Middle America's Worldview

Senate Reportedly Sets Mid-July Vote on FMA
By Susan Jones
CNSNews.com Morning Editor
June 16, 2004

(CNSNews.com) - It's not yet official, but press reports said the U.S. Senate is moving toward a July vote on the Federal Marriage Amendment.

Roll Call, a newspaper covering Capitol Hill, said the vote would happen in mid-July, just before the start of Democratic National Convention in Boston, Mass., where homosexual marriage is now legal.

The newspaper quoted Sen. Rick Santorum, the Republican Conference chairman, as saying that Republican leaders want a July vote, although they have not yet set a specific date.

American Values President Gary Bauer reportedly said the vote would happen on July 15. "We have one month to flood congressional offices with phone calls, letters and e-mails," WorldNetDaily quoted Bauer as saying.

In a press release dated Wednesday, the Alliance for Marriage said it "welcomed the announcement of a pending Senate vote" on the Federal Marriage Amendment in July.

"This marks the beginning of a democratic debate that the Alliance for Marriage hoped to create when we drafted the marriage amendment," said Matt Daniels, AFM president.

The group said its goal is to allow the critical issue of marriage ito be resolved democratically, rather than through the courts.

"Most Americans believe that gays and lesbians have a right to live as they choose. But they don't believe they have a right to redefine marriage for our entire society," said Daniels. "Americans want our laws to send a positive message to children about marriage, family and their future."

Daniels said a constitutional fix is necessary to solve the problems created by activist judges and agenda-driven lawsuits.

"AFM's marriage amendment has been introduced with bi-partisan sponsorship in two successive sessions of Congress in order to protect the common sense view of marriage shared by the vast majority of Americans of every race, color and creed."

AFM said its Federal Marriage Amendment will protect marriage, while leaving the issue of benefits to the states.

"AFM believes this centrist approach embodied in our amendment offers hope of a democratic resolution to a debate that has been forced on the American people by the courts."

The Federal Marriage Amendment reads, "Marriage in the United States shall consist only of the union between a man and a woman. Neither this constitution or the constitution of any state, nor state or federal law, shall be construed to require that marital status or the legal incidents thereof be conferred upon unmarried couples or groups"

Some conservative groups reject the Federal Marriage Amendment as currently written. Concerned Women for America says it's important to do more than preserve marriage "in name only."

The group says same-sex partnerships should not be afforded the same benefits as married couples are.

"CWA opposes the Federal Marriage Amendment because it would not prevent state legislatures from recognizing and benefiting civil unions and other such relationships, which would result in legalized counterfeit marriage," the group's website says.
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Senate To Vote On Federal Marriage Amendment July 15
Democrats Support Homosexual Marriage, Vow To Kill Amendment
Help send 1,000,000 letters of support for President Bush's efforts!


The U.S. Senate will vote on The Federal Marriage Amendment on or about July 15. I urge you to respond to the call of President Bush for support by helping send one million letters to the Senate. This will be the most letters ever received by the Senate on any issue.

Democratic leaders in the Senate, including Senate Minority Leader Tom Daschale and Senators Charles Schumer (NY), Barbara Boxer (CA), and Debbie Stabenow (MI) have promised homosexual leaders they will kill the amendment. Their action would allow one liberal, activist Federal judge to overturn all marriage laws and make homosexual marriage legal in all 50 states.

Some have referred to this as the most important vote in the history of our nation. If the homosexual activists and the Senate Democrats are successful, homosexual marriage will radically reshape our society. They will force acceptance of their lifestyle on the rest of society.

TIME FOR ACTION

Click here to send an e-mail to your Senators. This is very important. It is time for action if we want to keep marriage legal only between one man and one woman. Time is short. July 15 is the date for the vote.

We cannot secure those one million letters of support for President Bush without your help. PLEASE FORWARD THIS MESSAGE TO EVERY PERSON ON YOUR E-MAIL LIST. We must expand our base of support to reach our goal!

After forwarding to your e-mail list, please print this letter and distribute to your Sunday school class, church, clubs, etc. They can participate by visiting www.afa.net. Help secure the one million letters!

Thanks for responding to President Bush's call for support.

Send your letter today!

Sincerely,

Don

Donald E. Wildmon, Founder and Chairman
American Family Association