Pete Sessions: “I thank Senator Brownback. He is such a champion on this issue and has raised so many important matters for us to think…”

“I thank Senator Brownback. He is such a champion on this issue and has raised so many important matters for us to think about. I believe the debate we are having is a very important debate. I remember the hearings we had in the Judiciary Committee. The Senator had several--I believe he had one in the Commerce Committee maybe, and I had one in the Judiciary Committee on marriage. One of the things we found was that almost every category of individual character and wellness was better if you were married. That is just the way it was. You had a longer lifespan, you ended up with more wealth, you had better health, you were happier, and there was less drug use, less criminality, and less suicide. All of those things are so taken for granted in the committed, historic marriage relationship. I believe this issue is an important one that is before us. I want to share a few thoughts on the matter that deals with certain issues that are important to me, which I think are important. We are not here, let me say, first of all, because of some band of Christian conservatives. Indeed, virtually every religious organization in America cares about this issue. It is not that we wanted to enter into some sort of argument with the gay community or with those who favor same-sex marriage. We are not here because of a political agenda.…”