Illinois Congressman Mike Quigley has
said tax day is a reminder of the discrimination gay and lesbian
couples face as a consequence of the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA).
DOMA is the 1996 law that bars federal
agencies, including the IRS, from recognizing the legal marriages of
gay couples.
“Each tax day millions of LGBT
couples, even those legally married, are reminded of their status as
second-class citizens with separate and wholly unequal rights under
the law,” Quigley said in a prepared statement. “It's time to
put an end to DOMA and the discrimination it promotes, which is an
affront to our country's values of equality and fairness for all.”
According to the Government
Accountability Office (GAO), there are 179 federal tax provisions
that take into account marital status. Married gay couples cannot
file their federal income taxes jointly, are taxed on their transfers
of property, gifts and inheritances, and are taxed on the health
insurance benefits of a spouse.
A brief on the subject issued by the
Human Rights Campaign (HRC), the nation's largest gay rights
advocate, can
be found here.