[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 152 (2006), Part 9]
[Senate]
[Page 11694]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                     MARRIAGE PROTECTION AMENDMENT

  Mr. SCHUMER. Mr. President, I rise to speak about the Marriage 
Protection Amendment. This poorly conceived, divisive proposal does not 
belong in the U.S. Constitution. To me, the Constitution is a sacred 
document, one that protects rights and preserves liberties, and we 
should not amend it lightly. Never once has our Constitution been 
amended to deny rights to a group of Americans. And we should not do it 
now.
  This divisive and unnecessary amendment--which failed overwhelmingly 
when last brought before the Senate--would undermine rights like civil 
unions now enjoyed by people in many States throughout the Nation. This 
amendment would override State laws that grant fundamental protections 
such as hospital visitation rights, inheritance rights, and health care 
benefits.
  Unfortunately, the White House and some Members of Congress think it 
is more important to attempt to divide our Nation over an amendment 
that they know has no chance of passing than to actually govern. The 
timing of this marriage debate and vote--just months before a heated 
midterm election--proves that this amendment is a political ploy to 
distract the American people from the issues that the President and his 
party are failing to address, like skyrocketing oil prices, the war in 
Iraq, and the lack of affordable prescription drugs.
  Therefore, Mr. President, I join a broad range of opponents to the 
amendment, including former Republican Representative Bob Barr, various 
clergy groups, and countless voters in my State and across the country 
in opposing this amendment.

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