Gay marriage ban set for defeat

2006-06-07 08:30

Laurie Kellman

Washington - A constitutional amendment to ban gay marriage is headed toward certain Senate defeat, but supporters say new votes for the measure represent progress that gives the Republicans' base reason to vote on Election Day in November.

"There's many of us who have not had an opportunity to debate and discuss this," said Republican Senator Mel Martinez of Florida, one of five freshmen supporters of the amendment who replaced opponents of the measure in the 2004 election.

Supporters say the amendment will win as many as seven new votes of support from freshmen elected after the amendment received its last vote in 2004. Their support is expected to produce a majority for the amendment in the 100-member chamber.

Test vote

Sixty votes would be required for the measure to survive a test vote on Wednesday. A two-thirds majority is required in both houses of Congress to send an amendment to the states. It then would have to be ratified by at least 38 state legislatures.

Still, supporters were pleased.

"We're building votes," said Republican Senator David Vitter of Louisiana, another new supporter. "That's often what's required over several years to get there, particularly to a two-thirds vote."

Marriage as union between man and woman

A majority of Americans define marriage as a union of a man and a woman, as does the amendment, according to a new ABC News poll. But just as many oppose amending the Constitution, the poll found.

"Most Americans are not yet convinced that their elected representatives or the judiciary are likely to expand decisively the definition of marriage to include same-sex couples," said Republican Senator John McCain of Arizona, a possible presidential candidate in 2008. He told the Senate on Tuesday he does not support the amendment.

Issue will be brought up again

The measure's looming defeat in the Senate is by no means its last stand, said its supporters.

"Whether it passes or not this time, I do not believe the sponsors are going to fall back and cry about it," said Senator Orrin Hatch, a Utah Republican. "I think they are going to keep bringing it up."

'Significant importance'

The House plans a vote on the amendment next month, said Majority Leader John Boehner of Ohio.

"This is an issue that is of significant importance to many Americans," Boehner told reporters. "We have significant numbers of our members who want a vote on this, so we are going to have a vote."

Like the Senate, the House in 2004 fell short of the two-thirds vote needed.

Forty-five of the 50 states have acted to define traditional marriage in ways that would ban same-sex marriage - 19 with constitutional amendments and 26 with statutes.

- AP