Senate Says No To Gay Marriage

WASHINGTON (AllPolitics, Sept. 10) -- On an 85-14 vote, the Senate today gave final congressional approval to a measure that denies federal recognition of same-sex marriages and lets states ignore same-sex marriages licensed in other states.

President Bill Clinton has said he will sign the bill. In a related vote, the Senate rejected a bill, on a 49-50 vote, that would have banned job discrimination against homosexuals.

The Defense of Marriage Act defines marriage in federal law as a union between one man and one woman. The House approved the bill overwhelmingly in July.

The traditional family has stood for 5,000 years," said Sen. Phil Gramm (R-Texas). "Are we so wise today that we are ready to reject 5,000 years of recorded history? I don't think so."

But Sen. Carol Moseley-Braun (D-Ill.) said the act was "really about the politics of fear and division."

The measure allows states to legalize gay marriages within their borders, but states would not be obligated to recognize such marriages performed in another state. The bill was introduced by conservatives alarmed over a gay rights court case -- scheduled to go to trial Tuesday -- that could lead to Hawaii becoming the first state to legalize same-sex marriage.

Homosexual couples would remain ineligible for spousal benefits under the Social Security and Medicare programs or for any other federal benefit now reserved for married couples.

"Divide Our Constituency"

In American society, marriage "is the way in which partnerships are recognized," National Gay and Lesbian Task Force Executive Director Melinda Paras told CNN's Charles Bierbauer in a live interview from Washington before the vote. But the Defense of Marriage Act would deny that recognition to "millions of gay and lesbian Americans," she said.

Paras said she was disappointed that Clinton has promised to sign the bill, but she primarily faulted "right-wing religious extremists who are using this issue to try and divide our constituency."

Job-Bias Bill

Gay rights groups had been optimistic about winning the battle over the separate Senate measure outlawing job discrimination against homosexuals.

The bill's sponsor, Sen. Edward Kennedy (D-Mass.), originally had planned to introduce the measure as an amendment to the Defense of Marriage Act. But Republicans objected, believing the anti-discrimination language was unacceptable to conservatives and would kill the marriage bill's chances for passage.

After two days of negotiations last week, the Republican leadership agreed to have the Senate vote separately on the two issues.

Correspondent Charles Bierbauer contributed to this report.

Senate Says No To Gay Marriage

"Divide Our Constituency"

Job-Bias Bill

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