Pro-family advocates see gain despite Congress failure to pass Marriage Amendment

Washington D.C., Sep 30, 2004 / 22:00 pm

In response to the vote in the U.S. House of Representatives on the Constitutional Amendment to protect marriage, Family Research Council (FRC) President Tony Perkins released a statement claiming that the movement to protect traditional marriage is gaining momentum.

"We may not have won by 2/3, but momentum is on our side,” he said. “We have a majority of Congressional members on record now who are seeking to protect marriage.  We have 13 states that have passed or seeking to pass marriage protection amendments to their state constitutions this election cycle and we have a president who supports this amendment.”

Perkins stated that “We are moving forward steadily and we will succeed in protecting marriage. We've known from the beginning that this was going to be a long fight.  And I'm here to tell you that Family Research Council will continue an all out effort to protect and promote traditional marriage."

Family Research Council has been pushing for the amendment's passage through television programs, thousands of media appearances and grassroots activism.

The vote on the marriage amendment  was 227-186; 49 votes shy of the two-thirds needed to go back to the senate.

The measure drew the support of 191 Republicans and 36 Democrats. Voting against it were 158 Democrats, 27 Republicans and one independent.

President George W. Bush issued a statement expressing disappointment with the vote's outcome. ''Because activist judges and local officials in some parts of the country are   seeking to redefine marriage for the rest of the country, we must remain vigilant in defending traditional marriage,'' the President said.