In 1996, U.S. Congress passed the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA), a law that bars federal recognition of same-sex marriages.

DOMA defines marriage as between a man and a woman, which means same-sex married couples are denied access to marriage-based federal benefits, such as Social Security, even in states where gay marriage is legal.

President Obama has recently taken a good hard look at the law and has decided that because it is discriminatory to a community of Americans, it is unconstitutional. This means that the Department of Justice will no longer defend the laws constitutionality, although it will still be enforced unless Congress repeals it or a court finds it unconstitutional.

Its time for Congress to represent all Americans and end the discrimination against gay and lesbian couples. Tell Congress that all Americans have the right to marriage and urge them to repeal the Defense of Marriage Act.

Dear Representative,

For years, the LGBT community in the United States has been denied the basic right to marry and the federal benefits that committed couples are entitled to because of the Defense of Marriage Act. This law is discriminatory against an entire community of Americans, without rational reason, and is therefore unconstitutional.

(Your comments here.)

I urge you to stop this discrimination and repeal the Defense of Marriage Act.

Sincerely,
[Your name here]