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CONTACT: Bob Honold
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Majority in House Approve of Constitutional Amendment Defining Marriage

U.S. Rep. Virginia Foxx (NC-5) today voted to pass H.J. Res. 88: the Marriage Protection Amendment, which will protect traditional American values by defining marriage as a union only between one man and one woman. Foxx is an original cosponsor and outspoken proponent of the legislation that received majority support (236-187) in the House today, but did not reach the two-thirds majority required to pass. Today’s vote represents an increase of 9 votes from the last time it was considered in the House.

“Constitutionally defining marriage as a union between one man and one woman has become necessary due to the recent rulings of activist judges and the erosion of family values,” Foxx remarked. “The Marriage Protection Amendment removes the definition of marriage from the hands of unelected judges and protects the sanctity of marriage as a sacred tradition. I am a proud original cosponsor of this legislation which would reinforce the family values that are the backbone of our great society.”

According to the Joint Resolution, the Constitutional Amendment would read: “Marriage in the United States shall consist only of the union of a man and a woman. Neither this Constitution, nor the constitution of any State, shall be construed to require that marriage or the legal incidents thereof be conferred upon any union other than the union of a man and a woman.” If enacted, the Constitutional Amendment would effectively ban homosexual and polygamist marriages.

“Marriage is an extremely important institution and I will do everything in my power to protect it and to continue to promote the important family values that my constituents revere,” Foxx concluded.

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