scott mcfarlane has the detail said in a story only on 2. >> reporter: sources inside the house overve government trips in recent years and we saw it front and center. one in 2009 and one in 2011. each cost taxpayers $3,000 per attendee. more expensive than the 2010 conference in las vegas. $822,000 total. fine food, music and a clown. the congressman said he is not sure what he will find. >> that is fine. got golf outings, clowns. it looks more like play than work. >> reporter: he is suspicious because of our investigation of the postal service conference in california. cost $2 million and included a gulf outing and a dinner event. we asked several agencies for details about the san francisco event. we are waiting for responses. they are probing conferences in rio. cancun. >> significant attention to this matter and a lot of aggressive action to cut back. >> reporter: the obama administration reduced spending by $2 million. they are sniffing around the san francisco trips. they cost too much money. scott mcfarlane, ktvu channel 2 news. >>> a survey commissioned for california's heal

ktvu scott mcfarlane has a report from washington. >> no cameras inside the supreme court, we can tellng whether it was constitutional for the federal government to limit the benefits for same sex marriage couples. >> what give the federal government the right to be concerned at all about what the definition of marriage is? >> there's two kinds of marriages, the full marriage and then sort of skim-milk marriage. >> reporter: one justice questioned why u.s. government them benefits. that certain said -- that attorney said without that defense of marriage act, if just one state does. the law he said helped make the idea of marriage clearer. >> it defines the term for wherever it appears in a federal law in a consistent way. >> reporter: they couldn't hear what was happening inside the courtroom but huge crowds formed again outside. including the new york woman who's marriage triggered this case. >> you guys are talking too freely. i have been hiding in a closet ten years ago. >> reporter: supporters the same sex marriage ban also spoke to the crowd and tv cameras. >> while we stand for t

in washington, scott mcfarlane ktvu channel 2 news. >>> a north carolina senator who recently quiet on issues of same sex marriage is now backing marriage rights for gay couples. senator kay hagan made the announcement today. >>> the doma hearing in washington is bringing support of the same sex marriage out for aville image -- vigil here in san francisco. >> reporter: they're holding a rally for gay marriage. this time they're opposing the federal defense of marriage act. this family visited from placerville where 22-year-old daughter is on spring break. >> we came down to visit the city and go to the walt disney museum. >> reporter: kristen came here with her two mothers. >> we grew up in a relatively small town. everyone loved them and have a place to be. >> reporter: because they are in a straight marriage, the defense of marriage act will solidify the ties to kristen much more challenging. >> she doesn't have the same right because both of her parents are treated the same, she's not going to get the same benefits. if one of us -- being able to file jointed for the state. i can't f

ktvu scott mcfarlane has a report from washington. >> no cameras inside the supreme court, we can tells constitutional for the federal government to limit the benefits for same sex marriage couples. >> what give the federal government the right to be concerned at all about what the definition of marriage is? >> there's two kinds of marriages, the full marriage and then sort of skim-milk marriage. >> reporter: one justice questioned why