Frist promises
vote on federal same-sex marriage ban

Speaking to members of the Conservative Political Action Conference on Friday, U.S. Senate majority leader Bill Frist promised that on June 5 he would bring to the floor a proposed federal constitutional amendment that would permanently ban same-sex marriage and other legal protections for same-sex couples across the country. Frist said the amendment is needed to protect the majority of Americans, whom he said oppose same-sex marriage, from "the whims of a few activist judges" who seek to "override the common sense of the American people." He added, "When America's values are under attack, we need to act."

A similar amendment failed to win the necessary votes in 2004.

Frist also charged the Democrats with being leaderless and in the back pocket of liberal constituency groups such as MoveOn.org, NARAL Pro-Choice America, and People for the American Way. Claiming credit for the confirmation of Chief Justice John G. Roberts Jr., Justice Samuel A. Alito Jr., and several conservative judges filibustered by Democrats in the previous Congress, Frist said Democrats were not speaking for their constituents when they opposed Alito. "It looked to me like they were speaking for those far-left, liberal interest groups," he said.