Changes

'''The Defense of Marriage Act''' (DOMA), 28 U.S.C. 1738c, was passed by a [[Republican Party|Republican]] [[Congress]] and signed into law by [[Democratic Party|Democratic]] President [[Bill Clinton]].<ref>The law passed by overwhelming supermajorities:  342-67 in the House, and 85-14 in the Senate.</ref> It enables each state to refuse to recognize another state's grant of same-sex marriages and clarifies that the U.S. federal government does not recognize same-sex marriages at all, even if recognized by one of the states.

'''The Defense of Marriage Act''' (DOMA), 28 U.S.C. 1738c, was passed by a [[Republican Party|Republican]] [[Congress]] and signed into law by [[Democratic Party|Democratic]] President [[Bill Clinton]].<ref>The law passed by overwhelming supermajorities:  342-67 in the House, and 85-14 in the Senate.</ref> It defends traditional marriage by enabling each state to refuse to recognize another state's grant of same-sex marriages and clarifies that the U.S. federal government does not recognize same-sex marriages at all, even if recognized by one of the states.

This law has two powerful effects:

This law has two powerful effects: