Source: Associated Press via Quad City Times, Des Moines Register
DES MOINES, Iowa -- Iowa House Minority Leader Chris Rants on Tuesday failed in his attempt to use an unusual political maneuver to bring a resolution on same-sex marriage to the House floor for debate.
Rants, R-Sioux City, wanted to push a constitutional amendment to ban gay marriage out of the Judiciary Committee, claiming that Democratic leaders have been holding back the legislation. [see Qnews summary]
Rants tried to force the resolution by employing a rare rule that would have required the entire House chamber to vote whether the measure should be lifted out of committee and put on the debate schedule. He had claimed there was bipartisan support to do that as long as Democratic leaders didn't try to influence their members to vote along party lines.
"I'm disappointed by the outcome," Rants said shortly after the 46 to 50 vote split along party lines. Four House members were absent or not voting, including three Democrats.
Democratic majority leaders have resisted debate on the resolution. The issue is currently before the Iowa Supreme Court and debating the issue before the court rules would subvert the judicial process, they have said.
If he had been successful, House Joint Resolution 8 would have become eligible for debate by the full House. It also would have survived past a committee deadline this week. Most legislation must pass a House or Senate committee by the end of this week in order to remain eligible for further debate this year.
Rants said some of the House members who voted for the same amendment in 2005 voted against bringing it out of committee on Tuesday.
"I guess they will have to explain to their constituents why they flip-flopped," he said.
Iowa law already defines marriage as between a man and woman, but that law has been challenged and is now before the Iowa Supreme Court. Rants said a constitutional amendment would protect traditional marriage from judicial challenge.
Democratic leaders have maintained that legislators should wait for the high court to make its decision after a Polk County judge last year overturned the state's law banning gay marriage.
Full article: GOP leader's attempt to force gay marriage debate fails / QCTimes.com
Rants fails in his push to debate gay marriage | Des Moines Register
Last modified: 4 Mar 08 11:11
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