During a Senate floor debate on Sept. 10, 1996, then-Sen. John Ashcroft explained his reasoning for supporting the controversial Defense of Marriage Act. Ashcroft said the bill would provide for “a federal benefit structure that follows a uniform definition of marriage” ensuring that federal employees in all of the 50 states would have the same criteria to qualify for benefits – benefits he stressed come at the expense of the taxpayers.March 29, 2013