Supporters of same-sex marriage have expressed disappointment that the Obama administration is defending the Defense of Marriage Act in federal court.

The act, signed into law by President Bill Clinton in 1996, says that states do not have to recognize same-sex marriages performed in other states and that the federal government does not recognize same-sex marriage.

President Barack Obama said during the campaign he would work for the repeal of the act. But the law's constitutionality is being challenged in federal court. On June 11, 2009, the Obama administration defended the law's validity in a 54-page brief that said the law is consistent with equal protection and due process principles and does not violate the right to privacy.

Officials in the Obama administration and the Justice Department said that they are required to defend the law in court as long as it is still on the books. An Obama spokesman told the Los Angeles Times that Obama "remains fully committed" to his proposals on gay rights.

But supporters of gay rights still criticized the administration for the legal filing. 

The Human Rights Campaign said it had "grave concerns" about the arguments put forward in the brief.

"The administration apparently determined that it had a duty to defend DOMA in the courts. The president has just as strong a duty to put his principles into action, and end discrimination against (lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender) people and our families," said HRC president Joe Solmonese in a statement. "We call on the president to send legislation repealing DOMA to Congress."

"It is time for you to use your leadership to translate these principles into meaningful action," he added.

The group Parents, Families and Friends of Lesbians and Gays also called for Obama to act "immediately" to overturn the law.

We searched the legislative database Thomas and were not able to find any introduced bills that would repeal the Defense of Marriage Act. Bloggers and Web sites on both the left and the right noted last month that language supporting the repeal had disappeared from the White House Web site. We also couldn't find any instances of Obama talking about repealing the act since he took office.

The administration contends it must defend laws that are on the books, but there are few signs of progress that Obama is trying to fulfill his promise. We rate this promise Stalled.