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About Just out. (Portland, OR) 1983-2013 | View Entire Issue (Sept. 5, 2003)
September 5. 2003 * J news he odds of a passing the anti-gay Federal Marriage Amendment got a little longer last month. The key element was word from U.S. Rep. F. James Sensenbrenner Jr., R-Wis., that he opposes such an amendment, at least for now. The story appeared Aug. 25 in the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. This fairly obscure congressman is important because he chairs the House Judiciary Com mittee, which has jurisdiction over proposed amendments to the Constitution. The conservative Sensenbrenner is not exactly a champion of gay rights. In the article he made clear that he opposes marriages and civil unions for same-sex couples. He supported the 19% Defense of Marriage Act, which defines marriage as between a man and a woman for federal purposes, and believes that legislation is sufficient. Amending the Constitution “is very strong medicine,” he said. “It’s been done only 27 times in over 200 years." Ten of those were the Bill of Rights, adopted in 1791, which many states demanded as a con dition for ratifying the Constitution. Two amendments, those dealing with prohibition and the sale of alcohol, canceled each other out. Several others were of a technical nature, changing the line of presidential succession and the date of inauguration. Tammy Baldwin, the only lesbian member of Congress, also represents a Wisconsin district and sits on the Judiciary Committee. The Democrat called Sensenhrenner’s statement “very significant.” Both she and former Wisconsin Republican congressman Steve Gunderson are in long term relationships. Their example and quiet N ew H omophobe on the B lock R unaway B ride Federal Marriage Amendment prospects dim by Bob Roehr ’ , * > 1 ifh É K H * 4 ..arte * A 1 I lobbying may also have affected Sensen- brenner’s decision. The chairman’s opposition makes it unlikely that hearings will he scheduled on the Federal Marriage Amendment. U .S. Rep. F. James Sensenbrenner Jr., R-WLs., opposes That makes it much more difficult for a constitutional amendment hanning same-sex marriage House Republican leaders to bring the measure up for a vote on the flixir, even if only Senate Republican Policy Com m ittee, which as a marker tor interest groups to use on their he chairs. rat ing scorecards. Another member is U.S. Sen. Lindsey Graham, Reinforcing the case against the amendment R-S.C., who signed on as a co-sponsor of the was an Aug. 21 column in The Washington Post amendment in 1999, when he was a member of the by former U.S. Rep. Bob Barr, R-Ga., the author House. However, it is unclear whether that was of IX9MA. He argued: “Marriage is a quintes- from deep conviction or for political expediency in sential state issue. The Defense of Marriage Act his upcoming race for the Senate. The then 46- goes as far as is necessary in codifying the feder year-old and never-been-married candidate was al legal status and parameters of marriage. A gay-baited by his Democratic opponent during the constitutional amendment is Kith unnecessary 2002 campaign to succeed Strom Thurmond. and needlessly intrusive and punitive...the The Democratic side of the subcommittee Constitution is no place for forcing social poli includes Russell Feingold of Wisconsin, Ted cies on states.” Kennedy of Massachusetts, Charles Schumer of U .S. Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas, has New York and Richard Durbin of Illinois, all of announced that he will hold a hearing on the whom are strong supporters of the sexual Federal Marriage Amendment, likely in Sep minorities community. So insiders predict the tember, though no date has yet been set. That hearing should he fair. jH subcommittee includes conservative Jon Kyi, R-Ariz., whose support of the amendment Bolt R oehr is a free-lance reporter hased in was made clear in a policy paper from the Washington, D.C. nti-gay rhetoric got a new mouthpiece when Tony Perkins was named as presi dent of the Family Research Council. He took over Sept. 1. FRC is the Washington, D.C., political arm of James Dobson's Focus on the Fam ily. Its most recent president, Ken Connor, resigned in July for personal reasons, Tony Perkins though speculation is that he was not sufficiently anti-gay for Dobson. Perkins has no such problem. The Louisiana legislator successfully led the fight against repeal of the state sodomy law in 2001. “This legislation has nothing to do with what married couples do in their bedrooms. It has everything to do with legitimizing homosexuality," he said. He is perhaps best known for pushing pas sage of the 1997 “Covenant Marriages Laws," a kind of optional super-marriage that requires premarital counseling and sets up tougher stan dards for divorce. He also championed legisla tion that tightly regulates abortion clinics and requires public schools to install filtering soft ware to prevent students from accessing pornography and other materials deemed objec tionable. Perkins said going to FRC “will allow me to address the issues I’m most passionate about.” Among the most immediate will be “defending the sanctity of marriage and keeping it to one man and one woman.” — BR rlhe . School Imerson "7 REALTY, INC. ' Summer is simply the best time to put your home on the market. Coll the best reoltors for the job, Celio & Terri for Power Teom! 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