Congressman Gene Taylor

Gene Taylor is a Democrat--notice I did spell it correctly this time. Although, he is a Democrat, he is an honorable man, as well as one who is deeply concerned for his constituents. I wrote him a letter concerned about recognizing gay marriages and this is his reply to me.

June 2, 2009

Ms Gina Burgess
********
Picayune, MS 39466

Dear Gina:

Thank you for contacting me and expressing your opposition to efforts by some members of the District of Columbia City Council who wish to recognize gay marriages.

You will be pleased to know I have consistently supported marriage as a union of a man and a woman. I will firmly oppose any legislation that comes before the House of Representatives that would allow Washington D.C. to permit same sex marriage.

Additionally, I am a cosponsor of Congressman Broun's Marriage Protection amendment, H.J.Res. 89. My support of the Marriage Protection Amendment is a deeply held personal and moral position. I voted for a similar Constitutional Amendment on July 18, 2006, when I cast my vote in favor of the Federal Marriage Amendment which defined marriage as between a man and a woman. While the amendment received a vote of 236-187, it did not attain the two-thirds majority vote that is required to amend the U.S. Constitution.

Defining marriage as between a man and a woman is far above petty partisan politics for me. While many Republicans voted for the amendment and many Democrats voted against it, the 2006 vote proves that protecting traditional marriage is not a partisan issue. In fact, thirty-four Democrats voted for the amendment, and twenty-seven Republicans voted against it.

In 2004, 86 percent of Mississippians voted in favor of an amendment to the Mississippi State Constitution that defined marriage as between a man and woman. The same amendment also outlaws marriages between persons of the same gender performed in other states or countries. The passage of this amendment clearly defines the opinions of Mississippians regarding the issue of same-sex marriage. I voted to ban same-sex marriage as a congressman in Washington, DC and as a citizen in Bay St. Louis.

Again, thank you for contacting me. If I may be of further assistance, please feel free to get in touch with me.

Sincerely,

GENE TAYLOR
Member of Congress
GT:rj