WASHINGTON — U.S. Senator Chris Coons (D-Del.), will chair the second panel of next Wednesday's hearing of the Senate Judiciary Committee to consider legislation that would repeal the Defense of Marriage Act. The announcement was made Thursday by Committee Chairman Patrick Leahy, who will chair the first panel.
Senator Coons is an original cosponsor of the bill — the Respect for Marriage Act — and is an ardent supporter of equality under the law for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender Americans.
"The Defense of Marriage Act is a discriminatory law that deserves to be repealed," Senator Coons said. "This hearing is important. It will study the impact DOMA has had on American families and I'm humbled that Chairman Leahy asked me to play such a substantial role in it. I look forward to exploring DOMA's effects with our invited witnesses and helping to move the Respect for Marriage Act forward.”
Testifying on the second panel will be majority witnesses Joe Somonese, President of the Human Rights Campaign, and Evan Wolfson, Founder and Executive Director of Freedom to Marry. A minority witness has not yet been confirmed.
In addition to the Respect for Marriage Act, in the current Congress, Senator Coons has cosponsored the Employment Non-Discrimination Act, the Student Non-Discrimination Act, the Uniting American Families Act, and the Family and Medical Leave Inclusion Act. During the lame duck session of the previous Congress, Senator Coons cosponsored and worked hard to repeal Don't Ask, Don't Tell.
Last month, Senator Coons recruited 12 of his colleagues for a video for the It Gets Better Project, in which they encouraged lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender young people not to give up and reassured them that the senators were working hard in the Senate to fulfill the promise of equality for all. That video can be seen at http://coons.senate.gov/itgetsbetter.
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