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This petition is to try to get Congressman Jerrold Nadler to be more inclusive in his bill supporting marriage rights for same-sex couples. We support President Obama's proposed repeal of the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) and the President's proposal to grant all the federal rights of marriage to same-sex couples in "legally-recognized unions." At present, this would cover 14 states. Congressman Jerrold Nadler is introducing a bill which only grants the rights of marriage to married same-sex couples. This bill would only cover 4 New England states plus Iowa. This bill ignores the entire western United States as California, Washington, Oregon, Nevada & Wisconsin have domestic partnerships and Colorado & Hawaii have other forms of recognition. President Obama's more inclusive plan would be available to ten of millions more. Most LGBT people cannot afford to travel to New England to get married. Therefore, I urge you to join the President in supporting equal federal marriage rights for same-sex couples in "legally-recognized unions" and ask Congressman Nadler to amend his bill to be more inclusive.
The President's "legally-recognized unions" bill would have had a better chance of passing Congress because it appears more like support for domestic partnerships even though it would also cover the 5 states with marriage. In politics, appearances can be more powerful than reality. Domestic partnerships are supported by 55-60% of voters. The Nadler Bill has zero chance of passage because it is only about same-sex marriage which, sadly, only has about 35-40% support. Even openly gay Massachusetts Congressman Barney Frank has refused to co-sponsor the bill because it is doomed. Members of Congress read the polls and so should we.
December 15, 2009 update: As of last week, less than 3 months after introducing the bill, Cong. Nadler admitted his bill will not pass and he offered no Plan B. Since 1942 the sitting president's party has lost an average 28 House seats and 4 senators in midterm elections. Therefore, in all probability, there will be fewer Democrats in the House and Senate in the next Congress sinking DOMA repeal for the foreseeable future, maybe a generation unless we get Nadler to change course and re-introduce DOMA repeal with "legally-recognized unions" instead of "marriage."
Federal Same-sex Marriage Rights for All Legally-recognized Unions
To the Honorable
I support President Obama's proposed repeal of the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) and the President's proposal to grant all the federal rights of marriage to same-sex couples in "legally-recognized unions." At present, this would cover 14 states. Congressman Jerrold Nadler's bill, the Respect for Marriage Bill, only grants the rights of marriage to married same-sex couples. This only covers 4 New England states plus Iowa. This bill ignores the entire western United States as California, Washington, Oregon, Nevada & Wisconsin have domestic partnerships and Colorado & Hawaii have other forms of recognition. President Obama's more inclusive plan would be available to ten of millions more. Most LGBT people cannot afford to travel to New England to get married. Therefore, I urge you to join the President in supporting equal federal marriage rights for all same-sex couples in "legally-recognized unions." Please amended Congressman Nadler's bill to be more inclusive.
Much more significant is the fact that the President's "legally-recognized unions" would have had a chance of passing Congress which Nadler's bill does not. Cong. Nadler himself admitted his bill will not pass less than 3 month after introducing it. In the public’s mind, legally-recognized unions appears much more like domestic partnerships which enjoys 55-60% public support while only about 35-40% of American voters support same-sex marriage. Please amend Cong. Nadler's Respect for Marriage Bill, which would still allow states to define marriage for themselves, into a Legally-recognized Unions & State Rights Bill.
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