>> in the case of today's argument on doma, the marriage labeling could not be more crucial. section 3 of the 1996 23er8 law defining marriage as strictly between a man and a wo prohibit legally wed same-sex couples from receiving many of the same federal benefits as straight married couples. ediwindsor, her case is before the court. she had to pay $363,000 in federal estate tax when is her spouse the aeismt spire died in 2009. she would have been exempt from those taxes if the law recognized her as the next of kin. bill clinton signed doma under pressure from republicans in 1996. "new york times" report that mr. clinton was unwilling to risk his reelection by vetoes it. earlier this morning, he acknowledged the blemish, saying that doma was a relic from an earlier era while its time has passed. today's d opt ma arguments