Ohio Representative Jim Jordan has
introduced a bill that would define marriage as a union between a man
and a woman in the District of Columbia.
Jordan's bill was introduced in the
House Thursday as HR2608.
Earlier in the month, the Washington
D.C. Council gave its final approval to recognize legal gay marriages
performed in other states and countries. The council passed the
measure on a 12 to 1 vote with former Mayor Marion Barry the lone
dissenter.
Some council members have said the
legislation is the first step towards legalizing gay marriage in the
nation's capital. Five states offer gay marriage: Connecticut,
Massachusetts, Vermont, Iowa and Maine.
Under Home Rule any laws passed by the
council are subject to a 30-day review period by the U.S. Congress.
Jordan, a Republican, told The
Associated Press that more than 30 mostly Republican lawmakers
have signed on as co-sponsors, including Republican House members
Paul C. Broun of Georgia and Jason Chaffetz of Utah.
A resolution that condemns the actions
of the D.C. council was also introduced by Rep. Broun.
Broun is also backing the
re-introduction of a constitutional amendment that bans gay marriage.
Passage of the Federal Marriage Amendment (or Marriage Protection
Amendment) would define marriage as a heterosexual union in the U.S.
Constitution, effectively blocking the Supreme Court from ruling
against laws that forbid gay marriage.
The FMA was first introduced in 2002 by
Democratic Representative Ronnie Shows of Mississippi and written by
the Alliance For Marriage.
Up to last year, Broun has said he
opposed amending the U.S. Constitution to prohibit gay marriage.
UPDATE: This article corrects a
previous article that gave Broun credit for sponsoring the bill.
Rep. Broun is a co-sponsor of the bill.