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March 26, 2004

Marriage Amendment Necessary

As the lead sponsor of the Federal Marriage Amendment in the House, I have spoken with Americans across the country about the importance of defending the traditional definition of marriage. I have spoken with many legal experts who agree that the traditional definition of marriage is likely doomed unless we amend the Constitution.

Constitution Shouldn’t Limit People’s Rights

The proposed Constitutional amendments prohibiting same-sex marriage would, for the first time, amend the Constitution to limit the rights of Americans rather than to enhance and protect their rights.

Human Life Too Sacred to Treat As Research Toy

Human life is a sacred and precious gift. Few issues have made this more apparent than the debate over the utilization of human embryos for destructive research purposes; or, in some cases, the deliberate creation and destruction of human embryos through a process of human cloning.

Research Ban Should Be Overturned

Did you hear the one about the doctor talking with a just-diagnosed Alzheimer’s patient who says, “I have good news and bad news for you? The good news is we stand on the threshold of dramatic treatments and possibly a cure for your disease. The bad news is, the government is restricting our research.” As you may have guessed, this is no joke. It’s a story being played out every day in doctors’ offices around the country to patients newly diagnosed with such catastrophic conditions as Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, ALS, juvenile diabetes, spinal cord injuries and countless other illnesses.

Access to Contraceptives Essential

Life is precious and we must protect it — and give the people of this country the tools necessary to do the same. The majority of Americans believe childbearing is a personal decision of conscience and medical necessity, often guided by deeply held beliefs. And Americans strongly oppose government intrusion in this most private decision. We affirm that reproductive choices are complex moral decisions and should not be treated simplistically.

Abortion Politics Hurt Important Legislation

In the 31 years since the Roe v. Wade decision, a hardening of opinions on, and a general unwillingness to consider, the rights of unborn children in our society have characterized much of American political discourse. Whether a policy issue has anything to do with Roe or not, anything perceived as even tangentially involving the unborn becomes ensnared in abortion politics. For years this has been the fate of legislation which I proudly co-sponsor: the Unborn Victims of Violence Act. This legislation simply states that if an unborn child is injured or killed during the commission of a federal crime of violence, the assailant can be charged with a separate offense for harm done to the child. By acknowledging a simple, undeniable fact, namely that two persons are harmed when a pregnant woman is attacked or murdered, this legislation has found itself in the middle of America’s abortion debate.

Act Protects U.S. From Terrorism

Disposable cell phones, split-second international monetary transfers and the Internet are the tools of today’s terrorists. These 21st-century tools allow our enemies to go across borders, withdraw money from any ATM they come across, and coordinate their operations with precision and stealth. 

Congress Should Scrap Flawed Legislation

A year and a half ago, with the capital and the nation gripped by post-Sept. 11 emotion, Congress passed the single worst piece of legislation I have encountered in more than a decade in the House and the greatest affront to civil liberties since the McCarthy era.

Viewer’s Tastes Must Be Considered

The infamous Super Bowl XXXVIII halftime show has drawn unprecedented attention to the question of indecent material being broadcast over the airwaves. The ensuing discussion among the American public has varied from region to region, from state to state and from town to town. Some were deeply offended by the sexual dancing and the brief nudity that occurred. Others found it relatively mild.

Higher Fines Would Bring Cleaner Airwaves

Who would’ve known America’s favorite sports ritual would set the stage for where we are today in the fight to clean up the public airwaves. It has been just 10 weeks since Rep. Ed Markey (D-Mass.) and I introduced H.R. 3717, the “Broadcast Decency Enforcement Act,” to significantly strengthen the Federal Communications Commission’s hand in its enforcement of broadcast decency laws. To say the very least, a lot has happened in those 10 weeks, and now the nation’s eyes are upon us.