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ESPA Releases Survey of NY Congressional Opinion on Marriage
New York City – Today the Empire State Pride Agenda, New York's statewide civil rights organization committed to achieving full equality and justice for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) New Yorkers, released its survey of where members of New York’s Congressional Delegation stand on the proposed amendment to the U.S. Constitution banning marriage for same-sex couples.
New York will have 31 votes on the amendment, 29 in the U.S. House of Representative and two in the U.S. Senate. Results show 18 members plan to vote “No” and two plan to vote “Yes” on the amendment. Seven have stated that they have no position and four did not respond to the survey.
“We call upon every member of New York’s Congressional Delegation to support and protect all families equally,” said Pride Agenda Executive Director Alan Van Capelle. “To know that even a few of our state’s elected representatives would consider using the U.S. Constitution to permanently create a second class of citizens is appalling. History will record those who vote in favor of this amendment as being no different from those who opposed interracial marriage in the last century.”
Results are based upon phone calls made by the Pride Agenda to New York’s Congressional Delegation and recent statements made by elected representatives to the press.
Member of Congress Position
Senator Charles Schumer (D) No
Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton (D) No
Rep. Timothy Bishop (D, 1st) NR
Rep. Steve Israel (D, 2nd) No
Rep. Peter King (R, 3rd) Yes
Rep. Carolyn McCarthy (D, 4th) No
Rep. Gary Ackerman (D, 5th) No
Rep. Gregory Meeks (D, 6th) NR
Rep. Joseph Crowley (D, 7th) No
Rep. Jerrold Nadler (D, 8th) No
Rep. Anthony Weiner (D, 9th) No
Rep. Edolphus Towns (D, 10th) No
Rep. Major Owens (D, 11th) NP
Rep. Nydia Velazquez (D, 12th) No
Rep. Vito Fossella (R, 13th) No
Rep. Carolyn Maloney (D, 14th) No
Rep. Charles Rangel (D, 15th) NR
Rep. Jose Serrano (D, 16th) NR
Rep. Eliot Engel (D, 17th) No
Rep. Nita Lowey (D, 18th) No
Rep. Sue Kelly (R, 19th) NP*
Rep. John Sweeney (R, 20th) NP
Rep. Michael McNulty (D, 21st) NP**
Rep. Maurice Hinchey (D, 22nd) No
Rep. John McHugh (R, 23rd) NP
Rep. Sherwood Boehlert (R, 24th) No
Rep. James Walsh (R, 25th) Yes
Rep. Tom Reynolds (R, 26th) NP
Rep. Jack Quinn (R, 27th) NP*
Rep. Louise Slaughter (D, 28th) No
Rep. Amo Houghton (D, 29th) No
NR - No response
NP - No position
* Previously on the record as being opposed
** No position, but does not believe amendment is necessary
Founded in 1990, the Empire State Pride Agenda is New York's statewide civil rights organization committed to achieving full equality and justice for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) New Yorkers and our families. The Pride Agenda fights for these objectives by: educating the public, elected officials and policymakers; building coalitions and mobilizing allies; and, organizing and empowering the LGBT community. Victories include the enactment of statewide sexual orientation non-discrimination and hate crimes laws, the repeal of the consensual sodomy statute, and winning more than $12.5 million in state funds for LGBT health and human services statewide. Other victories include the passage of local non-discrimination measures in Westchester County, Nassau County, Suffolk County, and Buffalo, the enactment of a transgender non-discrimination law in NYC, and the enactment of a series of state laws, regulations, and private relief initiatives that provided equal benefits to LGBT surviving partners of 9/11 victims. With thousands of supporters, the Pride Agenda has offices in NYC and Albany and is the largest statewide LGBT organization in the country.
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