The Defense Of Marriage Act

not qualify for living in families only neighborhood zones, and are unable to receive family rates for auto, health or homeowner’s insurance. In the case of divorce same sex couples are unable to receive shares of marital possessions, they also cannot receive child or spousal support or visitation rights (Guillen) With all these burdens from not being able to receive marital benefits heterosexual couples are given, DOMA is a terrible policy that hurts many same sex marriages, and families.
Deny First and Fourteenth Amendment
The first Amendment states that: Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people
DOMA in trying to preserve marriage as being between one man and one woman did a good job, not allowing untraditional marriages to be recognized in the eyes of Federal Government, however the policy was overall ineffective. The defense of Marriage Act caused great pain for same sex couples by not allowing them to receive marital benefits. They also had the emotional pain of being told their marriage was not valid in certain states. Finally, in 2013, after the law being in effect for seventeen years, DOMA was found to be unconstitutional going against both the 1st and 14th amendment. Same sex marriages would now not be discriminated against in the eyes of Federal Government.
With the Defense of Marriage Act being brought to the supreme court there has been some hefty government spending. The House of Representatives is the one paying legal bills, and the total has come to six times more than originally anticipated. Initially a $500,000 budget was authorized; however it was quickly raised to $3,000,000 as law suit costs rose (Hickey)
This policy was able to keep marriage traditional, however it was unconstitutional, and therefore ineffective. With much bipartisan support in both houses of congress the bill was easily passed and quickly signed by President Bill Clinton. Once the law was in action many same sex marriages were harmed. Marital status varying from state to state caused much distress for same sex marriages, making them second class citizens. The Federal Government not recognizing same sex marriages also added to the distress by not giving couples marital benefits they deserved. DOMA was found to unconstitutional in a five to four ruling in United States v. Windsor on bases of depriving citizens of their 1st amendment, freedom of religion, and their 14th amendment, Equal Protection Clause. DOMA ended up costing the Federal Government $3,000,000 and prevented an economical boost provided by same sex marriage. DOMA was an unsuccessful policy, and the United States was better off without