“Efforts to pass a constitutional amendment banning same-sex marriage foundered Wednesday afternoon in the Senate when the proposal failed to garner enough votes to stay alive.
After final arguments by the leaders of each party, the Republicans mustered 48 votes, 12 short of the 60 they needed to overcome a procedural hurdle and move the proposed amendment to the floor.
‘In 217 years, we’ve only amended that sacred document 17 times,’ said Sen. Tom Daschle, D-South Dakota before the vote. ‘There have been 11,000 separate attempts.’
There is no urgent need to amend the Constitution now, he said.
But Sen. Bill Frist disagreed. ‘It has become clear to legal scholars… that same-sex marriage will be exported to all 50 states,’ said the majority leader, from Tennessee.
‘Will activist judges not elected by the American people destroy the institution of marriage, or will the people protect marriage as the best way to raise children? My vote is with the people.'”