News

Log Cabin Responds to New Anti-family Constitutional Amendment

New Federal Amendment Seeks to Radically Reduce the Power of States

March 18, 2005

(Washington, DC) – United States Representative Dan Lungren (R-CA) introduced a new anti-family constitutional amendment, which seeks to prevent states from choosing to recognize basic fairness for gay and lesbian families. "This amendment undermines the will of the fair-minded people in states across America who are grappling with how best to guarantee basic fairness for gay and lesbian families," said Log Cabin Republicans President Patrick Guerriero.

"This new amendment is yet another attempt to undermine federalism. It's an unprecedented incursion by the federal government into the affairs of states, and radically alters the traditional roles of the legislative and judicial branches of government," continued Guerriero "With exit polls showing that almost two-thirds of Americans supporting some legal recognition of same-sex relationships, and with 225 years of experience of allowing states to manage their own affairs, Congressman Lungren has placed himself squarely on the wrong side of history."

The text of the new Amendment reads,

Marriage in the United States shall consist only of a legal union of a man and a woman. No court of the United States or of any State shall have jurisdiction to determine whether this Constitution or the constitution of any State requires that the legal incidents of marriage be conferred upon any union other than a legal union between one man and one woman. No State shall be required to give effect to any public act, record, or judicial proceeding of any other State concerning a union between persons of the same sex that is treated as a marriage, or as having the legal incidents of marriage, under the laws of such other State.

In 2004, Log Cabin successfully led the conservative voices to defend the U.S. Constitution. "While Log Cabin is hopeful that the Congress will concentrate on a positive agenda for 2005, we will continue defending the U.S. Constitution and making the conservative case against an unnecessary and discriminatory amendment," concluded Guerriero. Last year, the anti-family marriage amendment failed to garner anywhere near the necessary two-thirds support in either the House or the Senate.