Bill Clinton Praises The Demise Of DOMA, Without Mentioning That He Signed It Into Law

Former President Bill Clinton and former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton released a joint statement hailing the Supreme Court's decision to strike down the Defense of Marriage Act.

"By overturning the Defense of Marriage Act, the Court recognized that discrimination towards any group holds us all back in our efforts to form a more perfect union," the couple said in the statement.

"We are also encouraged that marriage equality may soon return to California. We applaud the hard work of the advocates who have fought so relentlessly for this day, and congratulate Edie Windsor on her historic victory."

In a 5-4 decision split along ideological lines, the Supreme Court on Wednesday struck down DOMA, which prevents same-sex couples from getting federal benefits. It also dismissed the standing of petitioners appealing a ruling on California's Proposition 8, making gay marriage legal in California.

The Clintons' statement makes no mention of the fact that as president, Bill Clinton signed DOMA into law on Sept. 21, 1996. In an op-ed in The Washington Post in March, Clinton wrote it was "Time to Overturn DOMA."

The Clintons also weighed in with disappointment on Tuesday at the court's decision to strike down a key section of the Voting Rights Act of 1965.