House Speaker John Boehner on Monday
said he supports cutting the Justice Department's funding over its
decision to no longer defend in court the Defense of Marriage Act
(DOMA), the Clinton-era law that bans federal recognition of the
marriages of gay and lesbian couples.
“Obviously, the DOJ's decision
results in the DOJ no longer needing the funds it would have
otherwise expended defending the constitutionality of DOMA,”
Boehner
wrote in a latter to House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, a
California Democrat. “It is my intent that those funds be diverted
to the House for reimbursement of any costs incurred by and
associated with the House, and not DOJ, defending DOMA.”
A Boehner appointed and led committee
instructed House council to defend the law in court after the Obama
administration decided it would no longer defend a law it considers
unconstitutional.
The
House is expected to file its first brief on Monday in defense of the
law.
The idea of making the department pay
for its decision was
first suggested by Iowa Congressman Steve King, an ardent
opponent of gay rights.
“I would welcome your joining me in
support of redirecting those resources from the DOJ to the House that
would otherwise have been necessary expenses on the Attorney General
to defend this federal statute,” Boehner wrote to Pelosi.
Boehner has already acknowledged that
he's
unsure about the costs of defending the federal ban on gay marriage
in court.