Senate Blocks Ban on Gay Marriage

WASHINGTON — After three days of often perfunctory debate, Senate conservatives failed Wednesday to win enough support to proceed with an election-year constitutional amendment to ban same-sex marriage.

A procedural motion to schedule an up-or-down vote on the measure garnered 49 votes; it needed 60 for passage. Forty-eight senators opposed the motion. The amendment's supporters were disappointed that the motion was not backed by more than half ... Full Story »