Family Research Council: Bush must take stronger lead in protecting marriage

Washington D.C., Jan 18, 2005 / 22:00 pm

President Bush must follow through on a campaign promise and take a stronger lead in protecting marriage, said Tony Perkins, president of Family Research Council in a statement released yesterday.

Perkins was responding to a front-page article in Sunday’s Washington Post, which reported that Bush "will not press senators to pass a constitutional amendment banning same-sex marriage" during his second term.

"The American voter, particularly the 'values voter,' went to the polls last November in extraordinary numbers to support the presidential candidate who spoke to the issue of protecting marriage as the union of one man and one woman,” said Perkins.

“Pundits and policy makers agree that this was the domestic policy issue that turned the election,” he pointed out.

"After traveling the nation for a year campaigning for reelection, the president heard a resounding message from the American people – they want marriage protected,” said Perkins. 

"The president has a mandate to protect marriage, therefore he, not members of the Senate, must lead the effort to protect the institution of marriage," he said.

"Both here and abroad, the judicial assault on man-woman marriage is well under way,” he continued. “Leadership is needed now to protect the institution of marriage, our children and their future."