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rriTirrm news
M itt
and
H iss
Massachusetts governor backs Federal Marriage Amendment
at Senate hearing by Bob Roehr
he Senate Judi
ciary Commit
tee turned again
June 22 to the
subject of same-
sex marriage and the amend
ment to the U.S. Constitu
tion that would ban it. This
time it was for a meeting of
the full panel, chaired by
Orrin Hatch, R-Utah.
“Traditional marriage is
under attack,” he asserted
in his opening statement.
“Courts and renegade pub
lic officials, not conserva
tive activists, have made
this a national issue. If we
are to protect and strength
en the institution of mar Republican Gov. Mitt Romney characterized the Massachusetts
riage, there appears to be Supreme Judicial Court’s decision as “a fundamental break with
no way around the consti all of our...traditions”
tutional solution to this
problem.”
inition and then, consistent with the principles
Reflecting on the issuance of marriage
of federalism, leaves other policy issues regard
licenses to same-sex couples in Massachusetts
ing marriage to state legislatures.”
since May 17, Hatch said: “The point is not
Boh Barr, a conservative Republican and
that civilization will come to a screeching
former congressman from Georgia, was the
halt but that people begin an unprecedented
sole witness to speak against the amendment.
and unwise slide into accepting a divorce
He was disturbed by the rush to get it to a
between marriage and child rearing. For this
vote on the floor of the Senate. “I urge you,
Mr. Chairman, to oppose efforts to circum
reason, many believe same-sex marriage will
likely act to undermine the health of families
vent your committee on an issue of such
monumental, lasting and wide-ranging
over time.”
Ranking Democrat Patrick Leahy of Ver
importance.’’.
mont lambasted the hearing and the Federal
He harshly criticized the actions of San
Marriage Amendment as politics pure and sim Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom and the
Massachusetts court in pushing for same-sex
ple. “This debate is not about preserving the
sanctity of marriage, it is about preserving a
marriage. “However, some of my fellow social
conservatives are today pulling a Newsom with
Republican White House and Senate.”
the Federal Marriage Amendment—and, even
Leahy chastised the committee for finding
time to hold four hearings on same-sex mar
more indefensible from a conservative perspec
riage instead of focusing on “the abuses at Abu
tive, they are trying to use the Constitution as
Ghraib, the FBI’s troubling and costly com their tool."
puter problems, FBI lab problems, FBI foreign
Barr then turned his attention to Romney.
translation problems and the bipartisan [Secu
“The governor is pleading
rity and Freedom Ensured! Act.”
for this Congress and the
federal government to
Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney devoted
protect him against the
most of his opening statement to a factual
recitation of the course of events in that state,
Massachusetts.. .Constitu
tion, the Massachusetts
characterizing the Massachusetts Supreme
Judicial Court’s decision as “a fundamental
Legislature, the Massachu
break with all of our laws, experiences and
setts Supreme Judicial
traditions.”
Court and, most ironically,
Romney discussed how the state might spend
the people of Massachu
Bob Barr
federal money and qualify beneficiaries for pro
setts if they eventually rat
grams. “For example, we have been told that we
ify the proposed Massachusetts constitutional
cannot use federal funds to provide meals for an
amendment.”
elderly same-sex spouse if the person’s eligibility
Barr invoked federalism in arguing against
for the services is due to their spousal status.”
the amendment: “Marriage is a quintessential
The Defense of Marriage Act, which pro
state issue.” And he worried, “If we begin to
hibits recognition of same-sex marriage for fed treat the Constitution as our personal sandbox,
eral programs, can cut both ways. While spousal
in which to build and destroy castles as we
status does not qualify one for Medicaid, when it
please, we risk diluting the grandeur of having a
comes to meeting income eligibility criteria,
Constitution in the first place.”
only the applicant’s income, not the family or
Barr acknowledged “the erosion of the
spousal income, counts toward that ceiling of nuclear family.... Restoring stability to these
eligibility to receive benefits.
families is a tough problem and requires careful,
Similarly, Romney said the federal Centers
thoughtful and, yes, tough solutions. But homo
for Medicare and Medicaid Services “has noti sexual couples seeking to marry did not cause
fied us that federal transfer-of-asset rules regard this problem, and the Federal Marriage Amend
ing spouses will not apply, nor will spousal
ment cannot be the solution."
impoverishment provisions apply to same-sex
Cheryl Jacques, president of the Human
spouses." He called for “an amendment that Rights Campaign and a former Massachusetts
restores and protects our societal definition of state senator, said: “Clearly you do not have to
marriage, blocks judges from changing that def support same-sex marriage rights to be against
T