[Congressional Bills 107th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Con. Res. 392 Introduced in House (IH)]







107th CONGRESS
  2d Session
H. CON. RES. 392

              To protect private decisions about marriage.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                             April 30, 2002

  Mr. Stark submitted the following concurrent resolution; which was 
        referred to the Committee on Education and the Workforce

_______________________________________________________________________

                         CONCURRENT RESOLUTION


 
              To protect private decisions about marriage.

Whereas the decision to get married is a private decision between two adults in 
        which no government interference is warranted;
Whereas 79 percent of Americans believe the government should not develop 
        programs to encourage people to marry or remain married, according to a 
        study by the Pew Research Center;
Whereas 66 percent of Americans who identify themselves as strongly religious 
        believe the government should not develop programs to encourage people 
        to marry or remain married, according to the same study by the Pew 
        Research Center;
Whereas, according to a report by the Department of Justice and the Department 
        of Health and Human Services, 25 percent of women said they have been 
        raped or physically assaulted by their current or former spouse, 
        cohabitating partner, or date, so encouraging and coercing them or their 
        children back into these relationships may cause them mental and 
        physical harm;
Whereas research shows that as many as 60 percent of women on welfare have 
        suffered from domestic violence as adults, so encouraging or coercing 
        them back into these relationships may cause them mental and physical 
        harm;
Whereas the Congress should seek to promote safe and stable families as a part 
        of the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) program 
        reauthorization; and
Whereas no research exists to indicate that marriage promotion helps raise poor 
        people out of poverty, while ample evidence indicates that better health 
        care, child care, and job training services do help raise poor families 
        out of poverty: Now, therefore, be it
    Resolved by the House of Representatives (the Senate concurring), 
That it is the sense of the Congress that government not be used to 
influence, promote, or coerce individuals' private decisions regarding 
marriage.
                                 <all>