to be as damaging as possible to force a budget compromise. That compromise never happened.
On Thursday, Senate Democrats voted down a Republican plan to have the administration determine where the cuts fall. The proposal by Colorado's Udall, and Maine's Collins differs because Congress would have to approve the reconfigured reductions. - 9 News, 3/1/13
The Udall-Collins Plan also allows the executive branch to have more of a say with the sequester cuts:
http://www.denverpost.com/...
Udall's plan keeps cuts at the same level, but gives the executive branch the discretion to find the cuts themselves.
"Blunt, short-sighted budget cuts are not the responsible way to reduce the deficit," he said.
The Udall-Collins plan requires the president to send his version of cuts to each department to the Senate and House appropriations committee, which would have five days to accept or reject the proposal.
If both committees accept the proposal, then it will take effect, but if either committee rejects the president's proposals, the cuts-across-the-board sequester would remain.
The Udall-Collins plan was among dozens of ideas zipping around Capitol Hill Thursday, mere hours before the deadline when automatic spending cuts take effect. - Denver Post, 2/28/13
This may not be my ideal plan but it's certainly better than what the GOP comes up with. It might be better to let the actual federal agencies have a say on what should be cut rather than a bunch of insae tea Party congressmen. If you'd like to thank Udall for standing up for marriage equality, feel free to donate to his re-election campaign:
https://secure.actblue.com/...