Defense of Marriage Act Witness Testimonies
Hearing on the Proposed Federal Defense of Marriage Act – Sept. 4, 2003
On Capitol Hill, lawmakers often ask for witnesses to testify at committee hearings on topics under congressional scrutiny. Each witness typically has a special expertise on the topic, either through personal experience, scholarly study or professional involvement. For the Sept. 4, 2003, hearing of the U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee’s Subcommittee on the Constitution, Civil Rights and Property Rights, the Republican Party was granted four witnesses and the Democratic Party, two witnesses. Each witness read a written statement and responded to questions posed by the senators.
The witnesses for the Democrats were Keith Bradkowski, who lost his partner of 11 years, Jeff Collman, in the Sept. 11, 2002, attacks, and Dale Carpenter, a conservative, openly gay professor at the University of Minnesota Law School.
Bradkowski’s testimony was very moving – so much so that Sen. Russ Feingold, D-Wis., said his story and testimony defined the issue and the hearing.
Read the testimony of Keith Bradkowski
Carpenter, who engaged the senators at the hearing and fielded their questions handily, wrote the amicus brief supporting the petitioners in Lawrence v. Texas for the Republican Unity Coalition.
Read the testimony of Dale Carpenter
Witnesses for the Republicans included The Rev. Dr. Ray Hammond of the Bethel African Methodist Episcopal Church in Boston, Maggie Gallagher of the interdisciplinary think tank MarriageDebate.com, attorney Gregory Coleman and professor Mike Ferris of Patrick Henry College.