110th Congress, 1st Session, HR 724
Marriage Protection Act of 2007
To amend title 28, United States Code, to limit Federal court jurisdiction over questions under the Defense of Marriage Act.
Here is a link to the Library of Congress search site:
Library of Congress link to bill:
H.R. 724 The Marriage Protection At of 2007 is the latest desperate attempt by Theocon wingnuts to keep the gay marriage issue alive in the hopes it will promote Conservative Republicans to turn out and vote in the 2008 National elections.
The link has the legalese on what the bill does but essentially it bans Federal Courts from hearing legal disputes pertaining to the validity of a legal Marriage as defined as "One man and one Woman" in the Defense of Marriage Act.
The Sponsors of this Act are a Who's Who of the Religious Right Theocons in the House of Representatives, though I can name a few who somehow failed to line up in time as Co-sponsors for this bill.
Lead Author: Dan Burton of Indiana (R)
Co-Sponsors (in order listed in the bill):
-Rep. Howard McKEON of California (R)
-Rep. Charlies NORWOOD of Georgia (R) Note: died 13 Feb 2007.
-Rep. Samuel GRAVES of Missouri (R)
-Rep. Bud SHUSTER of Pennsylvania (R)
-Rep. Lincoln DAVIS of Tennessee (D) *Note: ONLY Dem to co sponsor
-Rep. Ron PAUL of Texas (R)
-Rep. Trent FRANKS of Arizona (R)
-Rep. Todd AKIN of Missouri (R)
-Rep. Scott GARRETT of New Jersey (R)
-Rep. John CARTER of Texas (R)
-Rep. Harold ROGERS of Kentucky (R)
-Rep. Phil GINGREY of Georgia (R)
-Rep. Joe WILSON of South Carolina (R)
-Rep. John KLINE of Minnesota (R)
-Rep. Jeff MILLER of Florida (R)
-Rep. Henry BROWN of South Carolina (R)
-Rep. Mike PENCE of Indiana (R)
-Rep. Roscoe BARTLETT of Maryland (R)
-Rep. Jo Ann DAVIS of Virginia (R)
-Rep. Donald MANZULLO of Illinois (R)
-Rep. Wally HERGER of California (R)
-Rep. Peter HOEKSTRA of Michigan (R)
-Rep. Robin HAYES of South Carolina (R)
-Rep. John LINDNER of Georgia (R)
-Rep. George RADINOVICH of California (R)
-Rep. Randy FORBES of Virginia
-Rep. Joseph PITTS of Pennsylvania (R)
-Rep. Jim JORDAN of Ohio (R)
-Rep. J. Gresham BARRETT of South Carolina (R)
-Rep. Thaddeus McCOTTER of Michigan (R)
-Rep. Rodney ALEXANDER of Louisiana (R)
-Rep. Jeb HENSARLING of Texas (R)
-Rep. Joe BARTON of Texas (R)
-Rep. Barbara CUBIN of Wyoming (R)
-Rep. Sam JOHNSON of Texas (R)
-Rep. Bill 'Brain Fade" SALI of Idaho (R)
-Rep. John BOOZMAN of Arkansas (R)
-Rep. Ted POE of Texas (R)
-Rep. Walter JONES of North Carolina (R)
-Rep. Zach WAMP of Tennessee (R)
So the 2007 Religious Right "We hate gays" bill attracted 41 original sponsors. It shows how far social issues are slipping down the GOP agenda that only 41 (40 now that NORWOOD has died) Co sponsors were located.
And look at some of the noted Theocons missing from the above list that you would expect to see as a (co)-sponsor.
-Rep. Marilyn MUSGRAVE of Colorado: author of the Federal Marriage Amendment. Her near defeat might have made her listen to God for once, Nah!
-Rep. Michele BACHMANN of Minnesota: Hard to believe this noted gay basher did not sign on ASAP.
-Rep. Virgil GOODE of Virginia: Too obsessed with Muslim Congressmen?
-Rep. Doug LAMBORN of Colorado: Theocon favorite facing possible GOP primary challenge in 2008.
-Rep. Mean Jean SCHMIDT of Ohio. The first time she has ever passed on an opportunity to be mean to someone!
-Rep. Christopher SMITH of New Jersey: the GOP point man on abortion is now AWOL on Gay Marriage?
-Rep. Tom TANCREDO of Colorado: am speechless. Maybe he doesn't know there are gay Mexicans?
-Rep. Rev. Tim WALBERG of Michigan: where is he? If anyone carried the water for the Theocons in the 2006 GOP primaries it was Michigan's Tim WALBERG.
I realize that there are many Theocon wingnuts and I only touched on a few rather surprising omissions from the sponsors list. Those singled out tended to either have extremely tough 2006 election efforts, or are expected to face a withering Dem attack in 2008, or they are strongly associated with political gay bashing in the past.
And a special Buffalo Chip Pie facial to Rep. Lincoln Davis of Tennessee who is the only Democrat shameless enough to sign his name onto this hateful piece of legislation.