Question

The justices against the ruling stated that DOMA does not prevent any state from allowing same-sex marriage or from giving same-sex couples the same rights and privileges that other couples have. DOMA simply defines a certain class of persons to whom federal law will extend certain special benefits to. Congress and DOMA used marital status as a way to define this certain class, because Congress viewed marriage as an important part of our society. If Congress has the power to pass DOMA, then Congress also has the power to define the category of people to whom the law applies. 2. What was the dissenting argument?​

Answer 1

The dissenting argument on DOMA posited that Congress has the authority to define the category of individuals for federal benefits and that the law did not interfere with states' abilities to recognize same-sex marriage.

Step-by-step explanation:

The dissenting argument against the ruling on DOMA suggested that Congress, by passing the Defense of Marriage Act, rightfully utilized its legislative power to define the class of persons to whom federal law extends certain benefits, which is a prerogative inherent in Congressional authority. This definition of marriage was claimed to be within the bounds of federal power because Congress viewed marriage as significant to society. The justices opposing the majority's viewpoint believed that DOMA did not prevent any state from allowing same-sex marriage or from providing same-sex couples with the same rights as other couples. According to the dissent, DOMA only set out to clarify that for federal purposes, marriage was defined in a specific way, not interfering with a state's choices regarding the recognition of same-sex marriage.