House Proceeding 07-18-06 on Jul 18th, 2006 :: 2:40:05 to 2:44:22
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2:34:46 to 2:40:10( Edit History Discussion )
Speech By: Barney Frank

2:39:51 to 2:40:10( Edit History Discussion )

Barney Frank: same-sex marriage discourage or retard heterosexual marriage? would anyone want to answer that question for me? the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman's time has expired. the gentleman

2:40:10 to 2:40:27( Edit History Discussion )

W. Todd Akin: from georgia. mr. kingston: i yield 3 1/2 minutes to the gentleman from missouri. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman is recognized for 3 1/2 minutes. mr. aiken: thank you, mr. speaker. the debate

2:40:10 to 2:44:28( Edit History Discussion )
Speech By: W. Todd Akin

2:40:27 to 2:40:42( Edit History Discussion )

W. Todd Akin: before us today as has been highlighted by people from both sides of the aisle is about a definition of marriage. and i think that the point that in the subtlest way has to be made clear and it's

2:40:42 to 2:41:01( Edit History Discussion )

W. Todd Akin: something that most americans understand logically. that is marriage is not about love. it's about a love that can bear children. there's a difference. i love my parents. i love my family. i have

2:41:01 to 2:41:13( Edit History Discussion )

W. Todd Akin: friends that i love. but i love my wife and we are married. marriage is a love that bears children. and replenishes society along those lines. i have been married personally for 31 years. we

2:41:13 to 2:41:26( Edit History Discussion )

W. Todd Akin: have six children and even a grandson. the children are doing well. one is first lieutenant that just came back from fallujah, the other two sons are over at the naval academy. have two daughters

2:41:26 to 2:41:38( Edit History Discussion )

W. Todd Akin: that have not gone off to school yet. and all of those children growing up with a mother and father have understood the first primitive concepts of government. they have understood what it's

2:41:38 to 2:41:53( Edit History Discussion )

W. Todd Akin: like to live under authority. they understand what it's like to work hard. they have learned to walk and to talk and to get along with each other and all of those things. and we also know

2:41:53 to 2:42:04( Edit History Discussion )

W. Todd Akin: that historically that the people that are filling our prisons, the people who socially get in trouble a lot, are statistically people who have not had the blessings of a loving mother and

2:42:04 to 2:42:16( Edit History Discussion )

W. Todd Akin: father in a stable home. it doesn't mean that people can't get in trouble when they come from that background, but statistically it's a lot easier for a child to grow up in the benefit of a loving

2:42:16 to 2:42:31( Edit History Discussion )

W. Todd Akin: home with a mother and father. and so from a practical point of view to preserve our civilization and society it's important for us to preserve marriage. it's not just love. it's a love that

2:42:31 to 2:42:45( Edit History Discussion )

W. Todd Akin: produces children. we ask ourselves, well, is this such a big debate? it shouldn't be. we have 45 states that have passed legislation saying a marriage between a man and a woman. we also have anybody

2:42:45 to 2:42:58( Edit History Discussion )

W. Todd Akin: who knows something about the history of the human race knows that there is no civilization which has condoned homosexual marriage widely and openly that has long survived. and it's the practical

2:42:58 to 2:43:09( Edit History Discussion )

W. Todd Akin: reasons that marriage is about bringing the next generation along and it works best with one dad and one mom. that's what a great majority of americans believe. and so it's sad that we have to

2:43:09 to 2:43:27( Edit History Discussion )

W. Todd Akin: basically tell our courts because of their activist nature the beliefs of such a great block of americans. and i will conclude my comments by doing something that i don't know that i have done

2:43:27 to 2:43:39( Edit History Discussion )

W. Todd Akin: on the floor before and that's to call attention to my colleague,ed layy from colorado -- my colleague, the lady from colorado, marilyn musgrave, who have the courage to do what seems so obvious,

2:43:39 to 2:43:52( Edit History Discussion )

W. Todd Akin: to at least 45 states, to bring this amendment to the floor. for her efforts to defend plain old traditional marriage, she's had millions of dollars thrown against her and even a television

2:43:52 to 2:44:06( Edit History Discussion )

W. Todd Akin: ad that i have seen of some fat pink dressed lady that's stealing jewelry off of a corpse. and she's had to put up with that and i say to you, congresswoman musgrave, we are proud of you.

2:44:06 to 2:44:28( Edit History Discussion )

W. Todd Akin: we thank you for standing up for something that is so foundational to our society. i reserve the balance of my time. the speaker pro tempore: the gentleman from new york. mr. nadler: mr. speaker,