House Conservatives Push for Marriage Amendment After Supreme Court Ruling

Rep. Tim Huelskamp, R-Kansas, and other conservative members of Congress say they will attempt to introduce in the coming days a constitutional amendment banning same-sex marriage.

Following the Supreme Court's ruling deeming the Defense of Marriage Act unconstitutional, several Republicans expressed their disappointment with the decision and vowed to take action. Apparently, this means an amendment to the Constitution.

"This Court has taken it upon itself the radical attempt to redefine marriage," Huelskamp said, standing outside the Supreme Court. "I think what gets lost in this judicial attempt to short-circuit the democratic process is the needs of our children…. Every child deserves a mommy and a daddy and with this decision they undercut the needs of our children."

And although the likelihood of that amendment passing is bleak—amendments need a two-thirds vote in both houses of Congress, and then ratification by three-fourths of the states—Huelskamp urges congressional leadership to allow the amendment to go to the floor.

Reaction from Republicans, however, took a little while to come by, as many of them avoided the topic on Twitter and other social networks in the immediate aftermath of the ruling. However, their reactions were strong once many of those conservatives gathered for a press conference on the Hill. Here are a few quotes:

"It is a sad day. Some may try to brand us hateful. This is not a hateful group. This is a group that has love and compassion for our country…. What we have today is a holy quintet who goes against the laws of nature." – Rep. Louie Gohmert, R-Texas

 

"Marriage is a fundamental building block of our civilization. It precedes this nation itself. It's the fiber that keeps our civilization so strong and certainly it's the ideal model from which we raise children." – Rep. John Fleming, R-La.

 

"I believe that today's decision will have negative consequences for children who should be raised by a mom and a dad."– Rep. Joe Pitts, R-Pa.

 

"A court decision cannot decide moral questions for the people." – Rep. Scott Garrett, R-N.J.

 

"For the best interest of society itself … we have defined a marriage between a man and woman in the interest of those children…. Society itself is at risk." – Rep. Tim Walberg, R-Mich.

 

"Marriage has been debased by this decision…. Decisions like this makes the people's voice muted."—Rep. Doug LaMalfa, R-Calif.

 

"The Supreme Court seems to be in collusion with the president and his Justice Department…. Unfortunately it's been at the expense of children." – Rep. Randy Weber, R-Texas

 

"The Supreme Court undercut the equal protection of every person who voted for their representative…. Now we have an effective oligarchy of five who decide the most fundamental issues of today." – Rep. Michele Bachmann, R-Minn.