Oklahoma congressmen seek vote on gay marriage ban

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) All five U-S House members from Oklahoma ask House leaders to schedule a vote on a proposed constitutional amendment to ban gay marriage. <br/><br/>A week after the Senate soundly rejected

Thursday, June 15th 2006, 5:46 am

By: News On 6

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) All five U-S House members from Oklahoma ask House leaders to schedule a vote on a proposed constitutional amendment to ban gay marriage.

A week after the Senate soundly rejected a similar gay marriage ban, the five Oklahoma congressmen sent a letter yesterday to House Speaker Dennis Hastert of Illinois and Majority Leader John Boehner of Ohio, asking that the Marriage Protection Amendment be brought to the House floor for a vote this year.

The proposed constitutional amendment would define marriage as a union of a man and a woman and prohibit states from recognizing same-sex marriages.

Oklahoma is one of 20 states that already have passed constitutional amendments banning gay marriage, and the issue is on the ballot in at least six states in upcoming elections. Five states have no legal restrictions on same-sex unions.

The letter is signed by Republican Representatives Ernest Istook, Frank Lucas, John Sullivan and Tom Cole and Democrat Representative Dan Boren.