May 17, 2004

STATEMENT BY THE PRESIDENT

The sacred institution of marriage should not be redefined by a few activist judges. All Americans have a right to be heard in this debate. I called on the Congress to pass, and to send to the states for ratification, an amendment to our Constitution defining and protecting marriage as a union of a man and a woman as husband and wife. The need for that amendment is still urgent, and I repeat that call today.

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-- Bill Nelson (bnelson45-nospam@hotmail.com), May 17, 2004

Answers

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-- Bill Nelson (bnelson45-nospam@hotmail.com), May 17, 2004.

Can homosexual married couples file as married for federal income taxes? Is this something Bush has control over?

I know in Vermont (with homosexual civil unions), the state tax form has a special filing status for civil unions because the federal form does not recognize that category.

-- Mark (aujus_1066@yahoo.com), May 18, 2004.

>Can homosexual married couples file as married for federal income taxes? Is this something Bush has control over?

It would have to be set by law. The President would have to sign the bill into law, but it first would have to pass the congress. It is possible that States could lead the way an the federal courts could mandate it (stranger things have happened).

>I know in Vermont (with homosexual civil unions), the state tax form has a special filing status for civil unions because the federal form does not recognize that category.

It is common for States to have separate 'special' filing status'.

-- Bill Nelson (bnelson45-nospam@hotmail.com), May 18, 2004.