Marriage amendment church advocated fails first Senate vote

Published: 2004-07-14

WASHINGTON (CNS) -- The Senate's attempt to approve a constitutional amendment banning homosexual marriages July 14 lost a first round on a 48-50 procedural vote, 12 short of what was needed to keep the measure open for discussion and a vote on the legislation itself. The Federal Marriage Amendment had been endorsed at press conferences earlier in the week by the general secretary of the U.S. bishops' conference and a panel of clergy and activists. "Marriage is not an arbitrary social arrangement that can be altered by either the church or the state," said Msgr. William P. Fay at a July 12 Capitol event to support a constitutional amendment defining marriage as being between a man and a woman. "It is God's will for humanity and the keystone of every human community."

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