Senate Session

The Senate voted to begin debate on a House-passed marriage equality legislation protecting same-sex and interracial marriage under federal law. The bill would require states to recognize the unions as legally valid even if they take place in another state that does not recognize them. It would also repeal the 1996 Defense of Marriage Act, which defined marriage as between one woman and one man under federal law. Off the floor, lawmakers continued to negotiate federal funding past the December 16 deadline. close