The Defense of Marriage Act Was the Worst Vote of His Political Career

categories: Defense of Marriage Act, Gay Marriage, LGBT Legislation, LGBT Rights and Politics, Marriage Equality

Published September 16, 2009 @ 05:47AM PT

Rep. Earl Blumenauer Yesterday, Rep. Jerrold Nadler (D-NY) introduced the Respect for Marriage Act -- with the support of 90 members of Congress -- to effectively repeal the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) and send the message that the federal government shouldn't be in the business of defining marriage. Finally, for the first time since DOMA passed in 1996, efforts have begun in Congress to repeal it.

While Rep. Nadler is one of the leaders of the DOMA repeal efforts, there are two voices bringing a whole bunch of gravitas to the argument over eliminating DOMA. Voices like Rep. Earl Blumenauer (D-OR), pictured above, who voted for DOMA back in the day. His take on DOMA now?

It was the worst vote of his entire political career.

We'll second that, and say that it was probably the worst vote for all 342 U.S. house members who voted for the act, as well as the 85 U.S. Senators who signed onto it.

"[My] vote fed the bigotry," Rep. Blumenauer writes. "Once Congress had put its imprimatur on DOMA, it was a logical step for the homophobes and political cynics to intensify their efforts and make permanent a ban on gay marriage in both the U.S. and state constitutions -- spawning many state initiatives and intensifying the assault."

DOMA was bad law in 1996, and it's bad law in 2009. Even former President Bill Clinton, who signed DOMA into law, and former Congressman Bob Barr, who authored the text of DOMA, have called for its repeal.

You can, too, by clicking here and sending a message to your Congress members to support the Respect for Marriage Act. Repealing DOMA is certainly going to take more than 90 U.S. House members. So the work on this begins, but it's work that's well worth the undertaking.

Oh, and if you want to thank Rep. Blumenauer for admitting his mistake in voting for DOMA thirteen years ago, feel free to send him a message on Twitter - @RepBlumenauer. Might we suggest, "@RepBlumenauer thanks for switching your position on the Defense of Marriage Act and working to end discrimination."

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Comments (7)

Awesome acknowledgement from Blumenauer. His most recent tweet:

"On July 12, 1996 I cast the worst vote of my political career, today I begin to make it right."

Classic.

Posted by Ben Rattray on 09/16/2009 @ 06:28AM PT
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Great! See you really can teach an old dog new tricks. I think this is great!

Posted by Ioan Lightoller on 09/16/2009 @ 08:00AM PT
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Its good to know that even politicians can admit when theyre wrong...

Thank you for your bravery representative blumenauer.

Posted by Thomas McHugh on 09/16/2009 @ 01:18PM PT
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The Respect for Marriage bill must become law, thus Congress and President Obama must ensure the bill's passage to become law. It's good that Jerrold Nadler introduced the bill to repeal the intolerant DOMA. A large mistake was made several years but this year and the following years shouldn't stand for the intolerant DOMA. Same-sex marriage is an important right which every LGBT community in every state deserves to hold for the greatness of equality.

Posted by Edwin Bonilla on 09/16/2009 @ 02:39PM PT
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Bravo!

Could we get a link to the contents of the bill?

Posted by William Brown on 09/16/2009 @ 09:26PM PT
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The intolerant piece of crap called DOMA should never have been passed in the first place. I am glad to see such support for this bill. Homophobes need to learn that sooner or later, hate is not a positive value and that it will not be enshrined in law.

I, too would like to see the text of this bill.

Posted by Ioan Lightoller on 09/17/2009 @ 07:32AM PT
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'The Defense of Marriage Act was authored by then Georgia Representative Bob Barr, then a Republican, and signed into law by President Bill Clinton'

did he take this action while dodging dress stains? what a hypocrite.

'In a June 1996 interview in the gay and lesbian magazine The Advocate, Clinton said: "I remain opposed to same-sex marriage. I believe marriage is an institution for the union of a man and a woman.'...

and the occassional side 'job'

Posted by Sheila Gredzinski on 09/17/2009 @ 02:33PM PT
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Author

Michael is the Communications Director for the Human Rights Program at Harvard Law School, and previously was Communications Director for Pax Christi USA, a progressive Catholic human rights organization.