CNN "CNN Newsroom" - Transcript - Marriage Equality

Interview

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BLITZER: Supporters of same-sex marriage say they are energized and encouraged by yesterday's U.S. Supreme Court rulings. But same-sex marriage opponents insist the battle isn't over. They vow to continue their fight in their own states and here in Washington, they'll definitely have a key ally up on Capitol Hill. Congressman Tim Huelskamp, a Republican from Kansas, says he will try to get same-sex marriages banned by amending the United States Constitution. Congressman Huelskamp is joining us now from Capitol Hill. What do you think, congressman? Do you have any chance of getting this amendment passed or is this just an effort on your part to express your deep anger what the Supreme Court did yesterday?

REP. TIM HUELSKAMP (R), KANSAS: Well, it was simply an outrageous decision of judicial activism and they attempted to short circuit the Democratic process and we are just starting on the amendment and given 43 million Americans have already voted in favor of traditional marriage, I think we've got a shot. But it's a long ways to go. It's a difficult route. But, again, at least the court did not go as far as invalidating these laws and amendments in 37 states that continue to protect traditional marriage today.

BLITZER: You need 290 votes in the House of Representatives to at least begin this process of getting a Constitutional amendment. There is virtually no chance that that would happen, right?

HUELSKAMP: Well, I don't know about no chance. You don't know until you try, and I think given this decision which I think has shocked a lot of Americans and the court would step this star and accuse Bill Clinton and the Republican Congress, at a time, of animus. And, you know, the decision was outrageous. I think it's going to encourage a lot of folks to step forward and say, hey, we've got to protect marriage and protect families and particularly our children.

BLITZER: The last time your supporters tried this in 2006, you got 236 votes. As I say, you need 290 in the House. And public opinion in these years since then has clearly shifted in favor of same-sex marriage. So, for all practical purposes, you're not going to get that vote in the House.

HUELSKAMP: Well, we'll see. You know, if public opinion shifted, why hasn't the State of Illinois passed that? Clearly, when Republicans are talking about outreach to minority communities, that's where we see some strong support of traditional marriage. And so, yes, they'll make some different divisions in Washington. I think we're going to have some strong support but we do have a long ways to go. But the outrage of a court that takes it upon itself to attempt to redefine marriage. At the same time, we have 37 states maintaining a traditional definition of marriage. We -- all we need is 38 states when that time comes in order to prove a constitutional amendment. So, we've got a long ways to go but I think we have a shot.

BLITZER: But before you get the states ratifying it, you've got to get the House and the Senate and it looks impossible, at least if you look at the numbers right now. How many co-sponsors do you have for this constitutional amendment?

HUELSKAMP: We just started. We waited until the decision came out and took a look at it and realized that was the route we needed to go given the tortured logic of the court, given they're inviting future lawsuits. And we'll continue to go down a path which has certain constitutional skepticism, so we don't know how many have signed on. We just started today and we'll hopefully introduce it maybe tomorrow if not next week as the original starting line for this process.

BLITZER: Representative Tim Huelskamp, Republican of Kansas, thanks very much for joining us.

HUELSKAMP: Thank you.

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