** ACTION ALERT ** SUPPORT S.J.RES.26 (7 Co-Sponsors) ** H.J.RES.56 (112 Co-Sponsors)

H.J.RES.56 Title: Proposing an amendment to the Constitution of the United States relating to marriage.

(Introduced 5/21/2003)
Cosponsors: 112
Latest Major Action: 6/25/2003 Referred to House subcommittee.
Status: Referred to the Subcommittee on the Constitution.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Rep Hall, Ralph M. - 5/21/2003 [D-TX-4]
Rep McIntyre, Mike - 5/21/2003 [D-NC-7]
Rep Peterson, Collin C. - 5/21/2003 [D-MN-7]
Rep Davis, Jo Ann - 5/21/2003 [R- VA-1]
Rep Vitter, David - 5/21/2003 [R- LA-1]
Rep Pitts, Joseph R. - 6/2/2003 [R- PA-16]
Rep Bartlett, Roscoe G. - 6/2/2003 [R- MD-6]
Rep Goode, Virgil H., Jr. - 6/2/2003 [R- VA-5]
Rep Wilson, Joe - 6/2/2003 [R- SC-2]
Rep Weldon, Dave - 6/2/2003 [R- FL-15]
Rep Pence, Mike - 6/10/2003 [R- IN-6]
Rep Istook, Ernest J., Jr. - 6/10/2003 [R- OK-5]
Rep Jones, Walter B., Jr. - 6/10/2003 [R- NC-3]
Rep Ryun, Jim - 6/10/2003 [R- KS-2]
Rep Johnson, Sam - 6/10/2003 [R- TX-3]
Rep DeMint, Jim - 6/10/2003 [R- SC-4]
Rep Akin, W. Todd - 6/10/2003 [R- MO-2]
Rep Burgess, Michael C. - 6/10/2003 [R- TX-26]
Rep Norwood, Charlie - 6/10/2003 [R- GA-9]
Rep King, Steve - 6/24/2003 [R- IA-5]
Rep Isakson, Johnny - 6/24/2003 [R- GA-6]
Rep Souder, Mark E. - 6/24/2003 [R- IN-3]
Rep Kennedy, Mark R. - 6/24/2003 [R- MN-6]
Rep Miller, Jeff - 6/25/2003 [R- FL-1]
Rep Lewis, Ron - 6/25/2003 [R- KY-2]
Rep Hayes, Robin - 7/8/2003 [R- NC-8]
Rep Barrett, J. Gresham - 7/8/2003 [R- SC-3]
Rep Burns, Max - 7/8/2003 [R- GA-12]
Rep Collins, Mac - 7/8/2003 [R- GA-8]
Rep Rogers, Mike D. - 7/8/2003 [R- AL-3]
Rep Wamp, Zach - 7/8/2003 [R- TN-3]
Rep Stenholm, Charles W. - 7/8/2003 [D-TX-17]
Rep Hoekstra, Peter - 7/10/2003 [R- MI-2]
Rep Brady, Kevin - 7/10/2003 [R- TX-8]
Rep Whitfield, Ed - 7/10/2003 [R- KY-1]
Rep Hunter, Duncan - 7/10/2003 [R- CA-52]
Rep Doolittle, John T. - 7/10/2003 [R- CA-4]
Rep Brown, Henry E., Jr. - 7/10/2003 [R- SC-1]
Rep Cantor, Eric - 7/10/2003 [R- VA-7]
Rep Gingrey, Phil - 7/15/2003 [GA-11]
Rep Davis, Lincoln - 7/15/2003 [D-TN-4]
Rep Pickering, Charles W. (Chip) - 7/15/2003 [R- MS-3]
Rep Wicker, Roger F. - 7/15/2003 [R- MS-1]
Rep Taylor, Gene - 7/17/2003 [D-MS-4]
Rep Herger, Wally - 7/17/2003 [R- CA-2]
Rep Sullivan, John - 7/22/2003 [R- OK-1]
Rep Garrett, Scott - 7/22/2003 [R- NJ-5]
Rep Tauzin, W. J. (Billy) - 7/22/2003 [R- LA-3]
Rep Cubin, Barbara - 7/22/2003 [R- WY]
Rep Forbes, J. Randy - 7/23/2003 [R- VA-4]
Rep Smith, Christopher H. - 7/23/2003 [R- NJ-4]
Rep Schrock, Edward L. - 7/23/2003 [R- VA-2]
Rep Pombo, Richard W. - 7/23/2003 [R- CA-11]
Rep Hayworth, J. D. - 7/23/2003 [R- AZ-5]
Rep Stearns, Cliff - 7/23/2003 [R- FL-6]
Rep Cunningham, Randy (Duke) - 7/23/2003 [R- CA-50]
Rep Pearce, Stevan - 7/23/2003 [R- NM-2]
Rep Hyde, Henry J. - 7/23/2003 [R- IL-6]
Rep Barton, Joe - 7/23/2003 [R- TX-6]
Rep Boehner, John A. - 7/23/2003 [R- OH-8]
Rep Gutknecht, Gil - 7/23/2003 [R- MN-1]
Rep Peterson, John E. - 7/23/2003 [R- PA-5]
Rep Tiahrt, Todd - 7/23/2003 [R- KS-4]
Rep Franks, Trent - 7/23/2003 [R- AZ-2]
Rep Carter, John R. - 7/24/2003 [R- TX-31]
Rep Emerson, Jo Ann - 7/24/2003 [R- MO-8]
Rep Chocola, Chris - 7/24/2003 [R- IN-2]
Rep Rohrabacher, Dana - 7/24/2003 [R- CA-46]
Rep Crane, Philip M. - 7/24/2003 [R- IL-8]
Rep Shuster, Bill - 7/24/2003 [R- PA-9]
Rep Sessions, Pete - 7/24/2003 [R- TX-32]
Rep Beauprez, Bob - 7/24/2003 [R- CO-7]
Rep Ballenger, Cass - 7/25/2003 [R- NC-10]
Rep Myrick, Sue - 7/25/2003 [R- NC-9]
Rep Toomey, Patrick J. - 7/25/2003 [R- PA-15]
Rep Culberson, John Abney - 9/3/2003 [R-TX-7]
Rep Manzullo, Donald A. - 9/3/2003 [R-IL-16]
Rep Osborne, Tom - 9/3/2003 [R-NE-3]
Rep Feeney, Tom - 9/3/2003 [R-FL-24]
Rep Lucas, Ken - 9/3/2003 [D-KY-4]
Rep Hart, Melissa A. - 9/3/2003 [R-PA-4]
Rep Coble, Howard - 9/9/2003 [R-NC-6]
Rep Calvert, Ken - 9/9/2003 [R-CA-44]
Rep Turner, Michael R. - 9/9/2003 [R-OH-3]
Rep Kingston, Jack - 9/10/2003 [R-GA-1]
Rep Boozman, John - 9/10/2003 [R-AR-3]
Rep Goodlatte, Bob - 9/24/2003 [R-VA-6]
Rep Alexander, Rodney - 9/24/2003 [D-LA-5]
Rep Tancredo, Thomas G. - 9/24/2003 [R-CO-6]
Rep Bachus, Spencer - 9/30/2003 [R-AL-6]
Rep McCotter, Thaddeus G. - 9/30/2003 [R-MI-11]
Rep Rogers, Harold - 10/7/2003 [R-KY-5]
Rep Flake, Jeff - 10/7/2003 [R-AZ-6]
Rep Miller, Gary G. - 10/8/2003 [R-CA-42]
Rep Aderholt, Robert B. - 10/8/2003 [R-AL-4]
Rep Keller, Ric - 10/15/2003 [R-FL-8]
Rep Everett, Terry - 11/20/2003 [R-AL-2]
Rep Neugebauer, Randy - 11/20/2003 [R-TX-19]
Rep Baker, Richard H. - 11/20/2003 [R-LA-6]
Rep Shadegg, John B. - 11/20/2003 [R-AZ-3]
Rep Janklow, William J. - 11/20/2003 [R-SD]
Rep Burton, Dan - 11/20/2003 [R-IN-5]
Rep Deal, Nathan - 11/20/2003 [R-GA-10]
Rep Smith, Lamar - 11/21/2003 [R-TX-21]
Rep Brown-Waite, Ginny - 11/21/2003 [R-FL-5]
Rep Cannon, Chris - 11/21/2003 [R-UT-3]
Rep Hulshof, Kenny C. - 11/21/2003 [R-MO-9]
Rep Blunt, Roy - 1/23/2004 [R-MO-7]
Rep Cole, Tom - 2/10/2004 [R-OK-4]
Rep Ferguson, Mike - 2/10/2004 [R-NJ-7]
Rep Wolf, Frank R. - 2/10/2004 [R-VA-10]
Rep Duncan, John J., Jr. - 2/10/2004 [R-TN-2]

**** If your Congresscritter is listed please call to THANK them..... if they are not please call/fax/write/email and ask them to please co-sponsor this bill...

S.J.RES.26 Title: A joint resolution proposing an amendment to the Constitution of the United States relating to marriage. Sponsor: Sen Allard, A. Wayne [R-CO]

(introduced 11/25/2003) Cosponsors: 7 Latest Major Action: 11/25/2003 Referred to Senate committee. Status: Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.

COSPONSORS(7), ALPHABETICAL [followed by Cosponsors withdrawn]: (Sort: by date) Sen Brownback, Sam - 11/25/2003 [R-KS] Sen Bunning, Jim - 11/25/2003 [R-KY] Sen Inhofe, Jim - 11/25/2003 [R-OK] Sen Miller, Zell - 2/9/2004 [D-GA] Sen Santorum, Rick - 2/12/2004 [R-PA] Sen Sessions, Jeff - 11/25/2003 [R-AL] Sen Shelby, Richard C. - 12/9/2003 [R-AL]

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Ralph M. Hall, representing the Fourth Congressional District in Texas, was first elected to the U.S. House of Representatives in 1980 and has been re-elected to each succeeding Congress. In January, 2004, Congressman Hall filed for re-election as a Republican and resigned from the Democratic Caucus. He was reappointed as a Republican Member of the Energy and Commerce Committee and the Science Committee and was permitted to retain his seniority. He ranks second in seniority behind Energy and Commerce Chairman Billy Tauzin and also ranks second behind Science Committee Chairman Sherwood Boehlert.

He served as the Ranking Democrat on the Science Committee from August 5, 1999 through January 5, 2004, when his party switch became official. He also served as a senior member of the Energy and Commerce Committee and a member of its Energy and Air Quality Subcommittee and Health Subcommittee for many years. He was previously the Ranking Democrat on the Energy and Power Subcommittee and served four years as Chairman of the Space Subcommittee.

TEXAS PUBLIC SERVICE
Between 1950 and 1962, Ralph Hall served as County Judge of Rockwall County, Texas. In 1958-1959, he served as President of the State Judges and Commissioners Association. Hall served in the Texas Senate from 1962 to 1972, where he served as President Pro Tempore of the Senate in 1968-1969.

PERSONAL BACKGROUND
Ralph M. Hall was born in Fate (Rockwall County), Texas, on May 3, 1923, attended the public schools in Rockwall and graduated from Rockwall High School. He joined the U.S. Navy on December 10, 1942, serving as a lieutenant (senior grade) aircraft carrier pilot from 1942 to 1945. Hall attended Texas Christian University, Fort Worth, in 1943; attended the University of Texas, Austin, 1946-1947, and received his LL.B. from Southern Methodist University, Dallas, in 1951. He was admitted to the Texas Bar in 1951 and maintained a private law practice in Rockwall for many years. He is the former President and Chief Executive Officer, Texas Aluminum Corporation; past General Counsel, Texas Extrusion Company, Inc.; past organizer, Chairman, Board of Directors, now Chairman of the Board, Lakeside National Bank of Rockwall (now Lakeside Bancshares, Inc.); past Chairman, Board of Directors, Lakeside News, Inc.; now Chairman, Board of Directors, Bank of Crowley; and President, North and East Trading Company.

Images from top to bottom: Rep. Hall at a reception for the WWII memorial, Rep. Hall in uniform with his wife, Mary Ellen in 1945 and Rep. Hall with his wife, Mary Ellen and former U.S. President Ronald Reagan.

For More Information:

Committee on Science

Energy and Commerce Committee

Health Subcommittee

Energy and Air Quality Subcommittee

• E-Mail Congressman Hall

Washington D.C Office
2405 Rayburn H.O.B.
Washington, DC 20515-0001
Tel No. 202-225-6673

Rockwall, TX
104 N. San Jacinto St.
Rockwall, TX 75087-2508
Tel No. 972-771-9118

Sherman, TX
101 E. Pecan St.
Sherman, TX 75090-5917
Tel No. 903-892-1112

Tyler, TX
211 W. Ferguson St.
Suite 211 Tyler, TX 75702-7222
Tel No. 903-597-3729

This is the senate and house committees that have the Federal Marriage Amendment.
This is at www.house.gov and www.senate.gov
These members count the letters of support.

There are now enough states to pass this due to the fact
they individually have DOMA's.
The FMA will take the Federal Gov. out of the marriage
definition game and put it to state legislatures.
This includes Federally making marriage one man one woman for immigration matters.

These members count the letters of support.
Homosexual special interest groups are trying to organize letter campaigns.
This includes Internet and (oddly enough) nightclubs.

This is very doable.

US House of Representatives

Committee on the Judiciary

F. James Sensenbrenner, Jr., Chairman

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Subcommittee Members

Subcommittee on the Constitution Mr. Steve Chabot, Chairman
362 Ford HOB, Tel: 202-226-7680
Mr. King	Mr. Jerrold Nadler
Mr. Jenkins	Mr. John Conyers
Mr. Bachus	Mr. Robert Scott
Mr. Hostettler	Mr. Melvin Watt
Ms. Hart	Mr. Adam Schiff
Mr. Feeney
Mr. Forbes

BELOW IS THE SENATE COMMITTEE WITH THE COMPANION BILL

Committee on the Judiciary image- panel 1

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MEMBERS

Orrin G. Hatch CHAIRMAN, UTAH	Patrick J. Leahy RANKING DEMOCRATIC MEMBER, VERMONT
Charles E. Grassley IOWA	Edward M. Kennedy MASSACHUSETTS
Arlen Specter PENNSYLVANIA	Joseph R. Biden, Jr. DELAWARE
Jon Kyl ARIZONA	Herbert Kohl WISCONSIN
Mike DeWine OHIO	Dianne Feinstein CALIFORNIA
Jeff Sessions ALABAMA	Russell D. Feingold WISCONSIN
Lindsey Graham SOUTH CAROLINA	Charles E. Schumer NEW YORK
Larry Craig IDAHO	Richard J. Durbin ILLINOIS
Saxby Chambliss GEORGIA	John Edwards NORTH CAROLINA
John Cornyn TEXAS

BELOW IS A FORM LETTER TO SEND TO THE SENATORS AND HOUSE REPRESENTATIVES

RE: Support in favor of the Federal Marriage Amendment
H.J. Res. 56 and S.J. Res. 26

Dear [ Decision Maker ]

I support the Federal marriage amendment. As your constituent I urge your support to amend the Constitution. Specifically, please cosponsor support H.J. Res. 56 and S.J. Res. 26 when these resolutions should come up for a vote. As you constituent I urge your support to amend the Constitution. Specifically, please cosponsor support H.J. Res. 56 and S.J. Res. 26 when these resolutions should come up for a vote.

This amendment will remove the courts from redefining the marriage based on social activist judges. This will also protect our state from any actions taken or will be taken in any other state. Private sexual behavior should not be the standard which defines marriage. Marriage is a public institution which is how we raise and support societies children. This institution needs protecting by putting into the Constitution what we have today.

This is not the first time the constitution has been used for social issues. All of the Constitution is based on various social issues. This only codifies what exists now.

This amendment will remove the Federal Government from this issue and return this topic to the individual state legislatures.

Any same sex couple has the legal right to make a private cohabitation agreement, they have the right make powers of attorney and have the right to make health care surrogate directives. These form documents are readily available for nominal cost or free on the Internet. Non of these agreements require any special lawyer help. Marriage under the law is one man and one woman. There is no sexual behavior test. Homosexual rantings to the contrary, their opposition is only attempting to impose public acceptance on what should remain a private consensual behavior.

Please support the support H.J. Res. 56 and S.J. Res. 26, amend the Constitution and protect marriage.

Sincerely,
[Your name]
[Your address]

From John Edwards web site:

***

Statement Of Senator Edwards On Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court Decision
Senator John Edwards (D-NC) released the following statement today:
"As I have long said, I believe gay and lesbian Americans are entitled to equal respect and dignity under our laws. While I personally do not support gay marriage, I recognize that different states will address this in different ways, and I will oppose any effort to pass an amendment to the United States Constitution in response to the Massachusetts decision.

"We are a nation comprised of men and women from all walks of life. It is in our national character to provide equal opportunity to all, and this is what unites our country, in laws and in shared purpose. That is why today, we must also reach out to those individuals who will try to exploit this decision to further divide our nation, and ask them to refrain from that effort."
Last modified on 11/18/2003 4:49:31 PM

[bold and underline added.]
Personally opposed but will actually vote in suport.
It is a lawyer technique.
He may be personally opposed but as a legislator he would act to support it.
He is hiding his actions behind feeeeelings.

***

From the JohnKerry web site:

A Record of Working on Behalf of Gay and Lesbian Americans
With a 100% rating from the Human Rights Campaign since 1995, John Kerry is a powerful voice in the ongoing fight for civil rights for gay and lesbian Americans.
[underline added]

Priorities
Preventing Hate Crimes
John Kerry is an original cosponsor of the Hate Crimes Prevention bill, which would extend federal jurisdiction over serious, violent hate crimes. These would include crimes motivated by sexual orientation. Hate crimes rose a disturbing 3.5% from 1999 to 2000.

Ending Discrimination
One of John Kerry’s first acts as a U.S. Senator, in 1985, was to introduce a bill prohibiting discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation. He supports passage of the Employment Non-Discrimination Act, and has adopted a nondiscrimination policy for his Congressional offices based on sexual orientation and gender identity.

HIV/AIDS Funding
John Kerry cosponsored the first Ryan White Comprehensive AIDS Resources Emergency Act (CARE) - which represents the largest discretionary federal investment in treating individuals with HIV and AIDS. Kerry also sponsored the Vaccines for the New Millennium Act, aimed at boosting contributions to the International AIDS Vaccine Initiative, a non-profit group working to promote development of an HIV vaccine in 2000. Kerry introduced the U.S. Leadership Against HIV/AIDS, TB, and Malaria Act, which would increase the U.S. government’s funding of international HIV/AIDS efforts from approximately $1.7 billion in 2003 to $1.9 billion in 2004. This effort led to the unanimous passage in May 2003 the United States Leadership Against HIV/AIDS, TB, and Malaria Act of 2003. AIDS activists characterized Kerry as one of Congress’s top leaders on HIV/AIDS policy.

Protecting Gay and Lesbian Families
John Kerry believes that same-sex couples should be granted rights, including access to pensions, health insurance, family medical leave, bereavement leave, hospital visitation, survivor benefits, and other basic legal protections that all families and children need. He has supported legislation to provide domestic partners of federal employees the benefits available to spouses of federal employees. He was one of 14 Senators -- and the only one up for reelection in 1996 -- to oppose the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA).
[IOW: Kerry does support homosexual marriage.]

Lifting the Ban on Gays in the Military
John Kerry opposed the Clinton Administration’s “Don’t Ask Don’t Tell Policy” He was one of a few senators to testify before the Senate Armed Services Committee and call on the President to rescind the ban on gay and lesbian service members.

[underline added]

Support for Civil Unions
John Kerry supports same-sex civil unions so that gay couples can benefit from the health benefits, inheritance rights, or Social Security survivor benefits guaranteed for heterosexual couples.

2/20/2004

Picture not directly related to speech below.
Subjects were same or similar when he spoke to HRC homosexual interest group.

a candidate with a 100% HRC rating will vote for homosexual marriage.

Antithetical to the Constitution is the "Federal Marriage Amendment" (H.J. Res. 56/S.J. Res. 26), hoping to nullify that which so many of our countrymen have fought and are fighting for, a free and open society with equal rights for all. Our Civil Liberties are being challenged through the non-patriotic Patriot Act and now through this horrendous ammendment. Marriage is a States issue, not a Constitutional issue, and in fact the Constitution is set up to allow all rights.

I believe that amending the Constitution is an extreme act. I have read that the proposed amendment would deny the right to marry to gay and lesbian couples and also obliterate the family rights that many same-sex couples – and unmarried heterosexual couples -- and their families now have. Revising the Constitution to incorporate discrimination against anyone in America is wrong and should be rejected.

I also believe that the Federal Marriage Amendment is unnecessary and wrong. Even though the country has periodically struggled with the question of marriage -- the last law prohibiting people of different races from marrying was overturned only 35 years ago -- we have never taken the step of amending the Constitution to define marriage. Now is not the time to begin to use the Constitution as a tool for discrimination. Congress certainly has more important issues to consider.

The Federal Marriage Amendment rejects American traditions of life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. It would reverse the constitutional tradition of protecting individual freedoms. None of our constitutional amendments restrict individual freedoms. In fact, the amendments to the Constitution have been the source of most of the Constitution's protections for individual liberty rights. I understand that the proposed amendment, by contrast, would deny all protection for the most personal decisions made by millions of people in committed long-term relationships.

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