A unanimous vote by the U.S. House last night has brought new attention to Rep. Bill Posey's attempt to require presidential candidates to submit their birth certificates to prove they are really U.S. citizens.
But Posey is not backing down.

As part of a lingering and, many feel, stupefying controversy over whether President Barack Obama was born in the United States, the House passed a resolution 378-0 celebrating the 50th anniversary of Hawaiian statehood and also recognizing it as Obama's birthplace. Posey, R-Rockledge, joined the majority as did co-sponsors of his bill.

Florida Democratic spokesman Erik Jotkoff asks, "The question he needs to answer today is: Will Bill Posey withdraw his crazy bill questioning President Obama's citizenship? Because the people of Florida's 15th District need a Congressman focused on creating jobs and fighting for NASA, hopefully last night's vote shows that Posey has finally taken off his tinfoil hat and will finally get to work on the issues that matter."

Responds Posey spokesman George Cecala:

"He is not going to withdraw the bill. Why would he?" Cecala said Posey's bill has been blown out of proportion and context (Posey explains to the St. Petersburg Times here) and that it was never intended as a slight to Obama.

Rather, he said, the bill was to settle any questions, whether about Obama or John McCain or any other presidential candidate, about citizenship.

Cecala said his boss quietly introduced the bill and has avoided fanfare, though he did agree to go on the Lou Dobb Show last Thursday to discuss the matter.