WASHINGTON — The House, acting on a potent social issue in the heat of campaign season, passed a measure Friday that would define marriage as a heterosexual union only and limit marriage rights for gay men and lesbians.
In a lopsided 342-67 vote, a majority of Democrats joined Republicans in approving the "Defense of Marriage Act," sending it to the Senate, where the bill is expected to pass easily.
"The vote today reflects exactly what people in this country feel," said Rep. Bob Barr (R-Ga.), principal author of the measure. "America today is not ready to redefine marriage" in ways that would recognize same-sex unions, he said. "America will not be the first country in the world that throws the concept of marriage out the window."
The bill would define marriage, for purposes of federal benefits, as a union between a man and a woman. It also would allow states the right not to recognize same-sex marriages performed in other states.
With polls showing that as many as 7 in 10 Americans oppose marriage rights for homosexuals, the issue has become a minefield for many lawmakers who are inclined to favor homosexual rights. Public opinion on the issue has prompted President Clinton to say that he will sign the bill if it passes in its current form.
But while reiterating the president's willingness to sign the bill into law, the White House on Friday decried the debate as "gay baiting, pure and simple," and chastised Republicans for rushing the politically sensitive issue onto the legislative docket during election season.
"It's a classic use of wedge politics designed to provoke anxieties and fears," said White House Press Secretary Mike McCurry. "That being the case, though, the president has very strong views, personal views, and he has to act consistent with those views."
The legislation is one of several measures touted as "family values" legislation that conservative Republicans are trying to advance over the next several months. The bills, which include a parental rights act and a bill relaxing barriers on state aid to religious institutions, have been embraced by presumed Republican nominee Bob Dole.
The recent White House announcement that Clinton would sign the same-sex marriage bill helped neutralize the issue in the presidential election. But lawmakers said Friday that it remains a potent issue in the reelection campaigns of many politicians who support gay and lesbian rights.
