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 Federal Anti-Gay Amendment
Returns In Wake Of Calif. Ruling
by 365Gay.com Newscenter Staff
Posted: May 21, 2008 - 11:30 am ET
(Washington) Republican Congressman Paul Broun
(pictured) has announced plans to reintroduce an amendment to the US Constitution to bar
same-sex marriage.
Broun (R-Ga) said the California Supreme Court
ruling recognizing same-sex marriage has made it an imperative to reign in what
he called "activist judges".
"My amendment will preserve the original
intent of the drafters of the Constitution, by ensuring that no state or federal
judge can take it upon themselves to suddenly discover a right to homosexual
marriage within the text of the document," Broun said in a statement.
"It will also provide a defense against
activist judges who seek to overturn the will of the people by manipulating
state constitutions in order to impose their preferred policy position."
Conservatives in California already are
organizing a proposed amendment to ban gay marriage but Broun said even if
approved by voters in that state would not prevent similar ruling elsewhere in
the country.
Voters in Broun's home state of Georgia approved
an amendment to the state constitution outlawing same-sex marriage in 2004.
"There simply is no basis for the suggestion that homosexual
‘marriage’ is a right protected by the United States Constitution,"
Broun said.
Republicans have been trying to amend the
Constitution since 2004, as a result of; the Massachusetts high court ruling
that legalized gay marriage there.
Despite GOP control of Congress and support from
President Bush, a proposed amendment failed to garner enough votes to succeed in
either 2004 or 2006.
With Democrats now in control of both the House
and Senate it is considered unlikely Broun's move to reintroduce the measure
will even make it to committee.
Still, Broun said he intends to make it a key
issue in his re-election campaign.
While all three presidential hopefuls oppose
amending the US Constitution, Republican Sen. John McCain has said he supports
proposed state amendments in his home state of Arizona and in California.
Amending the US Constitution requires approval of
two-thirds of the House and Senate and then would have to be passed by three-fourths of state legislatures.
©365Gay.com 2008
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