Final answer:
DOMA was enacted in 1996 in response to potential changes in the legal standing of same-sex marriages, especially following a Hawaii court ruling in favor of same-sex marriages. It defined marriage as a union between one man and one woman, allowing states to not recognize same-sex marriages and denying same-sex couples federal benefits.
Step-by-step explanation:
Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA)
In 1996, Congress passed the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) largely in response to a rapidly shifting social environment regarding marriage equality. The passage of DOMA was partly sparked by the Hawaii State Supreme Court's ruling earlier that year, which suggested that denying same-sex couples the right to marry could not be legally justified. This ruling provoked a national backlash, leading to the enactment of DOMA. The Act defined marriage federally as a union between one man and one woman, enabling states to individually decide whether to recognize same-sex marriages from other states. Furthermore, it denied same-sex couples federal benefits and rights, even if their marriage was legally recognized by a state. This included the inability to file joint tax returns or to receive Social Security survivor benefits. By explicitly limiting the definition of marriage, DOMA marked a pivotal moment in the struggle for marriage equality, signifying the federal government's stance on the matter up to that point.