WBEZ 91.5 Chicago

Some U.S. senators will be looking to repeal the Defense of Marriage Act this coming year. The law prohibits federal recognition of same-sex marriages.Sen. Dick Durbin (D-Ill.) said he wants it repealed as it relates to federal benefits."

Many people head to the beach, area pools and the city’s cooling centers amidst the heat. Another popular spot is the Cook County clerk’s office. Last month the clerk issued more than 800 licenses for civil unions in the county, over half the licenses issued across the state.

Gay pride supporters are recovering after tires were slashed on 51 of the 70 or so pride parade floats on Sunday. The majority of floats were being kept in a South Side warehouse that had no overnight security or cameras.

Tyona Wesley says she’s happy for same-sex couples who can now join in civil unions in Illinois.The 36-year-old wishes her own state of Indiana were as open, but Hoosier lawmakers are actually pushing hard to make sure its ban of same-sex civil unions can never be changed. Wesley, who lives in

Last week, Attorney General Eric Holder said the Justice Department would no longer defend cases involving the Defense of Marriage Act. DOMA is the federal law instated during the Clinton presidency saying marriage is confined to the union of a man and a woman.

An outspoken Illinois lawmaker from Chicago resigned his office Thursday. Democratic state Sen. Rickey Hendon has represented parts of the city's West Side in the legislature since 1993.

Republican lawmakers in Indiana are determined not to fail this time around in pushing for a state constitutional amendment that would ban same-sex marriage and civil unions. On Monday, a Republican-controlled House committee approved the amendment requirement by a 8-4 vote along party lines.