The Horse Got Back Up

The previously mentioned H.R. 3313 (aka the Marriage Protection Act) has passed through the House of Representatives. Sadly, my own representative THADEUS MCCOTTER (R-MI)(whom I will not be voting for next year) has elected to vote in favor of the bill. Here's an article on it:

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365gay.com article:

(Washington) The US House of Representatives Thursday afternoon passed the Marriage Protection Act tying the hands of federal judges from ordering states to recognize gay marriages sanctioned by other states.

The measure passed the Republican controlled House by a 233-194 vote.

Federal judges ``must not be allowed to rewrite marriage policy for the states,'' Rep. Sue Myrick, R-N.C., said.

"Marriage is under attack,'' said Rep. James Sensenbrenner, R-Wis., referring to the Massachusetts state court decision allowing same-sex marriages. The legislation is needed, Sensenbrenner said, to prevent Massachusetts law from being applied nationwide.

Democrats called the bill an election-year distraction that is nothing more than an unconstitutional attack on gays in America and the federal judiciary. They said it would set a precedent that Congress could use to shield any future legislation from federal judicial review.

"They couldn't amend the Constitution last week so they're trying to desecrate and circumvent the Constitution this week,'' Rep. Jim McGovern, D-Mass., said.

Republicans are ``undermining our Constitution today to get more votes in November,'' Rep. Barbara Lee, D-Calif., said.

Rep. Tammy Baldwin, D-Wis., the House's lone declared lesbian made an impassioned plea to reject the bill..

``We face no less than a sign on the courthouse door: 'You may not defend your constitutional rights in this court. You may not see equal protection here,''' she said. ``Today, the 'you' is gay and lesbian citizens. But who would be next?''

The legislation faces long odds in the closely divided Senate and gay rights advocates vowed a fight.

"We will work to ensure that this measure is soundly rejected in the Senate," said Human Rights Campaign President Cheryl Jacques.

"Like the Federal Marriage Amendment, this bill attempts to undermine our constitutional system for political gain,"

Kevin Cathcart, Executive Director of Lambda Legal, said his group will challenge the law in court if if should pass the Senate and be signed into law.

"In attacking both gay people and the historic role of the courts, this bill clearly violates our Constitution and will never be allowed to stand.

"The U.S. Supreme Court has been clear that laws cannot single out gay people and treat us as second-class citizens, which is exactly what this bill tries to do. The right wing's efforts to rewrite the Constitution failed earlier this month, so now they're trying to undermine our government's system of checks and balances and disenfranchise gay couples who aren't a threat to anyone else."

"After failing in their attempt to amend the Constitution to deny same-sex couples the guarantee of equal protection, anti-equality politicians and ultra right wing organizations are attempting to strip from the courts their right to review DOMA," said Equality California Executive Director Geoffrey Kors. "This bill is a direct attack on our entire system of government.”

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