Barney Frank on passage of Respect for Marriage Act
Former Massachusetts Rep. Barney Frank, the first member of Congress to voluntarily come out as gay, attended Thursday’s House vote for the Respect for Marriage Act.
Speaking after the vote, the 82-year-old Frank said, “I was here for the birth of [the Defense of Marriage Act] so I am very grateful to be here for the funeral. It’s kind of a New Orleans moment: We are tooting our horns for the funeral, a much happier occasion than the birth.”
DOMA, which banned the federal government from recognizing same-sex marriage, was passed by Congress in 1996 and signed into law by then-President Bill Clinton. Frank was one of 67 House members to vote against the law.
Frank also touted the work of Sen. Tammy Baldwin, D-Wis., and defended her decision to not push for a vote before last month’s elections.
#yahoonews #news #respect4marriage ##marriageact
#congress #samesex Barney Frank on passage of Respect for Marriage Act
Former Massachusetts Rep. Barney Frank, the first member of Congress to voluntarily come out as gay, attended Thursday’s House vote for the Respect for Marriage Act.
Speaking after the vote, the 82-year-old Frank said, “I was here for the birth of [the Defense of Marriage Act] so I am very grateful to be here for the funeral. It’s kind of a New Orleans moment: We are tooting our horns for the funeral, a much happier occasion than the birth.”
DOMA, which banned the federal government from recognizing same-sex marriage, was passed by Congress in 1996 and signed into law by then-President Bill Clinton. Frank was one of 67 House members to vote against the law.
Frank also touted the work of Sen. Tammy Baldwin, D-Wis., and defended her decision to not push for a vote before last month’s elections.
#yahoonews #news #respect4marriage ##marriageact #congress #samesex