The Justice Department, following the lead of the IRS and the Treasury Department, will now treat all married couples equally regardless of gender orientation and without regard to whether or not the state, in which they reside, recognizes same-sex marriage. Attorney General Eric Holder announced the new policy in an address to a dinner sponsored by the Human Rights Campaign and pointed out that the Justice Department runs a number of benefit programs, and gives spouses certain legal protections, which will now be extended to same-sex married couples. Speaking to The Chicago Sun-Times about Holder’s announcement, Ed Yohnka, ACLU of Illinois Director of Communications, pointed out that “It’s just a further step on the way to equality.”
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