Tammy Baldwin: “amending the Constitution is a radical action which should only be undertaken when absolutely necessary. Preemptively…”

“amending the Constitution is a radical action which should only be undertaken when absolutely necessary. Preemptively amending the Constitution to prevent something that has yet to happen is a dangerous principle that this Congress should not endorse. We must always remember what President Calvin Coolidge once said, ``The Constitution is the sole source and guaranty of national freedom.'' Mr. Speaker, our Constitution has been amended only 17 times since the Bill of Rights, and with the exception of prohibition, which was promptly repealed, the amendments to our Constitution have always been used to secure greater rights and liberties for the American penal system. We have amended the Constitution to make our union more perfect, to ensure all Americans are free to secure the blessings of liberty, that all Americans may achieve the American dream of life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. Never in our history have we used our most sacred governing document to deny the rights of any group of Americans, nor should we do so today. This debate today is not simply a theoretical debate. It has a real impact on millions of Americans. I believe that the institution of marriage enhances our social fabric in many positive ways. I think we all agree that loving, supportive marriages provide strong environments for raising children.”