The nation's capital city took a major step Friday toward legalizing same-sex marriage.

WASHINGTON (CNN) – The nation's capital city took a major step Friday toward legalizing same-sex marriage.

District of Columbia Mayor Adrian Fenty signed a measure recognizing such marriages as legal. The city council overwhelming passed the bill on Tuesday, following a similar vote on December 1.

Fenty signed the measure at All Souls Church, a Unitarian-Universalist house of worship in the northwest part of the District that is known for its diversity and for the welcoming of same-sex couples.

The measure now goes to Congress for a 30-day review period, but it's considered unlikely that the Democratic majority on Capitol Hill would block the bill. By law, Congress has the right to review and overturn laws created by the District of Columbia's council.

If the measure becomes law, the District would join Massachusetts, Connecticut, Vermont and Iowa in legalizing same-sex marriages. A law legalizing such marriages in New Hampshire takes affect on January 1.

Earlier this year, lawmakers in Maine approved a measure legalizing same-sex marriages, but voters in the state last month passed a referendum to overturn the new law. Last week, New York's state Senate defeated a bill that would legalize gay marriages. A similar bill stalled last week in New Jersey's state senate.

Tuesday's vote in the nation's capital prompted approval from gay rights groups. The Human Rights Campaign called passage of the legislation "a victory for all D.C. residents."

"The legislation the council passed today reinforces the legal equality and religious freedoms to which all D.C. residents are entitled," the organization's president, Joe Solmonese, said in a written statement.

The National Organization for Marriage, which opposes same-sex marriage, said "the fight is not over."

"Politicians on the city council are acting as if they have the right through legislation to deprive citizens of D.C. of their core civil right to vote, but we will not let them get away with it," said Brian Brown, the organization's executive director.

"We will go to Congress, we will go to the courts, we will fight for the people's right to vote," he said.

Opposition to the legislation also came from the Catholic Church's Archdiocese of Washington, which has said that the measure could restrict the church's ability to provide charity services, apparently because the church might cut back on services rather than comply with requirements.

–CNN Deputy Political Director Paul Steinhauser contributed to this story

Washington (CNN) - The Washington, D.C., city council voted Tuesday to legalize same-sex marriage in the nation's capital. The bill will now be given to Mayor Adrian Fenty, who has expressed his support and vowed to sign the bill.

If the mayor signs it, Congress will have a period of 30 days to intervene before it would take effect.

Full story

Washington (CNN) - The nation's capital city is expected to take a major step Tuesday towards legalizing same-sex marriage.

The District of Columbia's city council is scheduled to vote - and expected to pass - a measure that would recognize gay marriages as legal. The city council overwhelmingly passed the bill in a previous vote on December 1.

Tuesday's second vote is needed to send the measure to District Mayor Adrian Fenty, who has said he will sign the bill. Then the measure goes to Congress for a 30-day review period, but it's considered unlikely that the Democratic majority on Capitol Hill will block the bill. By law, Congress has the right to review and overturn laws created by the District's city council.

If the measure becomes law, the District would join Massachusetts, Connecticut, Vermont and Iowa in allowing legal same-sex marriages. A law legalizing gay marriage in New Hampshire takes effect on January 1.

Earlier this year, lawmakers in Maine approved a measure legalizing same-sex marriages, but voters in the state last month passed a referendum to overturn the new law. Last week, New York's state senate defeated a bill that would legalize gay marriages. A similar bill stalled last week in New Jersey's state senate.

–CNN Deputy Political Director Paul Steinhauser contributed to this story

A gay marriage bill that's up for a crucial vote Thursday in New Jersey has the backing of 'the Boss.'

(CNN) – A gay marriage bill that's up for a crucial vote Thursday in New Jersey has the backing of "the Boss."

Rock legend Bruce Springsteen say he supports the legislation, which would legalize same sex marriages in the Garden State. On his Web site, the New Jersey born Springsteen says he's "always spoken out for the rights of same-sex couples," adding that he urges "those who support equal treatment for our gay and lesbian brothers and sisters to let their voices be heard now."

The New Jersey state Senate is expected to vote on the bill Thursday. It passed through the state Senate's Judiciary Committee earlier this week by one vote. Democrats concede the measure may fall short of the 21 votes needed to pass the state Senate. The state Assembly hasn't considered the bill yet.

The timing is important since Republican Gov.-elect Chris Christie, who takes office next month, says he would veto the bill. The man Christie beat in last month's election, out-going Democratic Gov. Jon Corzine, says he would sign the bill if it reaches his desk before he leaves office.

Last week, New York's state Senate defeated a bill that would legalize same-sex marriages. The legislation had already passed the state Assembly. New York Gov. David Paterson said he would have immediately signed the bill if it had made it to his office.

Massachusetts, Connecticut, New Hampshire, Vermont and Iowa are currently the only states that legally allow same-sex marriages. Earlier this year, lawmakers in Maine approved legalized gay marriages. But voters in Maine last month passed a referendum to overturn the new law. A vote last week by the District of Columbia's city council moved Washington, D.C. one step closer to legalizing same sex marriages.

Follow Paul Steinhauser on Twitter: @psteinhausercnn

(CNN) - A same-sex marriage bill has cleared a hurdle in New Jersey and is now headed for a full state Senate vote on Thursday.

Full story

A bill that could legalize same-sex marriage comes up for debate in a New Jersey Senate committee Monday.

(CNN) - The battle over gay marriage moves to New Jersey Monday.

A bill that would legalize same-sex marriages comes up for debate in the state's Senate Judiciary Committee. If the legislation passes through the panel, it could be voted on by the full state Senate by the end of the week. The state Assembly hasn't considered the bill yet.

The timing is important since Republican Gov.-elect Chris Christie, who takes office next month, says he would veto the bill. The man Christie beat in last month's election, out-going Democratic Gov. Jon Corzine, says he would sign the bill if it reaches his desk before he leaves office.

Last week, New York's state Senate defeated a bill that would legalize same-sex marriages. The legislation had already passed the state Assembly. New York Gov. David Paterson said he would have immediately signed the bill if it had made it to his office.

Massachusetts, Connecticut, New Hampshire, Vermont and Iowa are currently the only states that legally allow same-sex marriages. Earlier this year, lawmakers in Maine approved legalized gay marriages. But voters in Maine last month passed a referendum to overturn the new law. A vote last week by the District of Columbia's city council moved Washington, D.C. one step closer to legalizing same sex marriages.

Follow Paul Steinhauser on Twitter: @psteinhausercnn

(CNN) - As New York's state Senate defeated a bill that would legalize same sex marriages, a new poll indicates that just over half of state's voters favor the legislation.

Related: Same-sex marriage bill voted down in New York Senate

According to a Marist College survey released Wednesday, 51 percent of people questioned said they favor legalizing gay marriage, with 42 percent opposed.

The poll's release came just hours before the state Senate rejected the legislation, which had already passed the state Assembly. New York Gov. David Paterson said he would have immediately signed the bill if it had made it to his office.

Massachusetts, Connecticut, New Hampshire, Vermont and Iowa are currently the only states that legally allow same sex marriages. Earlier this year, Maine's state legislature voted to legalize gay marriages. But voters in Maine last month passed a referendum to overturn the new law. A vote Tuesday by the District of Columbia's city council moved Washington, D.C. one step closer to legalizing same sex marriages.

The Marist survey indicates a partisan divide on the issue, with two-thirds of Democrats supporting gay marriage and a nearly equal amount of Republicans opposed. According to the poll there's a geographic split as well, with 6 in 10 New York City voters supporting legalized same sex marriages, while voters in the suburbs and upstate are divided.

The Marist College poll was conducted Nov. 12, 16, and 17, with 805 New York State registered voters questioned by telephone. The survey's sampling error is plus or minus 3.5 percentage points for the overall sample.

Follow Paul Steinhauser on Twitter: @psteinhausercnn

Washington (CNN) – A proposal to legalize same-sex marriage in the nation's capital won approval Tuesday in the first of two city council votes required for it to go into effect.

The measure was supported by a vote of 11 to 2, according to Doxie McCoy, spokeswoman for the council's chairman, Vincent C. Gray.

The council is scheduled to hold a second vote on December 15. If it passes, the bill would be given to Mayor Adrian Fenty, who has already expressed his support and vowed to sign the bill.

(CNN) - Supporters of Maine's same-sex marriage law, which voters narrowly repealed, gathered Wednesday to concede the vote but not the issue.

"It seems in the end that Mainers are not ready to treat these families fairly," Betsy Smith told a crowd of No on 1/Protect Maine Equality supporters in Portland, Maine. Two women amid the crowd clutched each other as one cried.

"Having the protection of the law, as well as the respect and dignity that comes only with marriage, is a journey on which we will continue," Smith said.

With 87 percent of the vote counted early Wednesday, the same-sex marriage law was rejected 53 percent to 47 percent, according to the Bangor Daily News Web site.

On Tuesday night, the campaign manager of Stand for Marriage Maine, Frank Schubert, announced that the referendum to repeal the law had passed.

"It has all come together tonight, the institution of marriage has been preserved in Maine, and across this nation," he said to a crowd of supporters.

Scott Fish, a spokesman for the group, emphasized that the campaign had never been anti-gay.

"The campaign was very clear about that," he said by phone Wednesday.

"This was a campaign about protecting traditional marriage."

Fish said there were two main reasons the group wanted to repeal the law, which was signed by Gov. John Baldacci on May 6. There was a religious element to wanting to keep marriage as between a man and a woman, he said, but the group also felt that the legal inequities in domestic partnerships as compared with marriage could be addressed through lawmaking.

"We see no compelling reason for Maine to redefine marriage" just to address these inequities, he said.

Baldacci said Wednesday that he believed the issue would be revisited.

"We didn't take on this issue because we were certain that we would win," he said in a written statement.

"We did it because it was the right thing to do. Last night, we didn't reach the top of the mountain. But we did change a lot of hearts and a lot of minds. Eventually, we will be successful in making sure all Maine individuals and families are treated equally."

Supporters of the law had hoped that Maine, in a region that has appeared more accepting of gay marriage, would become the first state to win a popular vote approving such a measure.

Other states that have passed such laws - Connecticut, Massachusetts, Vermont, Iowa, and New Hampshire have done so legislatively or judicially.

New Hampshire's law will officially take effect next year.

Human Rights Campaign President Joe Solmonese said in a written statement that the vote in Maine made him angry.

"But more importantly, I am determined that with the anger I feel today from this outcome in Maine, we'll rise ever stronger to demand equal treatment under the law and equal respect for our relationships in Maine, California, New Jersey, and every state of the Union."

(CNN) – Voters in Maine will decide next week whether to overturn the legislation signed by Gov. John Baldacci nearly six months ago that allows same-sex couples to wed.

Baldacci, who originally opposed the legislation, said upholding the bill comes down to a fundamental understanding of equal protection and constitutional responsibility.

"Initially, I had the opinion for several years that civil unions were the limitations of what I was willing to support," Baldacci said. "But, the research that I did uncovered that a civil union didn't equal a civil marriage."

Full story: http://www.cnn.com/2009/POLITICS/10/25/maine.same.sex/index.html

Sunday's National Equality March in Washington coincided with National Coming Out Day.

WASHINGTON (CNN) - Judy Shepard stood before a massive crowd at the Capitol on Sunday for a single, painful reason.

"I'm here today because I lost my son to hate."

Her gay son, Matthew Shepard, was kidnapped and severely beaten in October 1998. He died five days later in a hospital.

More than 10 years later, Judy Shepard addressed the thousands of gay rights activists in Washington who wrapped up Sunday's National Equality March with a rousing rally at the Capitol.

"No one has the right to tell my son whether or not he can work anywhere. Whether or not he can live wherever he wants to live and whether or not he can be with the one person he loves - no one has that right," Judy Shepard told the crowd. "We are all Americans. We are all equal Americans, gay, straight or whatever."

The activists marched through Washington, calling for an end to the "don't ask, don't tell" policy and equality in marriage.

The National Equality March coincided with National Coming Out Day, and came a day after President Obama delivered a supportive speech to the nation's largest gay and lesbian rights group.

Obama was praised for his remarks to the Human Rights Campaign, where he said he has urged congress to repeal the Defense of Marriage Act and to pass the Domestic Partners Benefit and Obligations Act. But Obama has also been criticized by gay rights activists who say he has put those issues - and the Pentagon's "don't ask, don't tell" policy, which bans homosexuals from openly serving in the military - on the back burner.

"Obama, I know you are listening," pop star Lady Gaga told the crowd, before shouting, "Are you listening? We will continue to push you and your administration to bring your words of promise to a reality."

Full story

In a speech before a gathering of the Human Rights Campaign, President Obama reaffirmed his campaign pledge to repeal the “don’t ask, don’t tell” policy regarding gays in the military. But, to the disappointment of some gay rights activists, President Obama failed to specify a timeframe for doing so.

Sunday, on CNN’s State of the Union, Democratic Sens. Bob Casey of Pennsylvania and Debbie Stabenow of Michigan both said they supported the president’s plans regarding gays in the military and hate crimes legislation pending in Congress that would protect gays and lesbians.

“The president is putting the priorities in the right place,” Stabenow told CNN Chief National Correspondent John King about Mr. Obama’s support for domestic partnership benefits for all couples, the hate crimes bill, and repealing “don’t ask, don’t tell.”

But both Democrats said they could not support same-sex marriage, an important part of the civil rights agenda for many gays and lesbians.

Casey told King that he does not support efforts to repeal the federal Defense of Marriage Act , a federal law that defines marriage as between a man and a woman for the federal government’s purposes and which also says states do not have to recognize same-sex marriages performed by other states.

Stabenow noted that her state, like some others, has already passed a law prohibiting same-sex marriage.

“So I think for a number of us that becomes a challenge for us in terms of what has happened in terms of voting in our states,” Stabenow told King. The Michigan Democrat did not directly answer King’s query about whether she would vote to repeal the Defense of Marriage Act.

In his speech Saturday night, the president also urged Congress to repeal the Defense of Marriage Act. But Obama does not support same-sex marriage for gays and lesbians. Instead, Mr. Obama has said that he supports civil unions as a separate legal category for gay and lesbian couples.

In his address to the Human Rights Campaign Obama also urged Congress to pass the Domestic Partners Benefit and Obligations Act, a piece of legislation that would provide federal benefits to the same-sex partners of federal civilian employees on the same basis that traditional married couples currently receive.

Related: Obstacles ahead for Obama's gay rights goals

President Obama speaks Saturday night at the Human Rights Campaign dinner in Washington.

WASHINGTON (CNN) - President Obama told nation's largest gay rights group that his administration is "moving forward" with the military's "don't ask, don't tell" policy.

"We should not be punishing patriotic Americans serving this country," Obama said.

Obama's speech at Saturday's dinner for the Human Rights Campaign, the nation's largest gay rights group, comes as activists have lost patience over the lack of change to key issues for the gay community.

"I think there was a lot of excitement that things were going to change and I think there is impatience that there hasn't been change fast enough," said Steve Elmendorf, a gay Democratic lobbyist.

Gays and lesbians expected more action from Obama, such as delivering on his campaign promise to urge Congress to pass legislation repealing "don't ask, don't tell" - a policy banning homosexuals from serving openly in the military.

Another issue is same-sex marriage, a battleground point in many states. While the president does not support same-sex marriage, he does want to repeal the Defense of Marriage Act, which defines marriage as exclusively between a man and a woman.

Full story

In June, the president and first lady hosted a reception at the White House in honor of LGBT Pride Month.

WASHINGTON (CNN) - While the gay rights community awaits President Barack Obama to make good on major campaign promises, he intends to address a range of issues, including hate crimes protections, when he speaks to the Human Rights Campaign on the eve of a massive gay rights rally.

Obama's speech at Saturday's dinner for the HRC, the nation's largest gay rights group, comes as gay rights activists lose patience over the lack of change to key issues for the gay community - including the Pentagon's "don't ask, don't tell" policy.

"I think there was a lot of excitement that things were going to change and I think there is impatience that there hasn't been change fast enough," said Steve Elmendorf, a gay Democratic lobbyist.

Gays and lesbians expected more action from Obama, such as delivering on his campaign promise to urge Congress to pass legislation repealing "don't ask, don't tell" - a policy banning homosexuals from serving openly in the military.

Another issue is same-sex marriage, a battleground point in many states. While the president does not support same-sex marriage, he does want to repeal the Defense of Marriage Act, which defines marriage as exclusively between a man and a woman.

"The bottom line is we have to move from memo signings - which he did during pride week - to bill signings," said one leading gay rights advocate, an Obama supporter who asked not to be named to avoid alienating the White House.

White House spokesman Robert Gibbs told reporters Friday that Obama will discuss "a range of issues," including hate crimes protections, which "are long overdue in the president's opinion."

Legislation was passed in the House this week widening the definition of hate crimes to include attacks based on sexual orientation and gender identity - a move that Obama believes "represents an important step," Gibbs said.

Obama "looks forward to, when that legislation gets to his desk, signing it and making that the law of the land," Gibbs added. "I think that's certainly part of what he'll discuss on Saturday night," Gibbs said.

A White House official, who requested anonymity, said Obama's remarks will focus on the steps he has and will take on issues affecting gays and lesbians.

"We expect the president to talk about the progress he has made in just the last 10 months. From passing hate crimes, to appointing openly gay people to high-level positions, to lifting the HIV-travel ban which has been in place for 20 years," according to an official with the Human Rights Campaign.

"Like many in our community, we'd specifically like him to address more definitively repealing 'don't ask, don't tell," the official said. "The president's beliefs about repeal are well-known, we are just interested in exact roadmap of how we get there."

–CNN's Jessica Yellin and Ed Henry contributed to this report.

Updated: 7:01 p.m.

A majority of Americans continue to back civil unions for gay and lesbian couples.

WASHINGTON (CNN) – A majority of Americans continue to back civil unions for gay and lesbian couples, but oppose legalizing same-sex marriages, according to a new national poll.

The Pew Research Center survey's Friday release comes on the eve of President Barack Obama's speech in front of gay rights advocates at the Human Rights Campaign banquet in the nation's capital. The following day, same-sex activists plan to march on the Mall in Washington.

According to the poll, 57 percent of people questioned support civil unions, a slight uptick, with 37 percent opposed. The survey suggests that 53 percent oppose legalizing same sex marriage, with 39 percent in favor, basically unchanged from a year ago.

The poll indicates that more than six in 10 say say gays and lesbians face a lot of discrimination, more than any other group asked about in the survey.

Exit polls from last November's presidential election suggest that gay, lesbian and bisexual voters overwhelming backed Obama. Many of them had high expectations that Obama would bring results for them on gay rights issues once he entered the White House, and some are now growing impatient with the slow pace of change.

The Pew Research Center poll was conducted in August, with 4,013 people questioned by telephone. The survey's sampling error is plus or minus 2 percentage points.

(CNN) - Former President Bill Clinton is speaking out about his decision to change his personal stance on same-sex marriage.

In an interview with CNN's Anderson Cooper, the former president said that while he still believes the issue should be left up to the states, he is no longer personally opposed to same-sex marriage as he once was.

"I was against the constitutional amendment to ban gay marriage nation-wide, and I still think that the American people should be able to play this out in debates," Clinton said. "But me, Bill Clinton personally, I changed my position.

"I am no longer opposed to that," he added. "I think if people want to make commitments that last a lifetime, they ought to be able to do it."

The full interview will air on Anderson Cooper 360 at 10 p.m. ET.

The Justice Department submitted a court filing Monday that called a federal law regarding same-sex marriage 'discriminatory' but asked the court to throw out a challenge to the law.

WASHINGTON (CNN) - President Barack Obama on Monday declared that the Defense of Marriage Act discriminates against gays and lesbians, even as his administration moved in federal court to defend the law.

In a court filing in Los Angeles, Justice Department lawyers urged a federal judge to throw out a case brought by a gay couple married in California.

"The Department of Justice has filed a response to a legal challenge to the Defense of Marriage Act, as it traditionally does when acts of Congress are challenged," the president said in a written statement. "This brief makes clear, however, that my administration believes that the act is discriminatory and should be repealed by Congress."

That did not satisfy leaders of the gay rights community.

"It is not enough to disavow this discriminatory law, and then wait for Congress or the courts to act," said Joe Solmonese, president of the Human Rights Campaign. "While they contend that is the (Department of Justice's) duty to defend an act of Congress, we contend that it is the administration's duty to defend every citizen from discrimination."

In his presidential campaign, Obama had strong backing from the gay community because of his promise to press for repeal of the Defense of Marriage Act.

The law, passed by Congress in 1996, denies federal recognition of same-sex marriages, thereby banning federal spousal benefits to those in such unions. It also allows states that prohibit same-sex marriages to deny recognition of such unions granted in other states.

The Justice Department Monday stressed the administration has not changed its views on the law.

"The Justice Department cannot pick and choose which federal laws it will defend based on any one administration's policy preferences," said department spokeswoman Tracy Schmaler. "The government's filing makes clear that the administration believes the Defense of Marriage Act is discriminatory and should be repealed."

The case challenging the law was brought by Californians Arthur Smelt and Christopher Hammer.

The government argues their case should be dismissed in part because they have no legal standing to bring the challenge.

"The plaintiffs have not shown that any other state has refused to recognize their California marriage, and they do not allege ... they have applied for and been denied any federal benefits" because of the law, the government said.

Federal courts to date have upheld the law, and said it is subject to "rational basis review."

In defending the existing law, the government argues, "This court should find that Congress could reasonably have concluded that there is a legitimate government interest in maintaining the status quo regarding the distribution of federal benefits in the face of serious and fluid policy differences in and and among the states. That there is now a debate taking place in this country about same-sex marriage does not make Congress's belief in this regard any less rational."

The first same-sex couple to marry in Massachusetts spoke with reporters in 2005 on the one year anniversary of the state legalizing same-sex marriages.

(CNN) – The Commonwealth of Massachusetts filed a lawsuit filed in federal court Wednesday challenging the federal Defense of Marriage Act's ("DOMA's") definition of marriage as "only a legal union between one man and one woman as husband and wife."

Massachusetts, which legalized same-sex marriages in 2004, claims that the federal definition violates its authority under the Tenth Amendment of the Constitution to define marriage as it sees fits.

"From its founding until DOMA was enacted in 1996, the federal government recognized that defining marital status was the exclusive prerogative of the states and an essential aspect of each state's sovereignty," the suit says.

The state also asserts that the federal definition of marriage negatively impacts its ability to administer a number of federal programs within its borders and unjustly denies it federal funding it should receive.

For example, in the suit, the state estimates that it loses out on $2.37 million in Medicare funding because of DOMA.

Third, Massachusetts claims that requiring it to comply with a federal definition of marriage limited to different-sex couples, the state is put to an unlawful choice between discriminating against people which its own laws treat equally and foregoing federal funding.

In a statement announcing the suit, Massachusetts Attorney General Martha Coakley said it is unconstitutional "for the federal government to decide who is married and to create a system of first- and second-class marriages. The federal government cannot require states, such as Massachusetts, to further the discrimination through federal programs, either."

"The time has come for this injustice to end," said Coakley.

Massachusetts is the first state to sue challenging the federal government's definition of marriage.

More

WASHINGTON (CNN) - A new District of Columbia law recognizing same-sex marriages performed elsewhere took effect Tuesday.

The measure, which does not allow gay or lesbian couples to be married in
the district itself, was initially approved on May 5.

Currently four states recognize same-sex marriages - Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts and Iowa. Vermont and New Hampshire will soon join their company when same-sex marriages become legal later this year and early next year.

"We've got more work to do to ensure that government treats all its citizens equally, to fight injustice and intolerance in all its forms and to bring about that more perfect union," Obama said.

The signing followed sharp criticism of the president over a Justice Department motion filed last week in support of the Defense of Marriage Act - which effectively bars the federal government from recognizing same-sex unions.

Obama said he still wants to repeal the act.

"I believe it's discriminatory. I think it interferes with state's rights, and we will work with Congress to overturn it," he said.

The memorandum he signed Wednesday means same-sex partners of civil service employees can be added to the long-term care program, employees can use their sick leave to take care of domestic partners and children and same-sex partners of Foreign Service employees will be included in medical evacuations and housing allocations, according to the White House.

But it does not cover full health-care coverage, which would require an act of Congress, White House spokesman Robert Gibbs said.

Full story

Rep. Barney Frank says the Obama administration made a 'big mistake' on a Justice Department brief supporting the Defense of Marriage Act.

(CNN) – Four days after the Justice Department filed a brief strongly supporting the Defense of Marriage Act, openly gay Rep. Barney Frank said the Obama administration made a "big mistake" and is calling on the president to clearly explain his views on the matter.

"I think the administration made a big mistake. The wording they used was inappropriate," the Massachusetts Democrat told the Boston Herald during an interview published in the paper's Wednesday edition.

Update: Rep. Frank has since said his comments were based on a flawed description of the administration's brief and believes President Obama does not deserve criticism for the document. (full statement below)

Many gay activists have called on Frank and other gay members of Congress to speak out against the recent DOJ brief, which appeared to equate gay marriage to incest in its reasoning that states have the right not to recognize gay marriages from other states.

The brief says states favor heterosexual marriages because they are the "traditional and universally recognized form of marriage," and specifically argued that the Constitution's "full faith and credit" clause - whereby states have to respect the "public acts, records, and judicial proceedings" - does not apply to gay marriage just as it does not apply to mariages involving incest.

"I've been in touch with the White House and I'm hoping the president will make clear these were not his views," Frank also said.

(Updated below the jump with latest Frank statement)

Rep. Jared Polis - another openly gay member of Congress - also criticized the Obama administration late Tuesday, saying in a statement he was "shocked and disappointed."

"Comparing my loving relationship with my partner, Marlon, to incest was unconscionable coming from a president who has called for change," he said.

The brief has set off a firestorm among prominent members of the gay community - already frustrated with the president for not taking steps to overturn the military's policy of "Don't Ask, Don't Tell." While campaigning for the Democratic presidential nomination last year, Obama said he was against both the Don't Ask, Don't Tell policy and the Defense of Marriage Act.

"The brief …could have been written by the Rev. Pat Robertson," wrote former Clinton adviser David Mixner, now a prominent Democratic fundraiser. "Using the worst of stereotypes, it intimates that we don't have constitutional guarantees, invokes scenarios of incest, of children and advocates that we don't have the same rights as others who have struggled for civil rights. "

"What in the hell were they thinking? Or is that their thinking?" Mixner added.

CNN Radio: Senior Political Correspondent Candy Crowley weighs in on the president's move

Mixner is one of several gay Democrats to drop out of a Democratic National Committee fundraiser next week - co-hosted by Reps. Frank and Polis - featuring Vice President Biden and honoring the lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender community.

"How will they ever take us seriously if we keep forking out money while they harm us?" Mixner wrote.

The DNC did not respond to CNN's request for comment.

UPDATE: In a Thursday statement, Frank walked back his earlier remarks.
Full statement follows:

“When I was called by a newspaper reporter for reaction to the administration’s brief defending the constitutionality of the Defense of Marriage Act, I made the mistake of relying on other people’s oral descriptions to me of what had been in the brief, rather than reading it first. It is a lesson to me that I should not give in to press insistence that I comment before I have had a chance fully to inform myself on the subject at hand.”

“Now that I have read the brief, I believe that the administration made a conscientious and largely successful effort to avoid inappropriate rhetoric. There are some cases where I wish they had been more explicit in disavowing their view that certain arguments were correct, and to make it clear that they were talking not about their own views of these issues, but rather what was appropriate in a constitutional case with a rational basis standard – which is the one that now prevails in the federal courts, although I think it should be upgraded.”

“It was my position in that conversation with the reporter that the administration had no choice but to defend the constitutionality of the law. I think it is unwise for liberals like myself, who were consistently critical of President Bush’s refusal to abide by the law in cases where he disagreed with it to now object when President Obama refuses to follow the Bush example. It is the President’s job to try to change the law, but it is also his obligation to uphold and defend it when it has been enacted by appropriate processes. It would not be wise, in my judgment, for those of us who are gay, lesbian, bisexual or transgender, or who sympathize with the fight for our rights, to argue for a precedent that says that executives who disagreed politically with the purpose of the law should have the option of refusing to defend it in a constitutional case.”

“I strongly opposed DOMA when it was adopted and I will continue to fight for changes. I support very strongly the lawsuit brought by the people at Gay & Lesbian Advocates and Defenders (GLAD) that make the cogent argument that DOMA’s provision denying federal recognition of same-sex marriages blatantly violates the equal protection clause. And I will work with the Obama administration as they have promised to do to enact laws protecting LGBT people from hate crimes, from job discrimination, and from discrimination in the military. I will also be critical when I think inappropriate language is used. But after rereading this brief, I do not think that the Obama administration should be subject to harsh criticism in this instance.”

WASHINGTON (CNN) – President Obama will sign a memorandum Wednesday granting health care and other benefits to the same-sex partners of federal employees, two senior administration officials said.

The signing will take place in the Oval Office and follows sharp criticism of the president over a Justice Department motion filed last week in support of the Defense of Marriage Act - which opposes same-sex marriage - that used the government's interest in opposing incestuous marriages to support its position against same-sex marriage.

Gay and lesbian advocates have also faulted the Obama administration for not moving to repeal the military's "don't ask, don't tell" policy that bars officials from asking about a service member's sexual orientation but also bars the service member from revealing it.

Full story

New Hampshire Gov. John Lynch signed a bill Wednesday legalizing same-sex marriage in his state.

(CNN) - New Hampshire Gov. John Lynch signed same-sex marriage into law Wednesday night.

The bill, which passed the House 198-176 on Wednesday, also was approved by the state Senate 14-10.

The Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation - the nation's primary lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender media advocacy and anti-defamation organization - applauded Lynch's decision.

"Gov. Lynch's signing of the marriage equality bill grants legal protections for same-sex couples in New Hampshire to take care of and be responsible for each other," said the organization's president, Neil Giuliano.

"As people get to know the loving and committed couples at the heart of marriage equality, our culture is moving to equality."

Both chambers had previously voted to approve same-sex marriage but Lynch said he would sign the bill into law only if the legislature added new language to protect religious institutions that did not want to perform such marriages.

"We can and must treat both same-sex couples and people of certain religious traditions with respect and dignity," Lynch had said. "I believe this proposed language will accomplish both of these goals."

The Democratic governor said that in recent months he had spoken to lawmakers, religious leaders and constituents as he formed his opinion on the bill.

New Hampshire becomes the sixth state in the nation - alongside Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, Iowa and Vermont - currently providing or soon to provide marriage benefits to gays and lesbians.

Vermont's law takes effect September 1 and Maine's September 14, unless its citizens collect enough signatures to put the measure on the fall ballot in the state. New Hampshire's new law takes effect on January 1, 2010.

New Hampshire and Maine are the only states in the nation where representatives elected by voters approved same-sex marriage legislation. The others were decided by high court decisions, although legislatures in Vermont and Connecticut subsequently passed measures codifying the court rulings.

Marry Mo Baxley, executive director of New Hampshire Freedom to Marry told CNN, "We're so very proud of our elected officials. We've taken our grievances to our elected officials, and they've responded."

Still, married gay couples do not share federal benefits such as Social Security, tax breaks and immigration benefits that are granted to straight married couples. Baxley is counting on President Barack Obama to make those changes.

"He said he would repeal the Defense of Marriage Act and we fully expect him to keep that promise," she said.

Even amongst the excitement, GLAAD president Giuliano remained cautious, referring to the topic of gay marriage benefits as one "that will be a future debate and a future conversation that we'll be having in this country for quite a while."

WASHINGTON (CNN) – A day after former Vice President Dick Cheney repeated his support for the idea of same-sex marriage, Republican party chairman Michael Steele re-stated his opposition to the idea.

"My personal view is that marriage is between a man and a woman," Steele said Tuesday on CNN's American Morning, "very much in line with what the president [Barack Obama] has said."

"...The vice president brings a very personal perspective to this issue," he also said. "I think his comments are an appropriate reflection of his family and his situation with his daughter."

At an appearance at the National Press Club Monday, Cheney reiterated his long-standing position that individuals should be able to choose the type of relationship they wish to enter into. Citing his own family's experience with the issue, he said the question of same-sex marriage was best left to the states, not the federal government.

"I think freedom means freedom for everyone," Cheney said Monday, when asked whether some form of legalized same-sex marriage is inevitable in the United States. "As many of you know," told the audience, "one of my daughters is gay – something that we've lived for a long time in our family. I think people ought to be free to enter into any kind of union they wish, any kind of arrangement they wish."

Cheney also said Monday he did not think a federal law should govern the issue. Instead, he favors leaving the question of same-sex marriage to individual states. "That's the way it ought to be handled - on a state-by-state basis," he said. "Different states will make different decisions, but I don't have [a] problem with that."

Steele said Monday he also thought the battle would be worked out at the state level - that states will be the "ultimate arbiters" of what constitutes a legal marriage.

The RNC chairman also said Tuesday that Republicans should focus their scrutiny of Supreme Court nominee on Judge Sonia Sotomayor's extensive judicial record generated during nearly two decades on the federal bench.

"Her public comments are a little bit disconcerting, with respect to whether a Latina can make a better judgment than a white male,"
Steele told American Morning's Kiran Chetry. "She needs to explain that. And there's a lot of other things that she needs to go into some detail about and put in the proper context. We will be very vigorous in examining that."

Steele also slammed the Obama administration's extensive involvement with bankrupt automaker General Motors. "Government intrusion, to me, is just offensive to the market," Steele said.

Editor's note: On CNN's "State of the Union," host and chief national correspondent John King goes outside the Beltway to report on the issues affecting communities across the country.

NEW YORK (CNN) – As she lobbies members of the New York Senate these days, the politician in Christine Quinn can understand what the gay rights activist in her sometimes cannot.

"The fear of the unknown," is how she describes it. "This is a vote they've never cast before. And they don't know how people are going to react. You are in a position where people's reaction to you is the key to your success. And the unknown creates fear and fear often creates paralysis."

Quinn is the openly gay speaker of the New York City Council, and a proponent of legalizing same sex marriage in New York state.

Full Story

The National Organization for Marriage has launched a new ad campaign in New York State.

(CNN) – The National Organization for Marriage is out with new television and radio ads in New York as the state's senate is considering legislation that would legalize same-sex marriage.

"New York Consequences," a 30-second television spot and a 60-second radio spot, focus on hypothetical consequences of recognizing same-sex unions on equal terms with traditional marriages.

"Legalizing gay marriage has consequences for kids," TV ad says. "Massachusetts schools teach second graders that boys can marry other boys. A California public school took first graders to a same-sex wedding . . . "

"The rights of people who believe marriage means a man and a woman will no longer matter. We'll all have to accept gay marriage whether we like it to or not," both ads also say.

The ads are being supported by a $100,000 ad buy in Long Island and the Albany-Schenectady area, according the National Organization for Marriage. The initial ad buy runs from May 28 through May 31, the group also said.

The New York State Assembly recently passed a bill legalizing same-sex marriage in the state. New York Gov. David Paterson has said he will sign the bill if the state Senate also passes it.

The new ads end with a request for viewers and listeners to call their state senators and express their opposition to same-sex marriage.

Related: Bush v. Gore lawyers join forces to challenge California's Prop 8

SAN FRANCISCO, California (CNN) – Opponents of California's voter-approved ban on same-sex marriages launched a new court challenge Wednesday, led by lawyers who were on opposite sides of the case that settled the 2000 presidential race.

Attorneys Ted Olson and David Boies have asked a federal judge to block California from enforcing the ban, known as Proposition 8. Though California's Supreme Court upheld Proposition 8 in a ruling issued Tuesday, Olson and Boies argue that the ban violates the U.S. Constitution.

"It is impossible to reconcile the restrictions that Prop. 8 imposes on the right of gay men and lesbians to marry with the U.S. Supreme Court's conclusion that the Fourteenth Amendment protects the right of all citizens to make personal decisions about marriage without unwarranted state intrusion," their lawsuit, filed on behalf of two same-sex couples, states.

Boies and Olson filed suit Wednesday on behalf of two couples who were denied marriage licenses under Proposition 8. A federal judge in San Francisco has set a July 2 hearing date on the matter.

California's Supreme Court rejected a challenge to the marriage ban Tuesday, but left intact about 18,000 same-sex marriages conducted before voters approved the ban in November.

Olson was the lead attorney for George W. Bush in the 2000 Florida recount. He served as solicitor general in the Bush administration after the Supreme Court ruling that effectively decided the election in Bush's favor.

Boies, meanwhile, was the top legal strategist for former Vice President Al Gore, that year's Democratic presidential nominee. Before that, he was the Clinton administration's top lawyer in the anti-trust case against computer software giant Microsoft.

SAN FRANCISCO, California (CNN) – California's Supreme Court has upheld a ban on same-sex marriage that state voters passed in November, but allowed about 18,000 marriages performed before the ban to remain valid.

The split ruling was met with chants of "shame on you" from a crowd of about 1,000 people who gathered outside the court building in San Francisco.

"It's nice that my marriage is still intact, but that's not the point," Kathleen White, who married her partner in 2008, told CNN.

Opponents of the ban argued that the controversial Proposition 8, which state voters passed, 52 percent to 48 percent, in November, improperly altered the California constitution to restrict a fundamental right guaranteed in the state's charter. But the court - which had allowed same-sex marriages in a 2008 decision - found the measure was narrow enough to pass legal muster.

(CNN) – New Hampshire's move to become the most recent state to legalize same-sex marriage hit a road bump Wednesday, after the legislature's House of Representatives failed to agree to changes made by the governor.

Both the House and Senate already had approved allowing gay couples to marry.

But Gov. John Lynch, a three-term Democrat, said last week he would sign a same-sex marriage bill only if it provides "the strongest and clearest protections for religious institutions and associations, and for the individuals working with such institutions."

Lynch said any such measure needs to "make clear that (clergy and other religious officials) cannot be forced to act in ways that violate their deeply held religious principles."

The House on Wednesday fell just two votes short of approving Lynch's language, 186-188.

The chamber then voted to send the legislation to a committee to be considered further.

The language would specify that religious organizations can decline to take part in any marriage ceremony without incurring fines or risking lawsuits.

New Hampshire's movement in the gay marriage debate is part of a flurry of recent activity surrounding the issue.

On May 6, same-sex marriage became legal in Maine, as Gov. John Baldacci signed a bill less than an hour after the state legislature approved it.

The District of Columbia voted May 5 to recognize same-sex marriages performed elsewhere, though it does not itself give marriage licenses to gay or lesbian couples.

Meanwhile, New York Gov. David Paterson introduced legislation in April to make same-sex marriage legal in the Empire State. A similar bill died in the state Senate in 2007.

Iowa's Supreme Court ruled unanimously on April 3 that it is illegal to discriminate against same-sex couples by denying them the right to marry. The first gay marriages in the state took place April 27.

A total of four states - Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, and Iowa - currently allow same-sex marriages. A Vermont law making gay and lesbian marriages legal takes effect in September.

California's state Supreme Court issued a ruling legalizing same-sex marriage in May 2008, and some 18,000 gay and lesbian couples got married in the Golden State. But California voters in November approved Proposition 8, which amended the state constitution to ban gay marriage.

That state's high court heard arguments earlier this year about whether Proposition 8 was itself constitutional. It has not yet issued a verdict.

A slim majority of Americans are against legal recognition for same-sex marriage, CNN polling found last month. Fifty-four percent of adults questioned in an April 23-26 nationwide CNN/Opinion Research Corp. poll said that marriages between gay or lesbian couples should not be recognized as valid, while 44 percent said they should be considered legal.

But there was a huge gap between the opinions of younger and older people, with younger people far more likely to approve of gay marriage. Nearly six in 10 people ages 18 to 34 said same-sex marriages should be legal. Just over four in 10 people ages 35 to 49 agreed, and the number was similar for 50- to 64-year olds. Only 24 percent of people 65 and older agreed.

The survey's sampling error was plus or minus 3 percentage points.

New Hampshire may become the sixth state to legalize same-sex marriages.

(CNN) – New Hampshire may move closer Wednesday to joining five other states in the nation where same-sex marriages are legal.

The state's legislature, which has already passed a measure allowing gay and lesbian couples to tie the knot, is expected to revisit the issue to provide greater protections for churches and other religious institutions.

Gov. John Lynch, a three-term Democrat, said last week he would sign a same-sex marriage bill only if it provides "the strongest and clearest protections for religious institutions and associations, and for the individuals working with such institutions."

Lynch said any such measure needs to "make clear that (clergy and other religious officials) cannot be forced to act in ways that violate their deeply held religious principles."

The legislature is expected to vote on language suggested by Lynch stating that religious organizations can decline to take part in any marriage ceremony without incurring fines or risking lawsuits.

(CNN) - New Hampshire Gov. Jon Lynch said Thursday that he will sign into law a bill allowing same-sex couples to wed - but only after the state legislature agrees to his terms.

"This morning, I met with House and Senate leaders, and the sponsors of this legislation, and gave them language that will provide additional protections to religious institutions," he said in a statement. "This new language will provide the strongest and clearest protections for religious institutions and associations, and for the individuals working with such institutions.

"...But following that tradition means we must act to protect both the liberty of same-sex couples and religious liberty. In their current form, I do not believe these bills accomplish those goals."

Lynch said if the state legislature passes the new language, he will sign the bill into law. Otherwise, he will veto the measure.

"We can and must treat both same-sex couples and people of certain religious traditions with respect and dignity," he said. "I believe this proposed language will accomplish both of these goals and I urge the legislature to pass it."

Lynch said he has spent the past weeks and months speaking to lawmakers, religious leaders and constituents in order to form his decision after New Hampshire's Legislature voted to approved same-sex marriages in the state.

The Granite State will, if approved by the governor, become the sixth state in the nation - alongside Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, Iowa and Vermont - to provide marriage benefits to gays and lesbians.

"Given the cultural, historical and religious significance of the word marriage, this is a meaningful change," he said.

"I have heard, and I understand, the very real feelings of same-sex couples that a separate system is not an equal system. That a civil law that differentiates between their committed relationships and those of heterosexual couples undermines both their dignity and the legitimacy of their families."

(CNN) - CNN Senior Political Correspondent Candy Crowley reports on how same-sex marriage and other gay rights issues may pose challenges for President Obama.

Related video: Army fires gay Arab linguist

(CNN) - Maine Gov. John Baldacci signed a bill Wednesday making same sex marriage legal in the state, his office announced.

Full story

Maine lawmakers Wednesday voted to make same-sex marriage legal in the state.

(CNN) – Maine lawmakers Wednesday voted to make same-sex marriage legal in the state, the state Office of Legislative Information said. The bill now goes to Gov. John Baldacci for his signature or veto.

Baldacci, a Democrat, has not said whether he will sign it.

"He's going to make a decision when it hits his desk," spokesman Dan Cashman told CNN immediately after the vote. He said the governor is likely to make a statement later in the day.

Three states - Massachusetts, Connecticut, and Iowa - currently allow same-sex marriages. Vermont has passed a law making gay and lesbian marriages legal. That bill takes effect in September. New Hampshire lawmakers are close to passing a similar bill.

A slim majority of Americans are against legal recognition for same-sexmarriage, CNN polling found last month. Fifty-four percent of adults questioned in an April 23-26 nationwide CNN/Opinion Research Corp. poll said that marriages between gay or lesbian couples should not be recognized as valid, while 44 percent said they should be considered legal.

The survey's sampling error was plus or minus 3 percentage points.

WASHINGTON (CNN) - The Maine House of Representatives voted to pass a bill legalizing same-sex marriage on Tuesday afternoon.

After a nearly three-hour debate, the House voted in favor of the bill by a vote of 89-57. The measure, which was passed by the state Senate last week, now heads to the governor's desk for a final decision.

Democratic Gov. John Baldacci "has not yet made a decision" on whether or not he will sign the bill, Deputy Director of Communications Joy Leach said.

If the governor signs the bill, Maine will be the fourth state to recognize same-sex marriage, joining Massachusetts, Connecticut, and Iowa. A law passed by Vermont lawmakers to legalize gay and lesbian marriages takes effect later this year and New Hampshire is close to passing similar legislation.

Also on Tuesday, the Washington D.C. City Council voted to recognize same-sex marriages from states that allow those unions.

While the council voted to recognize same-sex marriages, those marriages are not currently allowed in the district.

WASHINGTON (CNN) – The Washington D.C. City Council voted 12-1 Tuesday to recognize same-sex marriages from states that allow those unions.

Mayor Adrian Fenty has indicated he will sign the measure. It will then become law after a mandatory 30-day congressional review period if Congress fails to overturn the measure.

Former Mayor Marion Barry cast the lone dissenting vote.

While the council voted to recognize same-sex marriages, those marriages are not currently allowed in the district.

Three states - Massachusetts, Connecticut, and Iowa - currently allow same-sex marriages. A law passed by Vermont legislators that makes gay and lesbian marriages legal takes affect in September. New Hampshire lawmakers are close to passing a similar bill.

Fifty-four percent of adults questioned in an April 23-26 nationwide CNN/Opinion Research Corporation poll said that marriages between gay or lesbian couples should not be recognized as valid, with 44 percent suggesting they should be considered legal.

New Three states, Massachusetts, Connecticut, and Iowa, currently allow same-sex marriages.

(CNN) – A new national poll suggests that a majority of Americans oppose legalizing same sex marriages - but there's a vast generational divide on the issue.

Fifty-four percent of people questioned in a CNN/Opinion Research Corporation poll released Monday say that marriages between gay or lesbian couples should not be recognized as valid, with 44 percent suggests they should be considered legal.
Among those 18 to 34 years old, 58 percent said same-sex marriages should be legal. That number drops to 42 percent among respondents 35 to 49 years old, and to 41 percent for those 50 to 64 years of age. The poll indicates that only 24 percent of Americans 65 and older support recognizing same-sex marriages as valid.

While a majority of those polled oppose legalizing gay marriage, 6 out of 10 feel that states that do not recognize gay marriages allow civil unions. When it comes to supporting civil unions, the poll indicates a similar generational shift.

Three states, Massachusetts, Connecticut, and Iowa, currently allow same-sex marriages. A law passed by Vermont law makers that makes gay and lesbian marriages legal takes effect in the state later this year. Lawmakers in Maine and New Hampshire are close to passing a similar bill.

"It's not surprising that three Northeastern states are the first to take this step," says CNN Polling Director Keating Holland. "A majority of people who live in the Northeast say they approve of same-sex marriage. Solid majorities in the South, Midwest and West all oppose gay marriage."

Forty-nine percent of those questioned say they have a family member or close friend who is gay. That's up eight points from 1998 and up 17 points from 1992. Fifty-eight percent of those ages 18 to 34 say they have a family member or close friend who's gay. That drops to just one in three of people 65 or older.

"People who say they have a gay friend or relative support same-sex marriage," Holland notes. "Most of those who say they don't know anyone who is gay oppose gay marriage."
The poll's release comes just three days after Supreme Court Justice David Souter announced he would step down from the high court after this year's session ends in late June. Any Supreme Court nomination battle between conservatives and progressives will most likely include some of the hot button social issues, like gay marriage.

"Republicans don't have the votes to defeat President Obama's choice for the Supreme Court. They have to get some Democrats join them. Possibly on a hot button social issue," says CNN Senior Political Analyst Bill Schneider.

The poll indicates that close to 40 percent of Democrats oppose legalizing gay marriage. But Schneider says there's a risk for conservatives if they make same-sex marriage an issue in the fight over a Supreme Court nomination.

"Young voters strongly favor marriage equality. They're the future of American politics," says Bill Schneider.

The CNN/Opinion Research Corporation poll was conducted April 23-26, with 2,019 adult Americans questioned by telephone. The survey's sampling error is plus or minus 3 percentage points.

Carrie Prejean and Perez Hilton are prominently featured in a new ad from the National Organization for Marriage.

WASHINGTON (CNN) – The recent dust-up between a celebrity blogger and a California beauty queen is at the center of a new ad from a group that opposes same-sex marriage.

The new ad, titled "No Offense," spotlights the controversy that erupted during the Miss USA pageant earlier this month when Miss California Carrie Prejean said she did not believe in same-sex marriage in response to a question from blogger Perez Hilton, who is gay.

"Gay marriage activists attack people for supporting marriage because they don't want to debate the consequences of same-sex marriage," the ad says. "They want to silence opposition."

The spot is the second ad in a $1.5 million campaign recently launched by the National Organization for Marriage.

"Our mission is to protect marriage and the faith communities that sustain it," the group's executive director Brian Brown said Tuesday. "We want to highlight the very real effects on our liberties and especially on religious organizations, businesses, and individuals."

Brown also said Tuesday that the group is concerned that people of faith who oppose same-sex marriage are being cast as bigots in much the same that people who opposed racial integration were during the civil rights movements of the 1950's and 1960's.

During the pageant, Hilton asked Prejean about same-sex marriage. "I believe that a marriage should be between a man and a woman," Prejean said in response to the blogger, who was one of the pageant's judges. "No offense to anybody out there," Prejean added, "but that's how I was raised and that's how I think that it should be."

Prejean took second place in the pageant and some observers believe her answer cost her the crown.

She is set to join Brown at a press conference Thursday afternoon in Washington for the formal release of the new ad.

In an anticipation of the press conference, the producers and co-executive directors of the Miss California USA pageant issued a statement critical of Prejean's involvement with the National Organization for Marriage. "In the entire history of Miss USA, no reigning title holder has so readily committed her face and voice to a more devisive [sic] or polarizing issue," the statement says. "We are deeply saddened Carrie Prejean has forgotten her platform of the Special Olympics, her committment [sic] to all Californians, and solidified her legacy as one that goes beyond the rights to voice her beliefs and instead reveals her opportunistic Agenda."

New Hampshire's Senate has approved a bill allowing same-sex couples to marry.

(CNN) - New Hampshire's Senate has approved a bill allowing same-sex couples to marry, but critics and fans of the bill say their work isn't over.

"We were obviously disappointed," Kevin Smith, executive director of the conservative Cornerstone Policy Research Action group, told CNN on Thursday. "We don't think the voters are going to forget about it."

On the other side, members of the New Hampshire Freedom to Marry Coalition - a group that has worked since 2001 for same-sex marriage - were "absolutely thrilled," said Mo Baxley, the executive director.

But, noting that the bill is returning to the House for it to consider changes made by the Senate, Baxley added, "I think the work continues." Her organization will encourage its supporters to contact their representatives ahead of the House vote, she said.

On Wednesday, the state Senate voted 13 to 11 in favor of the bill, which differs from the House-approved version in that it distinguishes between civil and religious marriage. It allows each religion to decide whether to acknowledge same-sex marriage, but extends the option of civil marriage to any two individuals, said state Senate spokeswoman Anne Saunders.

The House, which passed the earlier version last month by a margin of seven votes, must approve the changed version before it can be sent to Gov. John Lynch, a Democrat who has questioned the need for the bill.

After the Senate vote, Lynch released a written statement saying he still believes "the fundamental issue is about providing the same rights and protections to same-sex couples as are available to heterosexual couples. This was accomplished through the passage of the civil unions law two years ago."

"To achieve further real progress," he added, "the federal government would need to take action to recognize New Hampshire civil unions."

Earlier this month, the governor said he believes the word "marriage" should be used only to describe a marriage between a man and a woman, the New Hampshire Union Leader reported.

"I think the word 'marriage' is reserved for a marriage between a man and a woman, and I think the real issues really are rights and protections for gay and lesbian couples," he told reporters on April 15, according to the newspaper.

Smith said his organization, which was established in 2000, would "lobby hard" to get the governor to veto the bill. He said he expected it to pass the House.

"Look, this is a matter of holding the governor accountable," he said. "He's been very public with his views on same-sex marriage in the state. ... We'll see if he was misleading the voters of New Hampshire or if he'll stand by his word and actually veto it."

Were the bill to become law, New Hampshire would become the fifth state allowing same-sex marriage, joining Connecticut, Vermont, Massachusetts and Iowa.

Only Vermont has established the practice legislatively.

–CNN's Taylor Gandossy contributed to this report.

The group's last ad, 'A Gathering Storm,' came out earlier this month.

WASHINGTON (CNN) – Carrie Prejean, the Miss USA contestant from California who famously declared her opposition to same sex marriage on the pageant stage, will star in a new $1.5 million ad campaign funded by the National Organization for Marriage.

Prejean was roasted by same-sex marriage advocates after she stood up for what she called "opposite marriage" (marriage between a man and a woman) when responding to a question from celebrity blogger Perez Hilton during the pageant. But she's also become a fresh-faced standard-bearer for the same-sex marriage opponents, who have rallied to her defense.

The National Organziation for Marriage has scheduled a press conference with Prejean in Washington on Thursday to unveil the new ad, called "No Offense."

"She is attacked viciously for having the courage to speak up for her truth and her values," the group said in a press release. "But Carrie's courage inspired a whole nation and a whole generation of young people because she chose to risk the Miss USA crown rather than be silent about her deepest moral values."

According to the group, the ad will call "gay marriage advocates to account for their unwillingness to debate the real issue: gay marriage has consequences."

The Miss California TV ad is the group's second. Their first, called "A Gathering Storm," ran in several states earlier and featured actors issuing ominous warnings about the threats posed by same-sex marriage.

(CNN) – The New Hampshire State Senate narrowly voted Wednesday to allow the state to become the fifth in the country to legalize same-sex marriage.

The measure, passing on a 13-11 vote, now heads to the New Hampshire House of Representatives, which has passed same-sex marriage legislation, but rejected earlier this year a provision in the Senate bill that lays out a distinction between civil and religious marriage.

New Hampshire Gov. John Lynch, a Democrat, has not indicated whether he would sign the bill should it reach his desk.

(Updated to clarify that the rejected provision was a small part of a larger bill, which passed the House)

On Thursday, New York Gov. David Paterson announced he will introduce a bill that would allow same-sex couples in New York State to enter into civil marriages with the full rights of legal marriage.

(CNN) - A new poll indicates that majority of New Yorkers support the legalization of same-sex marriages.

Fifty-three percent of New Yorkers questioned in a Siena College Research Institute poll support a bill that would allow same-sex couples to wed, with 39 percent opposing the move.

The survey suggests that Democrats, independent and young voters, and women strongly support Senate passage. Republicans strongly oppose passage. Men, older voters, African-Americans, and Protestants are also opposed. The strongest support for the measure is found in New York City.

On Thursday, New York Gov. David Paterson announced he will introduce a bill that would allow same-sex couples in New York State to enter into civil marriages with the full rights of legal marriage. A similar attempt two years ago failed to make it through the state's legislature.

Sunday on CNN's State of the Union, Paterson strongly defended a proposed bill that aims to legalize same-sex marriage in his state.

"People of religious beliefs, many, believe that the sacred relationship between a man and woman is the only threshold for marriage. I respect that point of view. However we are living in a society of civil laws – we separate church and state," Paterson told CNN's John King.

"We are not trying in anyway to disrespect anyone's religious belief. We are to trying to, in anyway, make people believe what we believe about the validity about same sex marriage," Paterson added. "We are trying to get them to accept that in our society the laws should protect people equally."

Paterson's push to legalize gay marriage doesn't seem to be helping his image. Only 27 percent of people questioned in the poll have a favorable opinion of Paterson, down two points from last month.

"By a fairly significant margin, voters would like to see New York join with Vermont, Massachusetts, Iowa, and other states in allowing same sex couples to marry here," says Siena New York Poll Spokesman Steven Greenberg. "For women and young voters it's a resounding 'yes.' Men and older voters are more closely divided and more likely to say 'no.' "

In a Quinnipiac University poll of New York State voters conducted earlier this month, 41 percent said gay couples should be allowed to marry legally, while 33 percent say they should be allowed to form civil unions, but not marry and 19 percent say there should be no legal recognition of a gay union.

The Siena College Research Institute poll was conducted April 13-15, with 682 New York State registered voters questioned by telephone. The survey's sampling error is plus or minus 3.8 percentage points.

"People of religious beliefs, many, believe that the sacred relationship between a man and woman is the only threshold for marriage. I respect that point of view. However we are living in a society of civil laws - we separate church and state," Paterson told CNN's John King.

"We are not trying in anyway to disrespect anyone's religious belief. We are to trying to, in anyway, make people believe what we believe about the validity about same sex marriage," Paterson added. "We are trying to get them to accept that in our society the laws should protect people equally."

Paterson announced last week he will introduce legislation that would allow same-sex couples in the state to enter into civil marriages and enjoy the same rights afforded to heterosexual married couples.

The legislation would give same-sex couples 1,300 to 1,400 rights that don't exist unless a couple is married, Paterson said.

At a gathering of a gay Republican group, Steve Schmidt will make the case Friday that the Republican Party should support same-sex marriage.

WASHINGTON (CNN) – Steve Schmidt, a key architect of John McCain's presidential campaign, is making his first public return to Washington a bold one.

Schmidt will use a speech Friday to Log Cabin Republicans, a gay rights group, to urge conservative Republicans to drop their opposition to same-sex marriage, CNN has learned.

"There is a sound conservative argument to be made for same-sex marriage," Schmidt will say, according to speech excerpts obtained by CNN. "I believe conservatives, more than liberals, insist that rights come with responsibilities. No other exercise of one's liberty comes with greater responsibilities than marriage."

Schmidt makes both policy and political arguments for a Republican embrace of same-sex marriage.

On the policy front, Schmidt likens the fight for gay rights to civil rights and women's rights, and he admonishes conservatives who argue for the protection of the unborn as a God-given right, but against protections for same-sex couples.

"It cannot be argued that marriage between people of the same sex is un American or threatens the rights of others," he says in the speech. "On the contrary, it seems to me that denying two consenting adults of the same sex the right to form a lawful union that is protected and respected by the state denies them two of the most basic natural rights affirmed in the preamble of our Declaration of Independence - liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.

"That, I believe, gives the argument of same sex marriage proponents its moral force," Schmidt will say.

Politically, he will say that becoming more open and accepting is critical to reversing an alarming trend for Republicans - a shrinking coalition. He will note that Republicans should be especially concerned that McCain got crushed by Barack Obama among voters under 30, who are generally more accepting of gay couples and at odds with the GOP.

"Some Republicans believe the period of self-examination within the party necessitated by the loss of our majority status is mostly a question of whether the party should become more moderate or conservative. I think that's a false choice. We need to grow our coalition, but as I said, that's hard to do if we lose some votes while gaining others," says Schmidt.

Schmidt had previously expressed his personal support for gay marriage. Last month, he told the Washington Blade newspaper that he is in favor of legalizing it and that he voted against California's Proposition 8, which overturned a court ruling that had legalized the unions in that state.

In making the case, Schmidt is putting himself at odds with the position of John McCain, whose 2008 campaign he effectively ran.

McCain rarely talked about same-sex marriage or other social issues, but when he did, he made clear he was in line with social conservatives in opposing same-sex marriage.

"Have no doubt about my commitment to the unique status and sanctity of marriage between man and woman," McCain said on the campaign trail.

McCain's daughter Meghan has become a vocal advocate in recent months for gay marriage, and is slated to participate in the Log Cabin Republican convention this weekend.

In his speech Friday, Schmidt will acknowledge that his is a "minority view" in the GOP, but will also say, "I'm confident American public opinion will continue to move on the question toward majority support, and sooner or later the Republican Party will catch up to it."

Meghan McCain is a vocal supporter of same-sex marriage.

(CNN) – Log Cabin Republicans are getting some support from the McCain family.

Cindy and Meghan McCain will make an appearance at the gay rights organization's four day convention in Washington, which kicks off Thursday night.

"Of all the causes I believe in and speak publicly about, this is one of the ones closest to my heart," Meghan McCain, a vocal supporter of same-sex marriage, wrote in the Daily Beast this week. "If the Republican Party has any hope of gaining substantial support from a wider, younger base, we need to get past our anti-gay rhetoric."

Steve Schmidt, former senior strategist for John McCain's 2008 presidential campaign and manager of Arnold Schwarzenegger's gubernatorial reelection campaign in 2006, will also be in attendance. Schmidt will be speaking about the 2008 election and the GOP's comeback agenda.

In an interview Thursday with CNN, LCR Spokesperson Charles Moran said the organization is lobbying New York Republicans to help pass the same-sex marriage law championed by the state's Democratic Gov. David Paterson.

"We have people on the ground, we're identifying our bases of support, looking at our polling, looking at our research, so that we can be ready to assist the marriage coalition in New York with targeting those crucial GOP votes," Moran told CNN.

The group is also working on identifying the Republican players who will serve as the face of their organization's mission.

Moran citied Utah Gov. Jon Huntsman, a Mormon Republican who has called for the adoption of civil unions, and Republican National Committee Chairman Michael Steele, who acknowledged that gay Republicans have a place at the party's table.

"These are the types of leaders and luminaries within the Republican party," Moran said. "The party must move forward and regardless of where you are in the conservative spectrum, you definitely can be conservative and an openly gay Republican in this political climate."

"We don't just talk the talk but we actually are providing the boots on the ground, we're making those calls, and we're loyal Republicans," he said.

NEW YORK (CNN) – Gov. David Paterson announced Thursday he is introducing legislation to legalize same-sex marriage in his state.

"For too long, gay and lesbian New Yorkers, we have pretended, that they have had the same rights as their neighbors and their friends," Paterson said. "That is not the case."

The same bill was defeated in the state senate in 2007 when it was proposed by former Gov. Eliot Spitzer.

Listen: Will New York become the next state to allow same-sex marriage? CNN Radio reports.

A New York lawmaker tells CNN that the state's governor will soon announce plans to introduce a bill legalizing same-sex marriage in the state.

NEW YORK (CNN) - Gov. David Paterson will announce plans Thursday to introduce same-sex marriage legislation in the state assembly, according to an assemblyman who was asked to be present for the announcement.

"The governor's office called me and asked if I would stand with the governor," said Micah Z. Kellner, a state assemblyman from Manhattan. "I said I will be thrilled to stand with the governor when he makes this announcement."

Paterson has expressed support for gay marriage in the past but when asked Tuesday, he would not confirm details of an announcement.

"There is clearly a problem in that those individuals who are gay or lesbian who would live in a civil union are still not entitled to somewhere between 1,250 and 1,300 civil protections" available to married couple, Paterson said. "... We would like to try to address that at some point in the near future."

Former Gov. Eliot Spitzer introduced the same bill in 2007. It passed in the Assembly 85-61 but died in the state Senate.

The bill's chief supporter in the Senate, Democratic state Sen. Thomas Duane, said Paterson "knows how hard it is to pass this kind of legislation."

"He worked to try to pass hate crime legislation for many years," Duane told CNN. "I know how strongly the governor feels about this kind of civil rights legislation."

Paterson has previously stated that he is committed to bringing "full marriage equality in New York State."

"No governor in the history of New York has been at the forefront," said Kellner. "He realizes it is the civil rights movement of the 21st century."

Duane agreed.

"I also know that he (Paterson) knows that this will be a defining moment," the senator said.

Bruce Anderson, interim executive director of the Lesbian Gay, Bisexual & Transgender Community Center, said it's "high time that we have the opportunity to discuss this in Albany.

"We have waited very long," he added.

If the legislation passes this time around, it would make New York the fifth state to legalize same sex-marriage. Similar measures have become law, or are slated to become law, in Connecticut, Vermont, Massachusetts, and Iowa.

The bill is expected to pass in the Assembly due to its previous success, but it will need 32 votes to pass in the state Senate.

"We hope to have this bill passed at the end of June, at the end of the legislative session," said Kellner. "No one wants to bring this to the floor to fail, it would be a huge disaster. We want to make sure that if we bring this to the floor for a vote that it passes."

– CNN's Chloe Melas, Deborah Brunswick and Steve Kastenbaum contributed to this report

(Updated with Paterson comment)

Congress may weigh in on same-sex marriage in the nation’s capital.

WASHINGTON (CNN) - On the same day that Vermont's House and Senate voted to override GOP Gov. Jim Douglas' veto of a bill legalizing same-sex marriage in the state, the Washington City Council voted 12-0 Tuesday in favor of allowing same-sex marriages performed in other states to be recognized in the nation's capital.

But nothing is set in stone yet.

The Washington council is expected to hold a final vote on May 5. The bill would then go to Mayor Adrian Fenty, a Democrat who supports gay marriage but told WTOP.com Tuesday that he has yet to review the legislation.

If approved, the measure would then encounter its biggest potential hurdle: It would be sent to Congress for a legislative review and vote, setting up what would amount to a straight up-or-down vote on same-sex marriage.

Because Washington is not a state, its legislation must pass congressional muster. Some measures approved by overwhelmingly Democratic Washington voters, including a restrictive gun law and a proposal decriminalizing medical marijuana use, have been vetoed by Congress in recent years.

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Vermont Gov. Jim Douglas had vetoed a bill to allow same-sex marriage in his state.

(CNN) – Vermont's House and Senate voted Tuesday to override the governor's veto of a bill legalizing same-sex marriage in the state.

The Senate voted 23-5 to override Gov. Jim Douglas' veto, according to the Senate office. Shortly afterward, the House overrode the veto on a 100-49 vote. The votes surpassed the number needed - two-thirds of those present - to override the veto.

The action makes Vermont the fourth state to legalize same-sex marriages. The others are Massachusetts, Connecticut and, as of last week, Iowa.

Douglas vetoed the bill on Monday. "Vermont's civil union law has afforded the same state rights, responsibilities and benefits of marriage to same-sex couples," the governor wrote in a letter to David Gibson, secretary of the Senate. "Our civil union law serves Vermont well and I would support congressional action to extend those benefits at the federal level to states that recognize same sex unions. But I believe that marriage should remain between a man and a woman."