WASHINGTON, Aug. 13 (UPI) -- An all-out legal war is being declared by religious conservatives to enact a constitutional ban on same-sex marriages.
Those conservatives have reintroduced what's called the "Federal Marriage Amendment." The measure died in the last Congress with no action taken, but this time the proposal has 75 House sponsors.
Senate hearings on the proposal begin next month with the support of Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist, R-Tenn.
Opponents of the anti-gay-marriage amendment are expressing alarm. One unidentified activist told the San Francisco Chronicle: "The gay groups don't mind politicians being against gay marriage, as long as it's not written into the Constitution. They figure they can come back in 10 years when things have calmed down and revisit it."
But conservatives are intent on getting their gay marriage prohibition written into the Constitution. The Rev. Lou Sheldon, head of the Traditional Values Coalition, noted: "You can't rule a constitutional amendment unconstitutional."
