Progressive New York City Congressman Jerrold Nadler (NY-08) introduced the "Respect for Marriage Act," in the House today. The bill seeks to overturn the discriminatory Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) which was signed by President Bill Clinton in 1996 and outlawed the federal government from recognizing gay marriage. According to a press release from Nadler's office:

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, following the introduction of the Respect for Marriage Act by Congressman Jerrold Nadler (D-NY), Congresswoman Tammy Baldwin (D-WI) and Congressman Jared Polis (D-CO), the legislation has already gained key support from important corners.  Among the bill’s backers are former President Bill Clinton, who signed the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) into law in 1996, and former Congressman Bob Barr (R-GA), who first introduced DOMA.  They join the dozens of civil rights organizations and 91 original co-sponsors of the bill who are pushing for a full repeal of DOMA.

Today, President Clinton said: “I want to thank Congressman Nadler for his leadership on this issue, and Reps. Baldwin, Polis, Conyers, Lewis, Velazquez and Lee, for introducing the Respect for Marriage Act in the House of Representatives.  Throughout my life I have opposed discrimination of any kind.  When the Defense of Marriage Act was passed, gay couples could not marry anywhere in the United States or the world for that matter.  Thirteen years later, the fabric of our country has changed, and so should this policy.”

Today, Bob Barr said:  “I join with former President Bill Clinton in commending Rep. Jerry Nadler for introducing the ‘Respect for Marriage Act of 2009.’  This legislation would strengthen the principle that each state is free to set the definition of marriage the citizens of that state have adopted.  Rep. Nadler’s legislation would also repeal the 1996 Defense of Marriage Act, and by so doing, remove the federal government from involving itself in matters of defining ‘marriage,’ which historically and according to principles of federalism, are properly state matters and not federal.”

Looking at the list of co-sponsors (full list below), it's great to see Asian American Democrats Mike Honda (CA-15), Mazie Hirono (HI-02), Doris Matsui (CA-05), Bobby Scott (VA-05) and David Wu (OR-01) all on this list. Noticeably absent is the newest Congressmember, Judy Chu (CA-32). She has always been great about LGBT issues. If you live in her district, please encourage her to sign on as a co-sponsor as well. If she signs on, every single Asian American Democrat will have signed as a co-sponsor of the bill. Pretty impressive.

Here is the full list of co-sponsors from the Library of Congress:

COSPONSORS(92), ALPHABETICAL

Rep Abercrombie, Neil [HI-1] - 9/15/2009 
Rep Ackerman, Gary L. [NY-5] - 9/15/2009 
Rep Andrews, Robert E. [NJ-1] - 9/15/2009 
Rep Baldwin, Tammy [WI-2] - 9/15/2009 
Rep Becerra, Xavier [CA-31] - 9/15/2009 
Rep Berkley, Shelley [NV-1] - 9/15/2009 
Rep Berman, Howard L. [CA-28] - 9/15/2009 
Rep Blumenauer, Earl [OR-3] - 9/15/2009 
Rep Brady, Robert A. [PA-1] - 9/15/2009 
Rep Capps, Lois [CA-23] - 9/15/2009 
Rep Capuano, Michael E. [MA-8] - 9/15/2009 
Rep Castor, Kathy [FL-11] - 9/15/2009 
Rep Clarke, Yvette D. [NY-11] - 9/15/2009 
Rep Conyers, John, Jr. [MI-14] - 9/15/2009 
Rep Courtney, Joe [CT-2] - 9/15/2009 
Rep Davis, Susan A. [CA-53] - 9/15/2009 
Rep DeGette, Diana [CO-1] - 9/15/2009 
Rep Delahunt, Bill [MA-10] - 9/15/2009 
Rep DeLauro, Rosa L. [CT-3] - 9/15/2009 
Rep Doyle, Michael F. [PA-14] - 9/15/2009 
Rep Edwards, Donna F. [MD-4] - 9/15/2009 
Rep Ellison, Keith [MN-5] - 9/15/2009 
Rep Engel, Eliot L. [NY-17] - 9/15/2009 
Rep Farr, Sam [CA-17] - 9/15/2009 
Rep Fattah, Chaka [PA-2] - 9/15/2009 
Rep Filner, Bob [CA-51] - 9/15/2009 
Rep Grijalva, Raul M. [AZ-7] - 9/15/2009 
Rep Gutierrez, Luis V. [IL-4] - 9/15/2009 
Rep Harman, Jane [CA-36] - 9/15/2009 
Rep Hastings, Alcee L. [FL-23] - 9/15/2009 
Rep Heinrich, Martin [NM-1] - 9/15/2009 
Rep Himes, James A. [CT-4] - 9/15/2009 
Rep Hinchey, Maurice D. [NY-22] - 9/15/2009 
Rep Hirono, Mazie K. [HI-2] - 9/15/2009 
Rep Hodes, Paul W. [NH-2] - 9/15/2009 
Rep Holt, Rush D. [NJ-12] - 9/15/2009 
Rep Honda, Michael M. [CA-15] - 9/15/2009 
Rep Israel, Steve [NY-2] - 9/15/2009 
Rep Jackson, Jesse L., Jr. [IL-2] - 9/15/2009 
Rep Johnson, Henry C. "Hank," Jr. [GA-4] - 9/15/2009 
Rep Kennedy, Patrick J. [RI-1] - 9/15/2009 
Rep Kilroy, Mary Jo [OH-15] - 9/15/2009 
Rep Kucinich, Dennis J. [OH-10] - 9/15/2009 
Rep Larson, John B. [CT-1] - 9/15/2009 
Rep Lee, Barbara [CA-9] - 9/15/2009 
Rep Lewis, John [GA-5] - 9/15/2009 
Rep Lofgren, Zoe [CA-16] - 9/15/2009 
Rep Lowey, Nita M. [NY-18] - 9/15/2009 
Rep Maffei, Daniel B. [NY-25] - 9/15/2009 
Rep Maloney, Carolyn B. [NY-14] - 9/15/2009 
Rep Markey, Edward J. [MA-7] - 9/15/2009 
Rep Matsui, Doris O. [CA-5] - 9/15/2009 
Rep McCollum, Betty [MN-4] - 9/15/2009 
Rep McDermott, Jim [WA-7] - 9/15/2009 
Rep McGovern, James P. [MA-3] - 9/15/2009 
Rep Meeks, Gregory W. [NY-6] - 9/15/2009 
Rep Miller, George [CA-7] - 9/15/2009 
Rep Moran, James P. [VA-8] - 9/15/2009 
Rep Murphy, Christopher S. [CT-5] - 9/15/2009 
Rep Napolitano, Grace F. [CA-38] - 9/15/2009 
Rep Norton, Eleanor Holmes [DC] - 9/15/2009 
Rep Olver, John W. [MA-1] - 9/15/2009 
Rep Pallone, Frank, Jr. [NJ-6] - 9/15/2009 
Rep Pastor, Ed [AZ-4] - 9/15/2009 
Rep Pingree, Chellie [ME-1] - 9/15/2009 
Rep Polis, Jared [CO-2] - 9/15/2009 
Rep Quigley, Mike [IL-5] - 9/15/2009 
Rep Rangel, Charles B. [NY-15] - 9/15/2009 
Rep Rothman, Steven R. [NJ-9] - 9/15/2009 
Rep Roybal-Allard, Lucille [CA-34] - 9/15/2009 
Rep Sanchez, Linda T. [CA-39] - 9/15/2009 
Rep Schakowsky, Janice D. [IL-9] - 9/15/2009 
Rep Scott, Robert C. "Bobby" [VA-3] - 9/15/2009 
Rep Serrano, Jose E. [NY-16] - 9/15/2009 
Rep Sestak, Joe [PA-7] - 9/15/2009 
Rep Shea-Porter, Carol [NH-1] - 9/15/2009 
Rep Sherman, Brad [CA-27] - 9/15/2009 
Rep Speier, Jackie [CA-12] - 9/15/2009 
Rep Stark, Fortney Pete [CA-13] - 9/15/2009 
Rep Tierney, John F. [MA-6] - 9/15/2009 
Rep Tonko, Paul D. [NY-21] - 9/15/2009 
Rep Towns, Edolphus [NY-10] - 9/15/2009 
Rep Tsongas, Niki [MA-5] - 9/15/2009 
Rep Velazquez, Nydia M. [NY-12] - 9/15/2009 
Rep Wasserman Schultz, Debbie [FL-20] - 9/15/2009 
Rep Watson, Diane E. [CA-33] - 9/15/2009 
Rep Waxman, Henry A. [CA-30] - 9/15/2009 
Rep Weiner, Anthony D. [NY-9] - 9/15/2009 
Rep Welch, Peter [VT] - 9/15/2009 
Rep Wexler, Robert [FL-19] - 9/15/2009 
Rep Woolsey, Lynn C. [CA-6] - 9/15/2009 
Rep Wu, David [OR-1] - 9/15/2009