[Vision2020] Article: "White House Mulls Constitution Ban on Gay Marriage"

[Douglas Stambler]

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(Reuters Photo) White House Mulls Constitution Ban on Gay Marriage




July 31 
— By Randall Mikkelsen 
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The Bush administration would consider seeking a constitutional amendment to ensure a ban on same-sex marriages, a White House spokesman said on Thursday.

Spokesman Scott McClellan said President Bush, who on Wednesday said administration lawyers were studying ways to ban gay marriages, also was opposed to civil unions as an alternative.



Asked about the possibility of a constitutional amendment, McClellan said, "obviously that is something to look at in this context."

Any administration action would depend on the outcome of pending court cases on the gay-marriage issue, he said.

"The president is strongly committed to protecting the sanctity of marriage and defending a sacred institution that he believes is a between a man and a woman," McClellan said. "We are looking at what may be needed in the context of the court cases that are pending now."

Bush also opposed legalization of homosexual civil unions, which are allowed in Vermont, McClellan said. He cited Bush's support for current federal law, which holds that states do not have to recognize such civil unions granted by another state.

The gay-rights group Human Rights Campaign on Wednesday criticized the president's stance, saying it suggests "further codifying discrimination."

Debate over the issue of same-sex unions has intensified since Canada has taken steps to legalize gay marriages and the U.S. Supreme Court in June struck down state sodomy laws. Conservative critics say the Supreme Court's ruling could open the door to same-sex marriages in the United States.

The 1996 Defense of Marriage Act, signed by former Democratic President Bill Clinton, defines marriage for federal purposes as between one woman and one man. Gay marriages are forbidden in the United States.

Bush said on Wednesday he would not compromise his belief in the "sanctity of marriage."

But, as recently as earlier this month, he said a constitutional ban on gay marriage proposed in the House of Representatives might not be necessary despite the high court's decision.

Any proposal to amend the constitution faces high hurdles. To be successful, it must be approved by two-thirds of the House and the Senate and ratified by three-quarters of the states.

When asked his views of homosexuality on Wednesday, Bush said "we're all sinners," but McClellan said this should not be interpreted as a belief that homosexuality was a sin.

He noted that Bush's questioner began by saying many of the president's supporters thought homosexuality was immoral. Bush's response expressed a conviction that it was "not his place" to judge others, McClellan said. 


photo credit and caption: President George W. Bush answers a reporter's question during a morning press conference in the Rose Garden at the White House in Washington, July 30, 2003. Bush on Wednesday rejected same sex marriage but declined to pass moral judgment on homosexuality, saying he was "mindful that we're all sinners." Paraphrasing the Bible, Bush told reporters "I caution those who may try to take the speck out of the neighbor's eye when they've got a log in their own." Photo by Gary Hershorn/Reuters



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<TD class=blackSmallest vAlign=top align=left width=170><IMG height=106 src="http://a.abcnews.com/images/autowirestory/Reuters/OLUSTOPNEWS/2003-07-30T212136Z_01_GALAXY-DC-MDF327108_RTRIDSP_1_NEWS-BUSH-HOMOSEXUALS-DC.jpg" width=150 border=1><BR><IMG height=1 src="http://a.abcnews.com/images/spacer.gif"><BR><A class=blackSmallest href="http://abcnews.go.com/wire/US/reuters20030731_359.html#photocap"><FONT color=#000000>(Reuters Photo)</FONT></A> </TD>
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<DIV class=blueLead>White House Mulls Constitution Ban on Gay Marriage</B></DIV><!-- End Headline --><!-- END PRINT --><!-- BEGIN PRINT --><!-- END PRINT --><!-- BEGIN PRINT --><!-- END PRINT --><!-- BEGIN PRINT --><!--Reuters News Service--><BR><IMG height=21 alt=Reuters src="http://wwwi.reuters.com/reuters/abc.gif" width=140 vspace=2><BR><BR><!-- END PRINT --><!-- BEGIN PRINT --><!-- END PRINT --><!-- BEGIN PRINT --><!--RemovedFirstParagraph --><!--FirstParagraph --><!-- END PRINT --></TD><!-- End FirstParagraph --></TR><!-- STORYHIGHLIGHTS --></TBODY></TABLE>
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<TD class=black9pt><BR><!-- BEGIN PRINT --><!--Dateline--><FONT class=blueLinkNoStyle color=#31319c><STRONG>July 31</STRONG></FONT> 
<P>— By Randall Mikkelsen 
<P>WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The Bush administration would consider seeking a constitutional amendment to ensure a ban on same-sex marriages, a White House spokesman said on Thursday.</P>
<P>Spokesman Scott McClellan said President Bush, who on Wednesday said administration lawyers were studying ways to ban gay marriages, also was opposed to civil unions as an alternative.</P>
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<P>Asked about the possibility of a constitutional amendment, McClellan said, "obviously that is something to look at in this context."</P>
<P>Any administration action would depend on the outcome of pending court cases on the gay-marriage issue, he said.</P>
<P>"The president is strongly committed to protecting the sanctity of marriage and defending a sacred institution that he believes is a between a man and a woman," McClellan said. "We are looking at what may be needed in the context of the court cases that are pending now."</P>
<P>Bush also opposed legalization of homosexual civil unions, which are allowed in Vermont, McClellan said. He cited Bush's support for current federal law, which holds that states do not have to recognize such civil unions granted by another state.</P>
<P>The gay-rights group Human Rights Campaign on Wednesday criticized the president's stance, saying it suggests "further codifying discrimination."</P>
<P>Debate over the issue of same-sex unions has intensified since Canada has taken steps to legalize gay marriages and the U.S. Supreme Court in June struck down state sodomy laws. Conservative critics say the Supreme Court's ruling could open the door to same-sex marriages in the United States.</P>
<P>The 1996 Defense of Marriage Act, signed by former Democratic President Bill Clinton, defines marriage for federal purposes as between one woman and one man. Gay marriages are forbidden in the United States.</P>
<P>Bush said on Wednesday he would not compromise his belief in the "sanctity of marriage."</P>
<P>But, as recently as earlier this month, he said a constitutional ban on gay marriage proposed in the House of Representatives might not be necessary despite the high court's decision.</P>
<P>Any proposal to amend the constitution faces high hurdles. To be successful, it must be approved by two-thirds of the House and the Senate and ratified by three-quarters of the states.</P>
<P>When asked his views of homosexuality on Wednesday, Bush said "we're all sinners," but McClellan said this should not be interpreted as a belief that homosexuality was a sin.</P>
<P>He noted that Bush's questioner began by saying many of the president's supporters thought homosexuality was immoral. Bush's response expressed a conviction that it was "not his place" to judge others, McClellan said. </P>
<P><A name=photocap><BR></A><FONT class=black9ptBold><STRONG>photo credit and caption:</STRONG></FONT> 
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<TD><FONT class=blackSmallest size=1>President George W. Bush answers a reporter's question during a morning press conference in the Rose Garden at the White House in Washington, July 30, 2003. Bush on Wednesday rejected same sex marriage but declined to pass moral judgment on homosexuality, saying he was "mindful that we're all sinners." Paraphrasing the Bible, Bush told reporters "I caution those who may try to take the speck out of the neighbor's eye when they've got a log in their own." Photo by Gary Hershorn/Reuters</FONT></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE></P></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>
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