Below is an e-mail letter I received from Senator Bob Casey in response to a letter I sent him asking him to uphold the Defense of Marriage Act. Sadly, he has forgotten his roots and his faith and decided to become "politically correct" in order to stay in office. We need to remember this when his term is up and he runs again for office. I suggest everyone go to his website and let him know just how you feel about the position he has taken on this issue.
Dear Mrs. Dowling,
Thank you for taking the time to contact me about same-sex marriage. I appreciate hearing from you about this issue.
As
stated in the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA), enacted in 1996, federal
law does not currently recognize same-sex marriages. In addition, 31
states have enacted state constitutional amendments defining marriage as
between one man and one woman. Other states, including Pennsylvania,
have laws establishing same-sex unions as a violation of state public
policy. In recent years, a number of states have legalized same-sex
marriage.
Currently,
twelve states and the District of Columbia allow same-sex marriage as a
result of a combination of state court rulings, legislative action, and
ballot measures. In the 2010 Census, more than 130,000 same-sex
households reported themselves as married. On March 16, 2011, Senator
Dianne Feinstein of California introduced the Respect for Marriage Act
of 2011, which would repeal DOMA and allow for federal recognition of
marriages recognized by states. This legislation has not been
reintroduced in the 113th Congress, which began on January 3, 2013.
When
the Respect for Marriage Act was introduced and debated in the Senate
in 2011, I began to focus on the issue of same-sex marriage much more
intensely than I had before. In the past, I have supported civil unions.
I also strongly supported the repeal of Don’t Ask Don’t Tell (DADT),
was a leading co-sponsor of the Employment Non-Discrimination Act
(ENDA), and had stated publicly that I opposed efforts to enact
constitutional prohibitions on same-sex marriage.
In
the six years I have been in the Senate, there have not been any floor
votes to repeal DOMA or to legalize same-sex marriage. Both questions
have now been argued before the Supreme Court and are being debated
across our country. After much deliberation and after reviewing the
legal, public policy, and civil rights questions presented, I support
marriage equality for same-sex couples and believe that DOMA should be
repealed. As part of my consideration of these issues, I read letters
written to me by lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender Pennsylvanians
and their families. These letters included deeply personal statements
from people across our Commonwealth and the questions they posed
challenged me directly. As a Senator and as a citizen, I can no longer
in good conscience take a position that denies Pennsylvania families the
full measure of equality and respect.
I
understand that many Americans of good will have strong feelings on
both sides of this issue. As a supporter of religious freedom, I support
same-sex marriage as a secular institution. No religious institution
should be required to confer religious or sacramental approval contrary
to the tenets of its faith. I also believe elected public officials have
an abiding obligation to refrain from demonizing and dividing people
for partisan or political gain. Rather, elected officials from both
sides of the aisle should come together and find areas of agreement to
do what is best for the country. Please be assured that should
legislation related to this issue come before the full Senate for
consideration, I will have your views in mind.
Again,
thank you for sharing your thoughts with me. Please do not hesitate to
contact me in the future about this or any other matter of importance to
you.
For more information on this or other issues, I encourage you to visit my website, http://casey.senate.gov.
I hope you will find this online office a comprehensive resource to
stay up-to-date on my work in Washington, request assistance from my
office or share with me your thoughts on the issues that matter most to
you and to Pennsylvania.
Sincerely,
Bob Casey
United States Senator
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