From KCRW in Santa Monica and PRI, Public Radio International, this is To the Point.

State laws, federal laws, and the institution of marriage.

Hello again, I'm Armin Alney, and this is To the Point from Public Radio International.

A daily look at the issues, Americans care about most.

The Federal Defense of Marriage Act was cobbled together in 1996

after the Supreme Court of Hawaii suggested there might be a right to same-sex marriage.

Because of DOMA, more than a thousand rules and regulations limit taxes and benefits only to heterosexual couples.

Bill Clinton now says he regrets having signed it.

Today, the U.S. Supreme Court was asked to declare that it violates the rights of gays and

lesbians in states that recognize same-sex marriage. We'll hear about the arguments and ask,

are this week's disputes all about a declining institution with fewer Americans getting married

than ever before? On reporter's notebook later later on North Dakota challenges Roe versus Wade.

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We're in on me back with To the Point.

Today, the U.S. Supreme Court heard arguments for and against DOMA, the Defense of Marriage Act.

It limits marriage to a man

and a woman when it comes to more than a thousand federal rules and regulations regarding

tax breaks and benefits. Does that violate the rights of gays and lesbians in states that recognize

...