[Politico] Obama backs bill to end DOMA

The White House on Tuesday publicly supported a bill that would repeal the Defense of Marriage Act, which the Obama administration has opposed.

The Senate Judiciary Committee is scheduled Wednesday to hear testimony about the marriage legislation, the Respect for Marriage Act, introduced by Sen. Dianne Feinstein.

“The president has long called for the legislative repeal of the so-called Defense of Marriage Act,” White House press secretary Jay Carney told reporters. “He is proud to support the Respect for Marriage Act.”

The Human Rights Campaign, the country’s biggest gay advocacy group, immediately thanked Obama for his support. “By supporting this legislation, the President continues to demonstrate his commitment to ending federal discrimination against tens of thousands of lawfully married same-sex couples,” the group’s president, Joe Solmonese, said in the statement.

Patrick Leahy, the chairman of the Judiciary Committee, said in a statement that he celebrates Obama’s position and appreciated the show of support before Wednesday’s hearing.

Obama has said he supports efforts to repeal DOMA, calling it a “discriminatory” law that violates the Constitution. “It’s time for us to bring it to an end,” he said at a reception for LGBT pride month in June.

He has yet to publicly support gay marriage.