By JOSHUA LYNSEN
Jun 27 2007, 2:09 PM |
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President Bush threatened Tuesday to veto the D.C. budget bill unless it barred the District from using federal funds to register domestic partnerships.
In a memo to Congress, Bush said he opposed House efforts to strike that longstanding stipulation.
“Under federal law, legal marriage is the union between a man and a woman,” the memo says. “Federal tax dollars are not used to extend employment benefits to domestic partners of federal employees and D.C. should not enjoy an exception to this rule.”
Rep. Virgil Goode (R-Va.) offered an amendment reinstating the stipulation. It passed 224 to 200.
Democrats noted the amendment amounts to little more than a symbolic gesture since the District uses its own money to register domestic partnerships.
“This is a misleading veto threat designed to parrot the talking points of the anti-gay special interests which control and finance the Republican Party,” said Jo Wyrick of National Stonewall Democrats.
Human Rights Campaign President Joe Solmonese also slammed Bush’s veto threat.
“With his popularity at an all-time low, this president has yet again dipped his cup into the well of anti-gay bigotry,” Solmonese said.
Conservative groups, meanwhile, rallied to reinstate the ban.
Tony Perkins of Family Research Council called on members to contact their members of Congress and “urge them to make the nation’s capital a place where integrity of marriage is preserved.”
In the same memo to Congress, Bush also said he “strongly opposes” efforts to let the District use its tax money for a needle exchange program.
Local health experts have credited the program, which is operated by the privately funded Prevention Works, with curbing the spread of HIV.
House members voted this month in committee to end the ban Congress has annually reiterated since 1998. Bush said the move was unwise.
“Needle distribution programs facilitate illegal drug use,” his memo says. “Drug use prevention and treatment programs are superior public health alternatives because these programs reduce both the sharing of contaminated needles and the harms of illegal drug use.”
Rep. Mark Souder (R-Ind.) offered an amendment to reinstate that ban. It failed 216 to 208.
House members were expected to vote on the District’s budget bill, known as the Financial Services and General Government Appropriations Act this week.
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