WASHINGTON – Freedom to Marry and Servicemembers Legal Defense Network (SLDN) today released a new online video featuring Chief Warrant Officer (CW2) Charlie Morgan and her wife, Karen, spotlighting the inequalities forced upon gay and lesbian service members by the so-called Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA).

WASHINGTON – Reps. Suzanne Bonamici (D-OR), Hansen Clarke (D-MI) and Steve Cohen (D-TN) became the latest members of Congress to join the growing number of supporters of the Respect for Marriage Act (HR 1116 and S 598), the bill that would repeal the so-called Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA).

Representing diverse regions of the country, they signed on just days before the one-year anniversary of the Respect for Marriage Act’s introduction, bringing the total number of cosponsors in the House and Senate respectively to 140 and 31, up from 108 and 18 on March 16, 2011.

WASHINGTON – Rep. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen (R-Florida) on Friday became the first Republican member of Congress to co-sponsor the Respect for Marriage Act.

The Florida congresswoman is a longtime ally of the LGBT community.

“I’m pleased to join the Log Cabin Republicans in our fight for marriage equality. I co-sponsored the repeal of DOMA because I firmly believe that equality is enshrined in our Constitution and in our great democracy,” Ros-Lehtinen said.

Log Cabin Republicans thanked Ros-Lehtinen for her support.

WASHINGTON – Legally married gay and lesbian couples and their advocates testified today before a Senate panel holding a historic hearing on the Respect for Marriage Act, providing compelling stories about the damage inflicted by the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA).