U.S. Senate defeats bill banning gay marriage Wednesday, June 7,
2006 The United States Senate has defeated a proposed
constitutional amendment banning . The bill was defeated 48 to
49 and did not receive the minimum amount of 60 votes to that
would allow the bill to be taken to the full Senate. The bill
fell 18 votes short of the 67 that were needed for approval. In
order for the bill to become part of the , this bill would have
had to be approved by a two-thirds majority in both the Senate
and the , then be approved by the legislatures of three fourths
(that is, 38) of the States. However, Senator, - , who is a
supporter of the bill says, "we're building votes." "Most
Americans are not yet convinced that their elected
representatives or the judiciary are likely to expand decisively
the definition of marriage to include same-sex couples," said
John McCain ( - ) who opposed the bill. "A vote for it is a vote
against civil unions, against domestic partnership, against all
other efforts for states to treat gays