Senate Rejects Gay Marriage Ban Amendment

As it did in 2004, the U.S. Senate today rejected a motion that would have allowed further consideration of a proposed constitutional amendment effectively banning gay marriage by declaring legal marriages in the United States to be unions between men and women only, and barring state governments from recognizing the legality of same-sex marriages.

The motion to proceed to consideration of the Marriage Protection Amendment failed by a vote of 49 yeas to 48 nays. Passage of the motion required at least 60 votes. The same motion failed in 2004 by a vote of 48 yeas to 50 nays.

President Bush has long supported adoption of the Marriage Protection Amendment, blaming “activist judges and some local officials,” for overriding existing state laws banning same-sex marriages. "Unfortunately, activist judges and some local officials have made an aggressive attempt to redefine marriage in recent years," he stated, referring to such actions taken in Washington, California, Maryland and New York... so far.

To become a part of the Constitution, an amendment requires a positive vote by at least two-thirds of the members of both the House and Senate, followed by approval, or “ratification” by the state legislatures of at least three-fourths of the states.

Also See:
The Politics of Same-sex Marriage
Three Reasons to Pass a Constitutional Ban on Same-Sex Marriage
Four Reasons to Oppose the Federal Marriage Amendment
Top 10 States That May Soon Legalize Gay Marriages