Nov 21, 2003  |  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.”