Cord Byrd: “today the Senate faces a cloture vote which we should never have faced. We have been put in this position by a majority…”

“today the Senate faces a cloture vote which we should never have faced. We have been put in this position by a majority leadership that is toying with the faith and the trust of people across this country. I share their faith, and I share their belief in the sanctity of marriage. I am very disappointed that we have a procedural vote, instead of a vote in direct consideration of a constitutional amendment. What these people want is a vote, up or down; what they are going to get is more rigamarole in this Senate. The majority party is manipulating the faith of many Americans, with the unwitting aid of many well-meaning religious leaders, which is one of the most disappointing aspects of this issue. The majority party does not expect to win this cloture vote. In fact, the majority party likely does not want to win this cloture vote. The White House and the Republican leadership want to campaign on the fact that Democrats blocked this amendment, that Democrats somehow oppose marriage. How ludicrous. Yet, the Republican leadership will try to capitalize on this procedural vote with fundraising letters, campaign stops, and election-day votes. It is an abomination, an absolute failure of trust, to hatch such calculated political schemes on those Americans who genuinely believe in this issue. The majority party wants this cloture motion to fail. I, for one, will not help in that effort. I will not help to manipulate the churches and the pulpits across this country.”