U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder said today the federal government will recognize the roughly 300 same-sex marriages that took place in Michigan last Saturday, before a federal appeals court put those unions on hold.
“I have determined that the same-sex marriages performed last Saturday in Michigan will be recognized by the federal government,” said Holder in a statement. ” These families will be eligible for all relevant federal benefits on the same terms as other same-sex marriages. The Governor of Michigan has made clear that the marriages that took place on Saturday were lawful and valid when entered into, although Michigan will not extend state rights and benefits tied to these marriages pending further legal proceedings. For purposes of federal law, as I announced in January with respect to similarly situated same-sex couples in Utah, these Michigan couples will not be asked to wait for further resolution in the courts before they may seek federal benefits to which they are entitled.”
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