September 30, 2004—Today U.S. Representative Trent Franks voted in support of HJ Res. 106, the Marriage Protection Amendment, which states, “Marriage in the United States shall consist solely of the union of a man and a woman.  Neither this Constitution and/or the constitution of any State shall be construed to require that marriage or the legal incidents thereof be conferred upon unmarried couples or groups.”  The final vote was 227 to 186, less than the two-thirds required for passage of a constitutional amendment.

“Marriage serves as a cornerstone to our society and I believe children benefit greatly by being raised by a mother and a father,” Franks said. “Additionally, to parents of America’s children, we honor their vital role in our society by preserving traditional marriage, between a man and a woman.”

According to a CBS News nationwide poll, 60% of American voters favor an amendment to the U.S. Constitution that would allow marriage only between a man and a woman.

Only a federal constitutional amendment can prevent state and federal judges from redefining marriage.

“The practice of our courts attacking the family-the very foundational makeup of our country and civil society-must end.  The message conveyed by today’s vote is that the power to decide the social policies of our nation must be returned to the People’s Legislature, as designed by our Founding Fathers.  If we allow our courts to continue to make law and social policy from the bench - the preservation of our Republic and the principles on which it was founded are in tragic peril.”