VISION AMERICA OVERJOYED AT PASSAGE OF MARRIAGE PROTECTION ACT

July 22, 2004
For Immediate Release
For More Information Contact: Don Feder (508) 405-1337

Vision America President Dr. Rick Scarborough praised the House of Representatives for passing The Marriage Protection Act today.

"Finally - finally - there's a legislative body with the courage to stand up to judicial tyranny," Scarborough said. "While the U.S. Senate disgraced itself by failing to pass the Federal Marriage Amendment (not even a simple majority voted for it), the House heaped glory on itself today. This proves, once again, that the House of Representatives is more representative of the will of the people than the upper chamber."

The Marriage Protection Act limits the jurisdiction of the federal courts. Specifically, the legislation bars federal judges from ordering states to recognize homosexual marriages performed in other states. The act passed the House by a decisive vote of 233 to 194.

"Now that the high court of Massachusetts has forced gay marriage on an entire state, there's a danger that this decision will go national," Scarborough warned.

If a federal court decides to compel Ohio or Michigan to grant "full faith and credit" to Massachusetts' same-sex unions, then we'll have gay marriage on a national scale.

It will be interested to see what the Senate does with this legislation. Scarborough noted: "In rejecting the Federal Marriage Amendment, the rallying cry of liberal Senators was 'leave it up to the states.' That's exactly what The Marriage Protection Act does - it says the federal courts can't interfere. Liberal Senators will have to change their tune once again, making manifest their hypocrisy."

Vision America has long advocated limiting the jurisdiction of the federal courts on both marriage and public expressions of faith.

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