Marriage Protection Amendment

MARRIAGE PROTECTION AMENDMENT -- (Extensions of Remarks - July 19, 2006)

SPEECH OF
HON. TODD TIAHRT
OF KANSAS
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
TUESDAY, JULY 18, 2006

* Mr. TIAHRT. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of H.J. Res. 88, the Marriage Protection Amendment offered by Representative MARILYN MUSGRAVE.

* The resolution 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.''

* This resolution is identical to the resolution that was voted on by the House on September 30, 2004. Although the House received a majority vote on the previous resolution, H.J. Res. 106, it wasn't enough for a constitutional amendment. The American people are overwhelmingly supportive of a constitutional amendment that will protect traditional marriage between one man and one woman. In fact, since the vote in 2004, 16 States have passed State constitutional amendments to protect and defend traditional marriage, including my home State of Kansas. By an overwhelming margin of 70-30 percent, Kansans passed such an amendment in April 2005. The American people have been heard. Now it is time to ensure the will of the people be protected by passing a constitutional amendment that will define marriage as the union of one man and one woman. With activist judges overruling the will of the people time and time again, there is no other way than to amend the U.S. Constitution.

* Marriage is the foundation of our society.

* The well-being and welfare of children should always be our focus. Children that are raised in a home with a married mother and father consistently do better in every measure of well-being than their peers who come from divorced or step-parent, single-parent, cohabiting homes. When there is a breakdown in the family or failure to form marriages becomes widespread, society is harmed by a whole host of social pathologies from increased poverty, crime, mental illness, illegal drug use to clinical depression, and suicide. The very best environment for children, our most vulnerable members of society, should be of the utmost importance. I will continue to fight for children and families and to defend the will of the people of the Fourth District of Kansas.

* Next month, I will celebrate my 30th anniversary of marriage with my beautiful bride, Vicki. Our marriage has been a blessing. I have gained even more respect for the institution over the past 3 decades and will defend it against attack.

* I vote in favor of protecting traditional marriage between one man and one woman today and I encourage my colleagues to vote for H.J. Res. 88.

http://thomas.loc.gov/