Reason Still Lives in the Senate

Today the senate panel advanced a measure that would amend the U.S. Constitution to ban same-sex marriage. It was passed in a closed door sesion with other senators and staff present.
Senator Feingold objected to the closed-door policy and walked out of the session. Senate Judiciary chairman Arlen Specter shouted "Good riddance!" as he left. The ammendent bill was passed along party line votes 10:8 and will go to the senate floor in June.

Senator Feingold, who quite obviously understands that such an amendment needs real scrutiny and should be debated in a public forum, issued the following statement:

Today's markup of the constitutional amendment concerning marriage, in a small room off the Senate floor with only a handful of people other than Senators and their staffs present, was an affront to the Constitution. I objected to its consideration in such an inappropriate setting and refused to help make a quorum. I am deeply disappointed that the chairman of the judiciary committee went forward with the markup over my objection. Unfortunately, the majority leader has set a politically motivated schedule for floor consideration of this measure that the chairman felt compelled to follow, even though he says he opposes the amendment.

Constitutional amendments deserve the most careful and deliberate consideration of any matter that comes before the Senate. In addition to hearings and a subcommittee markup, such a measure should be considered by the Judiciary Committee in the light of day, open to the press and the public, with cameras present so that the whole country can see what is done. Open and deliberate debate on such an important matter cannot take place in a setting such as the one chosen by the chairman of the Committee today.

The Constitution of the United States is an historic guarantee of individual freedom. It has served as a beacon of hope, an example to people around the world who yearn to be free and to live their lives without government interference in their most basic human decisions. I took an oath when I joined this body to support and defend the Constitution. I will continue to fight this mean-spirited, divisive, poorly drafted, and misguided amendment when it comes to the Senate floor.

Thank God reason is alive and well in the U.S. Senate.

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