[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 159 (2013), Part 8]
[House]
[Page 10595]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                   VETERAN SPOUSE EQUAL TREATMENT ACT

  (Ms. TITUS asked and was given permission to address the House for 1 
minute.)
  Ms. TITUS. For far too long, DOMA denied legally married same-sex 
couples access to Federal benefits, including those provided by the VA. 
But with yesterday's decisions, the Supreme Court sent a clear message 
that all Americans, gay or straight, must be afforded equal protection 
under the law.
  There is no question that now we must implement the Court's ruling 
throughout every department of the Federal Government. Accordingly, I'm 
proud to introduce the Veteran Spouse Equal Treatment Act to amend the 
VA's definition of spouse as an individual of the opposite sex. This is 
a basic matter of aligning the VA with our Nation's laws, of living up 
to the principles of fairness and equality, of extending benefits to 
thousands of deserving military spouses, and of defending all those who 
have proudly worn the uniform of the U.S. armed services and their 
families.
  Yesterday, justice and freedom prevailed over intolerance and hate. 
So today I ask my colleagues to work with me to see that this 
legislation is passed without delay, to implement the Supreme Court's 
decision, and leave no question about equal protection under the law 
for all Americans.

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