Minnesota Rep. Michele Bachmann is
among the 86 House lawmakers who have signed onto a letter authored
by Missouri Rep. Todd Akin urging the Senate to support an amendment
that would block gay marriages from taking place on military bases.
In
the November 2 letter addressed to Senate Majority Leader Harry
Reid and Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, the House lawmakers call on
the Senate to approve the House-approved amendment to the National
Defense Authorization Act.
“This clear and deliberate violation
of established U.S. law sets a dangerous precedent,” the letter
reads. “[The Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA)] makes it clear that
for purposes of the federal government, marriage is defined as
between one man and one woman. The use of federal property or
federal employees to perform anything but opposite-sex ceremonies is
a clear contravention of the law.”
Among the signers of the letter are
some of the House's most vocal opponents of gay rights, including
Representatives Virginia Foxx of North Carolina, Trent
Franks of Arizona, Louie
Gohmert of Texas, Vicky
Hartzler of Missouri, Duncan
Hunter of California and Jim
Jordan of Ohio.
In September, Under Secretary of
Defense for Personnel and Readiness Clifford Stanley issued a memo
which stated that chaplains may officiate the marriage and civil
union ceremonies of gay couples in states where it's legal, including
those taking place on military installations.
(Related: Buck
McKeon: Military chaplains are being “forced” to officiate gay
weddings.)