Pelosi says gay marriage amendment distracts from gov't failures

Sep 30, 2004 19:01 ET

Pelosi: 'With Gay Marriage Amendment, GOP Attempts to Distract Americans From Record of Failure'

WASHINGTON, Sept. 30 /PRNewswire/ -- House Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi today spoke late this afternoon in strong opposition to a Republican proposal to amend the Constitution to ban gay marriage. The House voted 227 to 186, far short of the two-thirds vote needed to pass the amendment. Below are Pelosi's remarks on the House floor:

"Mr. Speaker, I have been married for over 41 years. I want to hear some applause for that. [Applause.] I am glad to see my Republican colleagues appreciate that wonderful accomplishment. I certainly respect the institution of marriage. As the mother of five and the grandmother of five, I appreciate the value of family. My husband and I value family in our community as a source of strength, and a source of comfort to the people.

"What constitutes that family is an individual and personal decision, but for all, it is a place where people find love and support. As for me, I agree with Vice President Cheney, when he said last month: 'With respect to relationships my general view is that freedom means freedom for everyone. People ought to be free to enter into any kind of relationship they want to.'

"Mr. Speaker, in the closing days of this Congress, we should be addressing the urgent needs of the American people -- to be secure against the clear and present danger of terrorism, to protect our men and women in uniform whose lives are in the balance in Iraq, and to bring economic prosperity with health care coverage and jobs.

"Instead, we are meeting today to talk about tarnishing our cherished Constitution with an amendment that purports to protect marriage, but is one that benefits no one and actually limits the rights of millions of Americans. Our Constitution, to which we all take an oath of office, is an enduring and living document that has throughout our history expanded rights, not diminished them, to live up to the ideals of our founding fathers -- that all are created equal by their Creator and endowed with inalienable rights to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.

"As that great defender of the Constitution, the late Congresswoman Barbara Jordan, whose legacy graces this House, noted: 'We promised liberty, freedom, and equality to everyone. No one was to be excluded from the blessings of liberty.' As a result, this nation abolished slavery, established equal protection under the laws, extended the right to vote to women, and ended the poll tax.

"Today, we consider an amendment that runs counter to the inclusiveness that underlies our history: 'one nation under God, indivisible' -- and e pluribus unum, from many, one, and in the words of the Constitution, 'to form a more perfect Union.'

"This amendment has been brought with the full knowledge that it failed in the Senate, with no prospects of success, either now or in the foreseeable future, in either body. This is a partisan exercise to distract the American people from the Republicans' record of failure.

"And it is unworthy of a party that claims to be associated with President Lincoln, one of greatest presidents of the United States. The consideration of this amendment does not call upon the 'better angels of our nature' that President Lincoln spoke of in his first Inaugural Address. It calls upon the worst impulses of politics by attempting to enshrine discrimination into the Constitution and to single out a group of American citizens. And it is unworthy of a party that claims to be associated with President Lincoln, who said in his second Inaugural Address, 'with malice toward none, with charity for all, with firmness in the right God gives us to see the right, let us strive to finish the work we are in, to bind up the nation's wounds.'

"This amendment is malicious, and is not charitable toward anyone. It is motivated by an animus toward lesbians and gays. It is a sad moment that those clinging to power want to use that to divide the American people for what they perceive to be an electoral advantage.

"I will vote against this amendment because it is counter to the noble ideals of our nation. On the substance, the amendment is far-reaching to deny all matters of rights even beyond marriage. The proponents have disingenuously claimed that this amendment would not preclude civil unions or domestic partnerships. At the same time, organizations supporting this amendment are now using similarly worded state laws to challenge recognition of domestic partnerships in several states.

"And we know these organizations -- which the Republican leadership is beholden to -- will not stop there. Because this amendment is not limited to governmental action and would apply to all private contracts, existing rights enjoyed by same-sex couples, such as hospital visitation, inheritance rights, and health care benefits would be at risk if this amendment were to pass. This amendment is dangerous and does not belong in our Constitution.

"Throughout our time in Congress, many Members on both sides of the aisle have fought against discrimination in every form and sought to bring people together. I will vote against this amendment because again, it is counter to the noble ideals of our nation and the principle of ending discrimination and unifying our country.

"Whatever one's view is on same sex marriage -- and I know that is a difficult issue for some, I understand that -- amending the Constitution is not the place to address this issue. Let us not defile our Constitution with an amendment designed to demean a group of American citizens. Let us not use our Constitution as a political tool to divide us. We are a better country than that, and that is why this amendment will fail today.

"The American people will see through the motivations behind this amendment: It is to distract the American people from the record of failure of this Republican Congress -- a record that has been, according to an editorial, marked by 'shambling to the end of one of the lightest workloads in decades without a hint of embarrassment' and 'failing at the most demanding obligations of government.'

"Mr. Speaker, let us strive to unite people, to seek the best in ourselves, and to attend to the grave and great issues now before us. Let us honor our Constitution, let us honor our children, let us honor all God's children, let us follow our better angels and reject this amendment.

"Thank you, Mr. Speaker."

Source: Office of House Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi

CONTACT: Brendan Daly or Jennifer Crider of the Office of House
Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi, +1-202-226-7616

Web site: http://democraticleader.house.gov/