Tag Archives: DOMA

Feds Announce Social Security Benefits For Spouses In Same-Sex Marriages

Via press release from the office of Carolyn W. Colvin, Acting Commissioner of Social Security. I am pleased to announce that Social Security is now processing some retirement spouse claims for same-sex couples and paying benefits where they are due. The recent Supreme Court decision on Section 3 of the Defense of Marriage Act, made just over a month ago, …

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NORTH CAROLINA: Married Dutch Lesbian Granted Green Card By USCIS

Via the DOMA Project: Although North Carolina voters passed the infamous anti-gay state constitutional “Amendment 1″ in May 2012 that bars The Tar Heel State from recognizing and performing marriages or civil unions of same-sex couples, Masliah & Soloway clients, Becky and Sanne, who married in the Netherlands, were treated just as any other married couple as they arrived at …

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US Consulate In Amsterdam Issues First Visa For Spouse Of Gay American

On Friday, Secretary of State John Kerry announced the immediate availability of visas for the spouses for gay Americans. Two days later the first such document was issued in the Netherlands. From the Facebook page of the US Consulate General, Amsterdam: Mr. Francois Conradie is moving to New York, and visited the U.S. Consulate General in Amsterdam for his L2 …

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Sec. Of State John Kerry: Visas Are Now Available For Same-Sex Couples

Secretary of State John Kerry today announced the immediate availability of visas for same-sex couples. Via Metro Weekly: “If you are the spouse of a U.S. citizen, your visa application will be treated equally. If you are the spouse of a non-citizen, your visa application will be treated equally. And if you are in a country that doesn’t recognize your …

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USCIS Updates FAQs On Gay Marriage

The USCIS has updated their FAQs page on same-sex marriage. Here are the first two questions: Q1: I am a U.S. citizen or lawful permanent resident in a same-sex marriage to a foreign national. Can I now sponsor my spouse for a family-based immigrant visa? A1: Yes, you can file the petition. You may file a Form I-130 (and any …

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DOMA: One Month Later

Tomorrow it will have been one month since the repeal of DOMA’s Section Three. At the Washington Blade, Chris Johnson looks at the rapid moves taken since then: Almost like a domino effect, public officials and judges in Ohio, New Mexico, Pennsylvania and Missouri this week alone have acted to advance marriage equality by drawing on the decision in Windsor …

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Matt Baume: Marriage News Watch

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White House Tells Cabinet To Evaluate Post-DOMA Social Security Benefits

Via press release from the White House Office of Communications:  The President has directed the Attorney General to work with other members of his Cabinet to review the recent Supreme Court decision and determine its impact on Federal benefit programs – including benefits administered by Social Security – to ensure that we implement the decision swiftly and smoothly. We are …

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The Political Cartoon Of The Year?

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Feds: Domestic Partners Are Ineligble For Benefits Now Granted Without DOMA

The federal government yesterday clarified that added benefits being granted now that DOMA has been (partially) overturned will not be available unless the couple is legally married. The Office of Personnel Management made that announcement in a series of memos to federal benefits administrators and insurance carriers, saying couples who are not legally married “will remain ineligible for most federal …

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Liberty Counsel: The DOMA Ruling Pushes Christian Americans Towards Revolution

Liberty Counsel said pretty much the same thing to World Net Daily on the day after the ruling, but here they are saying it on camera.

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Employers Ponder DOMA Ruling

The Washington Post reports: “What’s the federal government going to do when you have a valid marriage in New York and the couple moves to Texas? We don’t know the answer to that,” said Scott Macey, president of the ERISA Industry Committee that represents large employers. The confusion is creating uncertainty for many companies that operate nationwide and want to …

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Henry Rollins On DOMA

“Bad News for the Haters Dept.: You realize that all those obnoxious 16-year-olds you see everywhere, texting their friends who are standing next to them, will be able to vote in the 2016 elections. Do you think you will be able to sell them on your anti-gay/anti-woman/anti-brown/black platform? Do you think they want to end up like you? I bet …

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Edie’s Refund: $638,000+

CNN Money reports: The Supreme Court decision this week striking down the Defense of Marriage Act means a lot of things to a lot of people. But to Edith Windsor, the plaintiff who brought the case, the landmark ruling also means she will finally get back the $638,000 in estate tax payments she had to make to the IRS and …

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Headline Of The Day

Via McClatchy: “From an LGBT perspective, at this point, immigration is going to be an even playing field,” said Cara Jobson, a partner in Wiley and Jobson, a San Francisco immigration law firm. The U.S. government is working to ensure that couples who qualify will be able to get the process started right away, Janet Napolitano, the secretary of the …

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MICHIGAN: Judge Cites DOMA Ruling, Allows Marriage Lawsuit To Proceed

Citing last week’s SCOTUS ruling on DOMA, a  Michigan judge has kept his word and will allow a lesbian couple to sue the state for marriage rights. From his ruling: “Plaintiffs’ equal protection claim has sufficient merit to proceed. The United States Supreme Court’s recent decision in United States v. Windsor, No. 12-307 (U.S. Jun. 26, 2013), has provided the …

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LGBT HISTORY: INS Issues First Green Card To Binational Gay Couple

Posted this afternoon to the DOMA Project’s Facebook page.

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Feds Announce Immediate Extension Of All Benefits To Spouses Of Gay Employees

From the Office Of Personnel Management: Health Insurance (FEHB): All legally married same-sex spouses will now be eligible family members under a Self and Family enrollment. In addition, the children of same-sex marriages will be treated just as those of opposite-sex marriages and will be eligible family members according to the same eligibility guidelines. This includes coverage for children of …

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American Decency Association: DOMA Ruling Was As Bad As Pearl Harbor

“As we look back on history there are dates which we now see were crossroads, turning points for nations and cultures. July 4, 1776; June 6, 1944. December 7, 1941; January 22, 1973. Battles fought, decisions made – some establishing goodness and justice, others are dates that ‘will live in infamy.’ God will not bless a nation that puts a …

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Napolitano: Come Get Your Green Cards

“I applaud the Supreme Court decision in United States v. Windsor holding that the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) is unconstitutional. This discriminatory law denied thousands of legally married same-sex couples many important federal benefits, including immigration benefits. I am pleased the Court agreed with the Administration’s position that DOMA’s restrictions violate the Constitution. Working with our federal partners, including …

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