Statement from Rep. Matt Shea on governor’s support of same-sex marriage bill
Rep. Matt Shea, R-Spokane Valley, issued this statement following Gov. Chris Gregoire’s press conference today in which she announced her support for legislation that would legalize same-sex marriage in Washington state:
“I am surprised same-sex marriage is a primary focus of the Democrats when the Legislature still has a 1.5 billion dollar budget shortfall to address as we enter the short 60-day, 2012 legislative session. Marriage between one man and one woman is a long-standing institution, as well as a recognized foundation of a well-functioning society. The fact remains that homosexual couples have all the rights, benefits and privileges of married couples, and only one-quarter of one percent of the state’s population have registered as domestic partners. Focusing on this issue only serves to needlessly divert attention away from the more than 300,000 unemployed people looking to the Legislature to implement policies to help get Washington working again.”
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