Test vote likely on gay 'marriage'

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House leaders are likely to hold a test vote on issues related to homosexual "marriage" to show where House members stand before they push ahead with an actual constitutional amendment.

Options under discussion for a House vote, Republican aides said, include legislation that would strip federal courts of their jurisdiction to hear cases regarding the definition of marriage, and a measure that would define marriage in the District of Columbia as being between a man and a woman.

A House Republican leadership aide explained that voting first on legislation like this is a way to "flesh out where the votes are" and let leaders and outside groups target members who vote no, in order to persuade them to support the constitutional amendment later on.

Rep. Joe Pitts, Pennsylvania Republican, said he and other backers of the constitutional amendment "don't have a complete read" on where members stand on it, and an initial vote on related legislation would help them identify who to target.

"We want [the amendment] to win, and we have an opportunity to grow the vote with a two-vote strategy," Mr. Pitts said.

Although both chambers have held a series of hearings on marriage this year, only the Senate has planned a vote, for the week of July 12, on a constitutional amendment which would define marriage as the union of a man and a woman.

Both supporters and opponents of the amendment admit the Senate doesn't have the 67 votes needed to pass it, but backers say it will put senators on the record and make the public aware that traditional marriage is being threatened by those who back homosexual "marriage."

House Majority Leader Tom DeLay, Texas Republican, said this week that the House will wait until it has enough votes to pass a federal marriage amendment before bringing it up for a vote and that leaders are looking at other types of votes to put members on the record.

But trial votes also would ensure that the House is on the record regarding the issue of marriage, in case there isn't a vote on the constitutional amendment this year. It also would allow members who don't necessarily support the constitutional amendment to get on the record in support of traditional marriage.

"There are tons of people who agree that marriage is between a man and a woman, but aren't ready to support the amendment," the Republican aide said, adding that the first vote will likely take place this summer before August recess and that leaders haven't firmly decided whether the House will vote on the constitutional amendment this year.