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FMA dies in U.S. House

FARMINGTON HILLS – The Federal Marriage Amendment, a.k.a. The Federal Marriage Protection Amendment (H.J. Res. 106), died a timely death by a U.S. House vote of 227-186 Sept. 30 (the amendment needed the support of 2/3 of the House to be passed). The Michigan delegation voted 8-7 in favor of the proposed amendment, which would have permanently barred equal marriage rights in the United States.
Joe Knollenberg (R-Bloomfield Township) was the only Republican from Michigan who voted against the amendment. His vote came as a surprise both to right wing conservatives and the LGBT community. In July Knollenberg voted in favor of the Marriage Protection Act of 2004 which would strip the federal courts of jurisdiction over challenges to the Defense of Marriage Act. He also has only a 17 percent favorable rating from the Human Rights Campaign.
On Sept. 30 Knollenberg released a statement on his vote on the Marriage Protection Amendment in which he made clear that his vote was based on the issue of states rights, and that he did not support marriage for gays and lesbians.
"While I strongly support efforts to maintain the definition of marriage as the union of one man and one woman as husband and wife, the MPA unnecessarily interjects the federal government into an area where it does not belong," he said.
He continued, "The States should retain their right to define marriage, as they always have, without interference from any other State or the federal government. Just as activist Federal judges should not overturn State laws that define marriage, neither should the federal government impose its definition on the States."
Knollenberg stated his support for the Defense of Marriage Act as well as Proposal 2, Michigan's so-called marriage amendment. "Voters in Michigan will have the opportunity in November to amend our state constitution to include the definition of marriage as consisting only of a union between one man and one woman as husband and wife. I support this amendment."
When asked by BTL if Knollenberg was aware of how far reaching the amendment in Michigan was, Chris Close, Knollenberg's press secretary, replied, "Basically we're letting the statement speak for itself. Obviously he has thought about the federal and the state issue a great deal."
When asked if Knollenberg was aware that the amendment would ban civil unions and domestic partner benefits for both homosexual and heterosexual couples, Close said, "I don't believe that interpretation is universally accepted."
"He's expressed his support for the amendment and that's where we're going to have to leave it," Close said.

How they voted

The following are the votes of Michigan's delegation to the U.S. House, all of whom are running for re-election. Contact information for the local office of each Representative is included.

Voted for the anti-equal marriage rights amendment:

Peter Hoekstra (R-2nd District)
210 1/2 North Mitchell Street, Cadillac, MI 9601; Phone: 231-775-0050
Email: [email protected]
Vernon Ehlers (R-3rd District)
Gerald R. Ford Federal Building, 110 Michigan Street, Room 166, Grand Rapids, MI, 49503-2313; Phone: 616-451-8383; Web-based email: www.house.gov/writerep
Dave Camp (R-4th District)
135 Ashman Street, Midland, MI, 48640; Phone: 989-631-2552; Web-based email: www.house.gov/writerep
Fred Upton (R-6th District)
157 South Kalamazoo Mall, Suite 180, Kalamazoo, MI, 49007; Phone : 269-385-0039
Email: [email protected]
Nick Smith (R-7th District)
249 West Michigan Avenue, Battle Creek, MI, 49017; Phone: 269-965-9066; Web-based email: www.house.gov/writerep
Michael Rogers (R-8th District)
1327 East Michigan Avenue, Lansing, MI, 48912; Phone: 517-702-8000
Web-based email: www.house.gov/writerep
Candice Miller (R-10th District)
48653 Van Dyke Avenue, Shelby Township, MI, 48317; Phone: 586-997-5010
Web-based email: www.house.gov/writerep
Thad McCotter (R-11th District)
17197 North Laurel Park Drive, Suite 161, Livonia, MI, 48152; Phone: 734-632-0314; Email: [email protected]

Voted against the amendment:

Bart Stupak (D-1st District)
111 East Chisholm, Alpena, MI, 49707; Phone: 989-356-0690; Email: [email protected]
Dale Kildee (D-5th District)
432 North Saginaw Street, Ste. 410, Flint, MI, 48502; Phone: 810-239-1437
Web-based email: www.house.gov/writerep
Joe Knollenberg (R-9th District)
30833 Northwestern Highway, Ste. 100, Farmington Hills, MI, 48334; Phone: 248-851-1366; Web-based email: www.house.gov/writerep
Sander Levin (D-12th District)
25900 Greenfield Road, Room 212, Oak Park, MI, 48237; Phone: 248-968-2025
Email: [email protected]
Carolyn Cheeks Kilpatrick (D-13th District)
1274 Library, Ste. 1-B, Detroit, MI, 48226; Phone: 313-965-9004; Web-based email: www.house.gov/writerep
John Conyers (D-14th District)
Federal Building, Room 669, 231 West Lafayette Boulevard, Detroit, MI, 48226-2766; Phone: 313-961-5670; Email: [email protected]
John Dingell (D-15th District)
19855 West Outer Drive, Ste. 103-E, Dearborn, MI, 48124; Phone: 313-278-2936; Web-based email: www.house.gov/writerep

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