Florida Rep. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen on
Friday became the first Republican to sign onto a bill that would
repeal the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA), which forbids federal
agencies from recognizing the legal marriages of gay and lesbian
couples.
“I voted against the constitutional
amendment defining marriage, so I'm pleased to co-sponsor the repeal
of DOMA and work with my colleagues on marriage equality,” said
Ros-Lehtinen in a statement.
The Respect for Marriage Act was first
introduced during last year's legislative session by New York Rep.
Jerrold Nadler.
“It is with great joy that I welcome
my friend and colleague, Congresswoman Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, as the
125th cosponsor of the Respect for Marriage Act,” said
Nadler.
Nadler added that Ros-Lehtinen has been
“a tremendous ally in the world's struggles for freedom and against
oppression and discrimination.”
“Representative Ilena Ros-Lehtinen's
support for this important bill confirms that equal respect for all
marriage is a bipartisan, mainstream value,” said Evan Wolfson,
president of Freedom to Marry. “Working with Representatives
Ros-Lehtinen and Nadler, and the Respect for Marriage Act's 124
co-sponsors, Freedom to Marry will continue to make the case to
Republican and Democratic members of Congress that it's time to
return the federal government to its proper role of honoring all
marriage legal in the states – without a gay exception.”