Washington, D.C. - The House of Representatives yesterday voted to reject the Federal Marriage Amendment by a vote of 236 to 187 with one member voting present -- 47 votes short of the two thirds of those present and voting needed to pass a constitutional amendment.  As in the Senate vote last month, more Representatives cast votes against the amendment than in 2004, despite the fact that Republicans increased their majority in both houses.  Rep. Howard Berman voted against the Federal Marriage Amendment.

 

“As much as extreme, anti-gay individuals would like to convince us that this is a pressing national issue, the facts say otherwise,” said Berman.  “Wasting time debating a constitutional amendment to permanently deny the protections of marriage to same-sex couples isn’t a priority -- it isn’t in our country’s interest at all. 

 

“The Federal Marriage Amendment would have written discrimination into our founding document.  The fact that there are even more votes against the amendment this time around goes to show that more and more people have come to understand this,” said Berman.