All of the members of New Jersey's
Democratic Congressional delegation have signed on to a letter
calling on lawmakers to approve a gay marriage bill.
Despite a threatened veto by Republican
Governor Chris Christie, New Jersey Democrats have prioritized a bill
that would make New Jersey the seventh state to recognize gay and
lesbian couples with marriage.
On Thursday, Christie kept mum on what
he would do if lawmakers approve the proposed measure.
“They have a right to set their
agenda, I'll set mine, we'll see who gets there first,” Christie
told reporters in Camden. “When forced to make a decision, if
forced to make a decision on it, I'll make a decision.”
On Sunday, Senate President Stephen
Sweeney once again reiterated his support for the bill, saying he had
made a “mistake” in not backing the measure in 2010.
“As someone who doesn't like to admit
his mistakes, I was wrong,” Sweeney told South
Jersey Sunday. “I didn't do the right thing. I looked at
it politically, instead of as a civil rights issue, which it really
is.”
The delegation gave its support for the
measure in a letter to state lawmakers.
“New Jersey has a proud history of
civil rights leadership, and we must continue our role in pursuing
fairness and equality,” the
letter reads. “Other states with a combined population of more
than 35 million people already have marriage equality – including
our next door neighbor, New York.”
The letter is signed by Senators Frank
R. Lautenberg and Robert Menendez and Representatives Rush Holt,
Robert Andrews, Albio Sires, Steven Rothman, Bill Pascrell, Frank
Pallone, Jr. and Donald Payne.