Yesterday we noted that the National Organization for Marriage was undaunted by the fact that the Supreme Court had rejected the Religious Right’s challenge to Washington DC’s marriage equality law and was vowing to continue the fight and expecting the new Republican majority in the House to help them.
It turns out that the Family Research Council had exactly the same idea and is calling upon its activists to contact Rep. Darrell Issa and urge Congress to “override the D.C. government’s decision” and either “reject the marriage law outright or order the District to adopt a new statute that would put this issue on the ballot”:
Tuesday’s decision was not an endorsement of gay “marriage” in this city or anywhere else. It was simply the court recognizing its own limitations. On matters affecting the District, Congress is the absolute authority. The justices are leaving it to them to clean up this mess, or not.
Last year, when the city council exploited the process and forced same-sex “marriage” on the District, House leaders could have–and should have–gotten involved. Instead, members chickened out and did nothing. Fortunately for D.C. voters, times–and the party majorities–have changed. I’ve been discussing possible steps GOP leaders could take to do what the city didn’t do: give the people a voice. Believe it or not, Congress has the power to override the D.C. government’s decisions any time it wants. It could reject the marriage law outright or order the District to adopt a new statute that would put this issue on the ballot. What the Left doesn’t want you to know is that D.C. doesn’t have the authority to block referendums on marriage. Only Congress does.
“The answer for us,” Bishop Jackson said yesterday, “is to return to the political process.” And you can help! With a strong new Speaker at the helm, Americans can demand that our nation’s capital follow our nation’s law–which is that marriage is the union of a man and woman. Rep. Darrell Issa (R-Calif.) is the Chairman of the House Government Oversight Committee. As a representative from California, where Proposition 8 is under attack, he knows firsthand the importance of leaving these issues in voters’ hands. Email or call him (202-225-3906) today and encourage him to give the people of Washington, D.C. the same opportunity.
