David Zweibel

About the author: David Zweibel is the general counsel for and director of government affairs for Agudath Israel of America, a national Orthodox Jewish organization.

Throughout history, marriage has always been the union of a man and a woman for the purpose of conceiving and raising children. It is society's responsibility to do everything it can to protect its children by strengthening the institution of marriage. Legitimizing same-sex marriage would harm children by weakening the visible link between marriage and children. Congress has the right and the authority to protect children and the integrity of marriage by denying marital status to same-sex couples.

Editor's note: The following viewpoint was originally delivered as testimony during congressional hearings on the Defense of Marriage on July 11, 1996.

In the interest of full disclosure, I should mention right up front that...