Sen. Ted Cruz
Following the right-wing model of “If you lose then game, then change the rules or refuse to play,” U.S. Rep. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, has introduced legislation in Congress — the State Marriage Defense Act — that would rescind federal recognition of legal same-sex marriages and, as a result, strip those couples of federal rights and benefits of marriage. The legislation would also “encourage states that do not wish to recognize those marriages to potentially nullify them” if the U.S. Supreme Court does not find a constitutional right to marriage for same-sex couples, according to TheNewCivilRightsMovement.com.
Cruz’s bill changes the federal definition of marriage, by stating “the term ‘marriage’ shall not include any relationship which that state, territory, or possession does not recognize as a marriage, and the term ‘spouse’ shall not include an individual who is a party to a relationship that is not recognized as a marriage by that state, territory or possession.’’
Initial sponsors of the bill are senators John Boozman, R-AR, Mike Crapo, R-ID, Steve Daines, R-MT, James Inhofe, R-OK, James Lankford, R-OK, Mike Lee, R-UT, Pat Roberts, R-KS, Tim Scott, R-SC, Jeff Sessions, R-AL, Richard Shelby, R-AL, and David Vitter, R-LA.
Texas Republican Randy Weber is sponsoring the bill in the House, and has 23 original co-sponsors, all Republican.
