Senators Patterson, Olshove, Kuipers, Gilbert, Hardiman, Birkholz, Jelinek, Garcia, Van Woerkom, Cassis and Goschka offered the following concurrent resolution:

            Senate Concurrent Resolution No. 31.

            A concurrent resolution to memorialize the Congress of the United States to adopt and submit to the states for ratification an amendment to the United States Constitution to define marriage as only being between a man and a woman.

            Whereas, The union of a man and woman in marriage is a source of great strength for our country.  The institution of marriage provides stability, support, and nurturing not only to those within a specific family, but also to the community at large and our entire society; and

            Whereas, The breakdown of the family can be identified as being at the root of many of the problems facing our country and its citizens.  Children born to strong families attain far higher success in education, in the work place, and in forming their own human relationships than those growing up in less stable settings; and

            Whereas, A recent court case in Canada and subsequent legislative actions have effectively paved the way for same-sex marriages in our neighboring country.  This move has raised great concern throughout the United States, as well as in other countries and among many Canadians; and

            Whereas, Those who feel same-sex marriage is an affront to our nation's values want measures taken to ensure that no legal mechanism can be exploited to redefine marriage in the United States.  Well over half of the states have already enacted laws to define marriage as only being between a man and a woman, and the federal government also enacted the Defense of Marriage Act in 1996.  Michigan enacted similar measures the same year; and

            Whereas, Congress is considering a proposed amendment to the United States Constitution that would define marriage as consisting only of the union between a man and a woman.  This legislation, House Joint Resolution 56, would provide the appropriate protections for our country's most important values; now, therefore, be it

            Resolved by the Senate (the House of Representatives), That we memorialize the Congress of the United States to adopt and submit to the states for ratification an amendment to the United States Constitution to define marriage as only being between a man and a woman; and be it further

            Resolved, That copies of this resolution be transmitted to the President of the United States Senate, the Speaker of the United States House of Representatives, and the members of the Michigan congressional delegation.