Letter: Henry’s Lack of Action Could Kill Marriage Protection Amendment

For the second time in as many weeks, the Senate’s Republican Leader implored Gov. Brad Henry in a letter to get off the sidelines and help line up the votes needed to withdraw the marriage protection constitutional amendment from a Senate committee.

“The deadline to withdraw SJR 38 from committee for consideration on the Senate floor is Thursday, March 11, 2004. Without your immediate help, this bill will die,” wrote Senate GOP Leader James A. Williamson, R-Tulsa. “All I ask is that you devote as much time to protecting marriage as you have to expanding gambling in our state.”

SJR 38, authored by Williamson, would send to a vote of the people a state constitutional amendment that defines marriage as between one man and one woman. Including Williamson, SJR 38 has 25 coauthors – a majority of state senators.

“I am disappointed that you have not provided any assistance in delivering the votes of 12 Democrat senators needed to reach the 32 votes necessary to withdraw SJR 38 from Senator (Bernest) Cain’s committee,” Williamson wrote. All 20 GOP senators favor withdrawing the bill from Cain’s committee.

“Even though you continue to say publicly that you support protections for traditional marriage, your lack of action tells a different story. Your reluctance to actively join this bipartisan effort to protect marriage in our state constitution could result in gay marriages in Oklahoma in the near future – just as we have seen in many other states this year,” wrote Williamson.