Press Statements
Let the People Vote! Pennsylvanians Overwhelmingly Want the Chance to Vote on Marriage
October 6, 2009 (Press Release from the Pennsylvania Family Institute) - A new statewide poll released by The Federalist Society shows that an overwhelming 78-percent of Pennsylvanians want the opportunity to vote on the issue of defining marriage.
The poll found that support for allowing the issue of defining marriage to come to a people's vote at the ballot box crossed gender, age, racial, regional, political, and ideological lines. Constitutional amendments defining marriage as the union of husband and wife have been ratified by citizens in 30 states, but voters in Pennsylvania have not had that opportunity.
"'We the people' deserve a voice, and we call on Pennsylvania lawmakers to let the people vote!" said Michael Geer, president of the Pennsylvania Family Institute. "Activist judges and politicians should never be allowed to redefine marriage and impose a social experiment that knowingly and permanently deprives a child of a mom or a dad. A constitutional amendment is the only way in Pennsylvania to ensure the people - and not activist judges - can define marriage once and for all." said Geer.
Now is the time for Pennsylvania to join the large majority of the states that have passed Marriage Protection Amendments - states like Michigan, Ohio, Wisconsin, Oregon and California. The people have spoken in those states, but so far Pennsylvanians have been denied a vote on protecting marriage in our state constitution as the union of one man and one woman.
Unlike citizen initiative and referendum powers in other states, Pennsylvania does not allow a ballot referendum on a constitutional amendment until it is first passed by the state legislature in two consecutive sessions.
The statistics on marriage are from a statewide survey of Pennsylvania registered voters conducted in October 2009, by the polling companytm, inc./WomanTrend and released by The Federalist Society for Law and Public Policy.
Pennsylvania For Marriage agrees with Michael Geer and the majority of Pennsylvania citizens: It's time for Pennsylvanians to be given the opportunity to define marriage through a ballot referendum!For more information, visit www.PA4Marriage.org or call 717-657-4990 ext. 106.
Contact: Deborah Hamilton, dhamilton@pa4marriage.org, 215-815-7716 or 610-584-1096
MARRIAGE AMENDMENT BILL INTRODUCED BY SENATOR JOHN EICHELBERGER. APPLAUDED BY PA4MARRIAGE COALTION
Harrisburg, PA - May 19, 2009 - Pennsylvania for Marriage Coalition salutes Senator John Eichelberger's decision to introduce a marriage protection amendment in the Pennsylvania Senate and join 30 other states that have already done so.
"With recent states like Iowa, New Hampshire and the District of Columbia redefining marriage either through judicial activism or legislative maneuvering, we believe it is time for the people of Pennsylvania to have the opportunity to vote to preserve marriage as the union of one man and one woman," stated Deborah Hamilton, spokesperson for the PA4Marriage Coalition.
Last month, marriage was redefined by seven judges for the entire state of Iowa because of six couples who had sued the state and demanded marriage licenses in 2005. The majority of Iowans whole-heartedly supported the Iowa Defense of Marriage Act, which sought to protect marriage between one man and one woman, yet the court completely ignored what the people wanted and overturned the ban on same-sex marriage.
Like Pennsylvania, Iowa requires passage of an amendment in two successive sessions of the Legislature. Also like Pennsylvania, according to an April 6, 2009, article on IowaPolitics.com, most of Iowa's legislators assured constituents that, "Iowa's Defense of Marriage Act is solid and will pass any court challenge; therefore a constitutional amendment is unnecessary."
Hamilton commented that, "Pennsylvania has a good marriage law just like Iowa had. But regardless of the assurances from the Iowa Legislature, their Defense of Marriage Act did not withstand an assault from a handful of judges. We are very pleased that Senator Eichelberger is calling on Pennsylvanian's Legislature to bolster and strengthen marriage through the only fair and democratic solution: Pass a state marriage amendment now."
According to polling conducted last year for the PA4Marriage Coalition, 67% of Pennsylvanians support marriage between one man and one woman and would support a Constitutional marriage amendment in Pennsylvania.
Pennsylvania for Marriage is a coalition of concerned individuals and groups who are working together to advance a Marriage Protection Amendment. Thirty states in the nation have passed a Marriage Amendment to their state constitutions. Pennsylvania voters are hopeful that they will be able to vote on this issue in the near future, however, since the bill does have to pass through two sessions of the legislature before Pennsylvania citizens have the opportunity to cast their votes, citizens will not be voting on a Pennsylvania marriage amendment until 2011 at the earliest.
For more information, go to www.PA4Marriage.org or call 717-657-4990 ext. 106.
