<P> The bill did not initially have any co-sponsors and was introduced without the Republican leadership being informed . Florida Today, the newspaper serving his constituency, commented that the bill "stems from fringe opponents of President Barack Obama who, during the 2008 election campaign, questioned whether Obama was born in Hawaii," but added that Posey's office "does not question Obama's citizenship ." Posey explained his motivation as being to "prevent something like this (controversy) from happening in the future" by requiring "the birth certificate up front and take (the issue) off the table". His initiative was strongly criticized by Florida Democrats, who accused Posey of trying to "fan the rumors on the extreme fringe of the Republican Party" and "pandering to the right wing". </P> <P> Satirist Stephen Colbert also mocked Posey for not addressing rumors that he was "part alligator"; Posey responded by commenting that there was "no reason to say that I'm the illegitimate grandson of an alligator". He also stated that there was now "no reason to question" that Obama is a U.S. citizen . </P> <P> Posey's bill gained the support of twelve Republican co-sponsors - Representatives John R. Carter, Kenny Marchant, Louie Gohmert, John Culberson, Randy Neugebauer, Mike Conaway and Ted Poe (all from Texas), Rep. John Campbell (California), Rep. Bob Goodlatte (Virginia), Rep. Dan Burton (Indiana), Rep. Marsha Blackburn (Tennessee), and Rep. Trent Franks (Arizona). Republican Senator Tom Coburn (Oklahoma) also stated that he would "likely support it" if the bill reached the Senate, saying that Obama "meets the constitutional requirement to be president," and that "It is each state's responsibility to determine the eligibility of those running for federal office ." H.R. 1503 was never voted upon by either house of Congress and died when the 111th Congress adjourned at the end of 2010 . </P> <P> On July 27, 2009, the House of Representatives passed a resolution commemorating the 50th anniversary of Hawaii's statehood . The resolution, containing language recognizing Hawaii as President Obama's birth state, passed by a vote of 378 to 0 . Some of the cosponsors of the Posey bill, namely Campbell, Carter and Marchant, did not cast a vote . The House has 435 members when all seats are filled . </P>

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