Congress Pledges More Money to DOMA Fight

The House of Representatives' effort to continue defending the federal ban on marriage equality may reach $3 million.

The Republican-led Bipartisan Legal Advisory Group has already spent $1.7 million paying outside legal counsel to intervene in 14 federal challenges to the Defense of Marriage Act in courts since the Obama administration and the Department of Justice decided to stop defending the law in court in 2011.

Rep. Candice Miller of Michigan signed an updated contract with the law firm handling the cases, Bancroft LLC, to increase the spending cap to $3 million, according to The Huffington Post. Previously, the cap was $2.75 million.

Earlier this month, Republicans submitted language to the Opening Day Rules Package establishing that "the Bipartisan Legal Advisory Group continues to speak for, and articulate the institutional position of, the House in all litigation matters in which it appears, including in Windsor v. United States." The Supreme Court is scheduled to hear Windsor v. United States, a challenge to DOMA brought by lesbian widow Edie Windsor.