Family, Faith, Legal, & Academic Leaders Support Texas Marriage Laws
Wide Array of Groups Say Federal Courts Overstepped
Austin, TX, August 5, 2014 – Today, in Austin, a diverse group of state leaders held a press conference to show their support for Texas’ effort to defend Texas marriage laws defining marriage as between one man and one woman. Many of these groups have filed legal briefs with the Federal Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals in support of Texas marriage laws. Earlier this year, a federal court judge, Orlando Garcia, struck down the Texas Constitution’s provision that defines marriage as between one man and one woman, and forced Texas to legally approve “gay marriage” but Judge Garcia immediately “stayed” his own decision. Texas immediately sought an appeal of the decision. Texas Attorney General Greg Abbott filed the state’s appellate brief last week in support of Texas marriage laws. The Texas Constitution’s definition of marriage was approved by 76% of the voters at the polls in 2005, after the language passed the Texas House and Senate by a bipartisan 2/3rd’s majority earlier in the same year.
Watch the full video of the press conference.
Jonathan Saenz, president and attorney for Texas Values, released the following statement:
“We are so thankful that such a diverse group of faith, legal, academic and political leaders have come together to support Texas marriage laws and the value of marriage as between one man and one woman. Texas voters have made it clear what’s best for Texas and that has not changed.
“If the people of Texas are forced by federal judges to redefine and reduce marriage to simply a state contract for “love relationships,” polygamy, throuples and quartets will soon be seeking legal recognition and essentially destroy any real concept of marriage, to the detriment of society. We are confident with the wealth of information being provided to the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals, that marriage will be preserved,” concluded Saenz.
Over 15,000 signatures have been collected in favor of marriage between one man and one woman in Texas at TexasMarriageDeclaration.com
The following groups and individuals have submitted legal briefs in support of Texas marriage laws: Texas Values, Liberty Counsel, Center for Preservation of American Ideals, Texas Eagle Forum, Texas Conservative Coalition, United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, National Association of Evangelicals, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, The Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission of the Southern Baptist Convention, The Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod, Becket Fund for Religious Liberty, University of Dallas Professor David Upham, Concerned Women for America, The State of Louisiana, Louisiana Family Forum, Marriage Law Foundation; the States of Indiana, Alaska, Arizona, Colorado, Idaho, Montana, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Professor Robert P. George (Princeton University) Professor Catherine Pakaluk (Ph.D. Economic, Harvard University); University of Texas Professor Mark Regnerus; and 23 other law and policy professors including scholars from Notre Dame Law School, University of Virginia, Princeton University, and many more.
To read Texas Values’ Fifth Circuit amicus brief in the case, click here.
View the other briefs filed here.
About Texas Values
Texas Values is a non-profit organization dedicated to standing for faith, family, and freedom in Texas. More information is available at txvalues.org.