House strips gay marriage from fed courts

WASHINGTON, July 22 (UPI) -- A closely divided U.S. House Thursday approved a measure stripping federal courts' ability to rule on matters related to same-sex marriage.

The mainly party line vote of 233 to 194 on the so-called Marriage Protection Act, gave the House Republican leadership a major win on an issue they have trumpeted as way to reach out to core party voters before their August national convention and the November election.

The bill, sponsored by Rep. John Hostettler, R-Ind., would prevent any federal court, including the Supreme Court, from examining the constitutionality of the 1996 Defense of Marriage Act, which defines marriage as a union between a man and woman under federal code.

Although the GOP may gain some short-term points with anti-gay marriage interests, the measure has a limited future.

It remains unclear when or if the Senate will take up the bill, and even if it does, the bill is not expected to gain approval in the upper house of Congress.