Editor’s note: This story was updated after the bill number was changed from H.J.R. 56 to H.J.R. 106.
WASHINGTON (BP)–The House of Representatives is scheduled to vote on the Marriage Protection Amendment, H.J.R. 106, Thursday, Sept. 30. Supporters say that if it is to pass, Christians nationwide must take action now by calling their congressman.
The amendment — formerly known as the Federal Marriage Amendment — would protect the traditional definition of marriage by banning same-sex “marriage.” Many pro-family leaders warn that without an amendment, courts will force same-sex “marriage” on all 50 states.
This summer Massachusetts became the first state to legalize same-sex “marriage” thanks solely to a ruling by that state’s high court. Like a tsunami, the ruling has spread nationwide:
— In Washington state, two judges have ruled that the state must legalize same-sex “marriage.” The state supreme court will have the ultimate say, but pro-family leaders aren’t optimistic.
— In Oregon, the state supreme court will hear arguments in November in a case that could lead to legalized same-sex “marriage” there.
— In New Jersey, the homosexual activist group Lambda Legal has appealed a same-sex “marriage” case to the New Jersey Supreme Court — the same court that in 1999 ruled that the Boy Scouts must accept homosexuals as troop leaders.
Opponents of the marriage amendment argue that the issue of same-sex “marriage” should be left to the states. But even now, judges are preventing it from being a states’ rights issue.
Once homosexual activists have been successful in a handful of states, they will file suit in federal court to force same-sex “marriage” on the entire nation.
A marriage amendment to the U.S. Constitution is the only solution. Only two sentences, the amendment reads: “Marriage in the United States shall consist solely of the union of a man and a woman. Neither this Constitution, nor the constitution of any State, shall be construed to require that marriage or the legal incidents thereof be conferred upon any union other than the union of a man and a woman.”
Constitutional amendments require the passage of two-thirds of both the House and Senate and three-quarters of the states. In the House, that’s 290 votes. The amendment currently has 130 sponsors.
As Family Research Council President Tony Perkins has noted, House members face re-election every two years, which means they are more likely to be “more attentive than normal” this year, during an election.
FRC has compiled a list of approximately 125 “high priority” House members — those who are either undecided or who live in districts where the amendment likely would be popular.
Check the list below. If your representative is listed, make a phone call and urge him or her to support H.J.R 106, the Marriage Protection Amendment. If your representative is not listed, call the capitol switchboard number (202-224-3121), ask for your representative and make sure he or she supports the amendment.
The time to act is now.
Baptist Press
Marriage Protection Amendment
“High priority list”
Courtesy of the Family Research Council
Alaska, Don Young (R), 202-225-5765.
Alabama, Robert Cramer (D), 202-225-4801.
Arkansas: Vic Snyder (D), 202-225-2506.
Arizona: Raul Grijalva (D), 202-225-2435
California: Dennis Cardoza (D), 202-225-6131; Elton Gallegly (R), 202-225- 5811; David Dreier (R), 202-225-2305; Adam Schiff (D), 202-225-4176; Doug Ose (R), 202-225-5716; Jerry Lewis (D), 202-225-5861; Mary Bono (R), 202-225-5330; Christopher Cox (R), 202-225-5611; Darrell Issa (R), 202-225-3906.
Colorado: Scott McInnis (R), 202-225-4761.
Florida: C. W. Bill Young (R), 202-225-5961; Porter Goss (R), 202-225-2536; F. Allen Boyd (D), 202-225-5235; Lincoln Diaz-Balart (R), 202-225-4211; Clay Shaw (R), 202-225-3026; Mario Diaz-Balart (R), 202-225-2778.
Georgia: David Scott (D), 202-225-2939; Sanford Bishop (D), 202-225-3631; Denise Majette (D), 202-225-1605.
Hawaii: Ed Case (D), 202-225-4906.
Iowa: James Leach (R), 202-225-6576; Leonard Boswell (D), 202-225-3806.
Illinois: Bobby Rush (D), 202-225-4372; Mark Kirk (R), 202-225-4835; Gerald Weller (R), 202-225-3635; Judy Biggert (R), 202-225-3515; Timothy Johnson (R), 202-225-2371; Lane Evans (D), 202-225-5905; Ray LaHood (R), 202-225-6201; William Lipinski (D), 202-225-5701; Rahm Emanuel (D), 202-225-4061.
Indiana: Peter Visclosky (D), 202-225-2461; Julia Carson (D), 202-225-4011; Baron Hill (D), 202-225-5315.
Kentucky: Ben Chandler (D), 202-225-4706.
Louisiana: William Jefferson (D), 202-225-6636; James McCrery (R), 202-225-2777.
Masssachusetts: Stephen Lynch (D), 202-225-8273.
Maryland: Wayne Gilchrest (R), 202-225-5311; C. Ruppersberger (D), 202-225-3061; Chris Van Hollen (D), 202-225-5341.
Maine: Michael Michaud (D), 202-225-6306.
Michigan: Bart Stupak (D), 202-225-4735; Sander Levin (D), 202-225-4961; Carolyn Kilpatrick (D), 202-225-2261; John Dingell (D), 202-225-4071; Dale Kildee (D), 202-225-3611; Frederick Upton (R), 202-225-3761; Nick Smith (R), 202-225-6276; Mike Rogers (R), 202-225-4872; Joseph Knollenberg (R), 202-225-5802.
Missouri: Ike Skelton (D), 202-225-2876; Karen McCarthy (D), 202-225-4535. Mississippi: Bennie Thompson (D), 202-225-5876.
North Carolina: G. K. Butterfield (D), 202-225-3101; Brad Miller (D), 202-225-3032; Bob Etheridge (D), 202-225-4531; David Price (D), 202-225-1784.
North Dakota: Earl Pomeroy (D), 202-225-2611.
New Hampshire: Jeb Bradley (R), 202-225-5456; Charles Bass (R), 202-225-5206.
New Jersey: Frank LoBiondo (R), 202-225-6572; H. James Saxton (R), 202-225-4765; Steven Rothman (D), 202-225-5061.
Nevada: James Gibbons (R), 202-225-6155; Jon Porter (R), 202-225-3252.
New York: Vito Fossella (R), 202-225-3371; Nita Lowey (D), 202-225-6506; Sue Kelly (R), 202-225-5441; Steven Israel (D), 202-225-3335; John Sweeney (R), 202-225-5614; Michael McNulty (D), 202-225-5076; John McHugh (R), 202-225-4611; Sherwood Boehlert (R), 202-225-3665; Jack Quinn (R), 202-225-3306; Amory Houghton (R), 202-225-3161; Peter King (R), 202-225-7896; Kendrick Meeks (D), 202-225-3461.
Ohio: Stephanie Jones (D), 202-225-7032; Steven LaTourette (R), 202-225-5731; Deborah Pryce (R), 202-225-2015; Ralph Regula (R), 202-225-3876; Timothy Ryan (D), 202-225-5261; Ted Strickland (D), 202-225-5705; David Hobson (R), 202-225-4324; Marcy Kaptur (D), 202-225-4146.
Oregon: David Wu (D), 202-225-0855; Greg Walden (R), 202-225-6730; Earl Blumenauer (D); 202-225-4811.
Pennsylvania: Don Sherwood (R), 202-225-3731; John Murtha (D), 202-225-2065; Mike Doyle (D), 202-225-2135; Tim Murphy (R), 202-225-2301; Phil English (R), 202-225-5406; Jim Gerlach (R), 202-225-4315; Curt Weldon (R), 202-225-2011.
South Carolina: John Spratt (D), 202-225-5501; James Clyburn (D), 202-225-3315.
Tennessee: Jim Cooper (D), 202-225-4311; John Tanner (D), 202-225-4714; Harold Ford (D), 202-225-3265.
Texas: Ruben Hinojosa (D), 202-225-2531; Silvestre Reyes (D), 202-225-4831; Jim Turner (D), 202-225-2401; Charles Gonzalez (D), 202-225-3236; Chris Bell (D), 202-225-7508; Solomon Ortiz (D), 202-225-7742; Ciro Rodriquez (D), 202-225-1640; Gene Green (D), 202-225-1688; Jeb Hensarling (R), 202-225-3484; Nick Lampson (D), 202-225-6565.
Virginia: Tom Davis (R), 202-225-1492; Rick Boucher (D), 202-225-3861.
Washington: Rick Larsen (D), 202-225-2605; Richard Hastings (R), 202-225-5816; George Nethercutt (R), 202-225-2006; Jennifer Dunn (R), 202-225-7761; Adam Smith (D), 202-225-8901.
Wisconsin: Thomas Petri (R), 202-225-2476; Mark Green (R), 202-225-5665.
West Virginia: Alan Mollohan (D), 202-225-4172; Shelley Capito (R), 202-225-2711, Nick Rahall (D), 202-225-3452.
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For more information about the national debate over same-sex “marriage,” visit http://www.bpnews.net/samesexmarriage
