During the 2013 Iowa Legislative session, The Chronicle and News-Herald will submit questions to the Tama County delegation:

State Senator Steve Sodders (D-State Center) and State representative Dean Fisher (R-Garwin.)

If you have a question you would like considered for submission, send it to the newspapers.

WEEK?SIX: Explain your position on the current gay marriage bill.

RESPONSES:

State Rep. Dean Fisher (R-Garwin)

Once again members of the Iowa legislature are preparing to put forward a bill to allow Iowans to vote on the definition of marriage. I applaud this effort and will support the bill. First and foremost, my position on this constitutional amendment isn’t what is critical. What is critical is what the people of Iowa think.

Iowans have overwhelmingly supported the tradition that marriage, one of the fundamental building blocks of our society, is to be between one man and one woman. The people of Iowa deserve the opportunity to vote on that amendment as soon as possible.

Attempts to pass this amendment in the previous General Assembly resulted in passage of the amendment in the Iowa House, but the Iowa Senate has never been allowed to debate and vote on this important amendment. It has been blocked by a few key Senate leaders. Iowa deserves better than to be denied this opportunity to have their say on such an important matter as the definition of marriage.

State Senator Steve Sodders (D-State Center)

I am not aware of any pending legislation relating to same-sex marriages in Iowa.

I am focused this session on issues affecting a majority of my constituents, including expanding access to affordable health care to more Iowans, increasing student achievement and teacher quality, and helping Iowa businesses create more good-paying jobs.