Washington, D.C. -- Today's vote on the Federal Marriage Amendment ("FMA") marks the beginning of the battle to protect marriage. After today's vote, Americans will know whether their elected officials stand for marriage. And, as a result of today's vote, Americans have seen the extent to which elected officials will lie to them: nearly all of the senators have said that they do not support "gay marriage" yet the Senate failed to vote to define marriage as the union of one man and one woman. There is no middle ground on this issue, you are either for or against traditional marriage. By refusing to vote to protect traditional marriage, 52 senators have demonstrated today that they are against marriage as the union of one man and one woman.

One of the biggest lies told to Americans in opposition to the FMA is that marriage is a state issue. No state in this country has ever voted to redefine marriage to include same-sex couples. Yet now, as a result of the Massachusetts ruling, there are "married" same-sex couples in 46 states. Mathew Staver, President and General Counsel of Liberty Counsel, explained that "Those who say that marriage is a state issue really mean that they want the state courts to accomplish what the legislatures will not do - radically redefine marriage to permit same-sex couples to marry. With a handful of activist judges redefining marriage, against the will of the American people, the only way to protect the states' interests in marriage is to unequivocally state in our Constitution that marriage is only the union of one man and one woman."

Mat Staver has been in Washington, D.C. for the past two days working to pass the FMA. More than 3 million petitions in support of the FMA have been delivered to the U.S. Senate. As he visited the Senate offices, he heard the phone lines ringing constantly on this issue. The calls are overwhelmingly in support of the FMA. Senator Elizabeth Dole reported that on one day this week she received 4500 calls on the FMA, with only 150 against it. Senator George Allen received 2100 calls on the same day, with only 150 against. Senator Jim Sessions received 1500 calls, with less than 100 against. Even the senators opposed to the FMA are reporting that the majority of calls are in support of the FMA. The calls came in such large numbers that the Senate voice mail system shut down earlier this week.

Mat Staver commented, "The civil rights battle took years. Today's vote is just the beginning, not the end, of the battle to protect marriage. Without question, there is no more important social issue impacting America today. More than 40 states currently define marriage as the union of one man and one woman, with between 9 to 14 states placing state constitutional amendments on the ballot this fall to protect traditional marriage. The senators cannot ignore the will of the American people and expect to remain in office. The FMA has galvanized a diverse cross-section of America. The sleeping giant has awakened. That giant - the American voters who believe in marriage -- will remember in November who failed to stand for marriage. I thank Senator Frist for bringing the FMA to a vote on the Senate floor and thank the 48 senators who voted in support of marriage."