This legislation goes against everything our founding fathers fought to create when building our democracy, and I cannot sit idly by and watch it be destroyed,” said Rep. Woolsey.

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Rep. Lynn Woolsey (D-Petaluma) protected a pillar of the American democratic system by voting against legislation that would allow the American system of “checks and balances” to be denuded. The “Marriage Protection Act of 2003” would deny Federal courts jurisdiction, including the Supreme Court, to hear or determine any question pertaining to the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) and it would prevent an entire category of American citizens from having their day in court. H.R. 3313 passed the U.S. House of Representatives 233-194.

“Unfortunately, the Republican led House of Representatives voted for political rhetoric rather than the protection of our unique and time-tested judicial system,” said Rep. Woolsey. “This legislation goes against everything our founding fathers fought to create when building our democracy, and I cannot sit idly by and watch it be destroyed.”

Woolsey said on the floor of the House of Representatives, “H.R. 3313 is not about gay marriage. It is about taking away access to the federal judiciary, it’s about using a wedge issue to manipulate the system. It is about destroying the role that federal courts have played in the enforcement of civil rights laws and preventing challenges for individuals and groups of Americans who deserve and need to have their day in court.”

Rep. Woolsey and her Democratic colleagues continue to fight to protect the Constitution and the Bill of Rights from further damage due to political activities to “‘shore-up’ President Bush’s conservative base.” In the 108th Congress she has fought religious discrimination in “Faith Based initiatives,” proposed discriminatory language to the Constitution, the expansion of executive power to postpone Presidential elections, and now is fighting to protect our system of “checks and balances” in the government.