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Maryland and Virginia co-sponsors of the Federal Marriage Amendment and the date
they signed:
Rep. Jo Ann Davis (R-Va.), May 21
Rep. Roscoe G. Bartlett (D-Md.), June 2
Rep. Virgil H. Goode Jr. (R-Va.), June 2
Rep. Eric Cantor (R-Va.), July 10
Rep. Randy J. Forbes (R-Va.), July 23
Rep. Edward L. Schrock (R-Va.), July 23
Rep. Bob Goodlatte (R-Va.), Sept. 24
Local members of Congress who have yet to take a
position on the FMA and their pro-gay voting record based on HRC’s
scorecard for the 107th Congress:
Rep. Benjamin L. Cardin (D-Md.), 100 percent
Sen. Barbara A. Mikulski (D-Md.), 100 percent
Rep. James P. Moran (D-Va.), 100 percent
Rep. Bobby Scott (D-Va.), 83 percent
Rep. Wayne Gilchrest (R-Md.), 50 percent
Rep. Rick Boucher (D-Va.), 33 percent
Rep. Thomas M. Davis III (R-Va.), 33 percent
Sen. George Allen (R-Va.), 14 percent
Rep. Frank Wolfe (R-Va.), O percent
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HOME > NEWS > LOCAL
By: JOE CREA COMMENTS
A majority of Maryland and Virginia elected officials contacted by the Blade
over the last month have refused to say whether they will back the proposed Federal
Marriage Amendment to the U.S. Constitution that would define marriage as the
union of one man and one woman.
Three out of eight House members from suburban Maryland and five of the 11
congressmen from Northern Virginia did not respond to repeated inquiries seeking
their position. Three of the four senators from the two states did not respond.
The constitutional amendment, which has 96 co-sponsors in the House, has yet
to be introduced in the Senate.
Congressman Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), who defeated gay-friendly Republican
incumbent Constance Morella in 2002, said this week he is opposed to the Federal
Marriage Amendment and intends “to work with my colleagues to actively
defeat such an amendment.”
Van Hollen said he expects the Republicans’ House leadership to push
the amendment, requiring a “significant” response from opponents.
He stopped short on calling for other members of Congress to join him in the
fight against the FMA, saying, “They will have to answer” that
question, especially in light of the ruling on Tuesday from the Massachusetts
Supreme Judicial Court that gay marriages should be recognized in that state.
Amaya Smith, press secretary for Rep. Albert R. Wynn (D-Md.) said the congressman
opposes the Federal Marriage Amendment and supports domestic partnership recognition
and would support legislation to address the inequity in financial and tax
benefits for same-sex partners.
“Mr. Wynn feels that because there is no reference to marriage in the
Constitution that this is a social and personal decision made by individuals
and should not be decided by politicians,” Smith said.
Rep. Dutch Ruppersberger (D-Md.) has also come out against the Federal Marriage
Amendment. His press secretary, Heather Moeder Molino, said that gay marriage “is
a states rights issue and should not be handled by the federal government.”
A spokesperson for Rep. Elijah Cummings (D-Md.) said the congressman does
not have an opinion on the amendment but does support legal and health benefits
for gay and lesbian couples.
Katie Elbert, press secretary for Congressman Steny H. Hoyer (D-Md.), who
as Minority Whip is a member of the Democrats’ House leadership, said
her boss is against the proposed amendment.
Many members of the D.C.-area congressional delegation who declined to announce
a position on the amendment have previously scored high points according to
the Human Rights Campaign’s “Voter Scorecard,” which evaluates
members of Congress and their support for gay rights legislation.
Congressmen Jim Moran (D-Va.) and Benjamin L. Cardin (D-Md.), who both have
a 100 percent pro-gay voting record according to HRC’s 107th Congress
scorecard, did not respond repeated inquiries regarding the FMA.
Josh Israel, president of the Virginia Partisans Gay & Lesbian Democratic
Club, said that Rep. Moran is against the Federal Marriage Amendment.
Israel also said that Rep. Thomas Davis (R-Va.) told him that he opposes the
amendment.
Sen. Barbara A. Mikulski (D-Md.), who has a 100 percent pro-gay record in
the 107th session of Congress, has declined to say where she stands. Lawrence
Jacobs, board co-chair of Free State Justice, Maryland’s largest gay
civil rights organization, said that he isn’t sure Mikulski’s support
could be taken for granted since she voted for DOMA in 1996.
Her counterpart, Sen. Paul S. Sarbanes (D-Md.), who also scored a 100 percent
pro-gay voting record, released a statement to the Blade that he is “opposed
to proposed Constitutional smendments when a statutory approach would adequately
serve the interests being advanced.”
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