On Monday, Feb. 2, the City Council of Sioux City, Iowa, will debate and vote on a resolution regarding marriage.
The purpose of the resolution is to clarify the City Council's position on marriage, respond to efforts to redefine marriage and urge the state Legislature to allow the people of Iowa to vote on a constitutional marriage-protection amendment.
"Given the many goods associated with marriage — for children, adults and communities — we commend city leaders for making an opportunity to promote it," said Jenny Tyree, marriage analyst at Focus on the Family Action. "Their efforts contrast with those of the state legislative leaders, who have thwarted efforts to allow Iowans to define marriage at the ballot box."
The resolution states: "The City Council of Sioux City supports the legal definition of marriage as being between one man and one woman, consistent with federal and state laws, and respectfully disagrees with efforts to redefine marriage, to anything other than between one man and one woman.
"The City Council of Sioux City also believes this issue should be decided by the voters of the State of Iowa, consistent with our ideals of democratic participation. We respectfully urge the State Legislature to act promptly on a Constitutional Amendment, as a majority of states have done, and allow the people of the State of Iowa to vote on the Amendment. We also urge other cities to lobby the State Legislature to act on the Amendment, and to empower the people of Iowa to decide on the proper definition of marriage."
— Jennifer Mesko
