Senate panel votes to repeal US law on gay marriage

Washington: The Senate judiciary committee voted 10-8 yesterday in favour of repealing the Defense of Marriage Act, but it remains unclear if and when the controversial law will be wiped off the books.Enacted 15 years ago, the law — known by its acronym DOMA — effectively denies federal benefits to gays and lesbians who now can legally marry in six states and the District of Columbia.[caption id="attachment_128674" align="alignleft" width="380" caption="Enacted 15 years ago, the law — known by its acronym DOMA — effectively denies federal benefits to gays and lesbians who now can legally marry in six states and the District of Columbia. Daniel Barry/Getty Images"][/caption]Its repeal, sponsored by Diane Feinstein, a Democrat from California and former mayor of gay-friendly San Francisco, would be a victory for the gay rights movement — and a major setback for social conservatives."We have 131,000 married (gay) couples, and the discriminatory nature of DOMA is showing up throughout the business and professional communities of this country," said Feinstein in a pre-vote debate.Under DOMA, marriage is defined in federal law exclusively as "a legal union between one man and one woman as husband and wife." It also enables states without gay marriage the power to not recognise same-sex vows made elsewhere.AFP