Same-sex Marriage, Gay Rights | featured news

The chamber passes the annual spending bill 200 to 120, including the provision that would ban same-sex ceremonies at military chapels. Wading into the gay marriage debate, the Republican-led House tacked a provision banning same-sex marriages at military chapels onto a sweeping defense bill that is now headed to the Senate.

President Barack Obama's announcement that he now supports same-sex marriage came sooner than planned as a result of comments made by Vice President Joe Biden, he said in an interview broadcast Thursday.

North Carolina voters approved a constitutional amendment Tuesday night banning gay marriage and scrapping civil unions.

The national debate over gay marriage turns its attention South on Tuesday, as North Carolina could be on the verge of becoming the next state to pass a constitutional amendment defining marriage as solely between a man and a woman.

Vice President Biden on Sunday appeared to go further than he has in the past in expressing support for same-sex marriage. In an interview on NBC’s “Meet the Press,” Biden described himself as “absolutely comfortable” with gay couples having the same rights as straight couples.

Scottish Liberal Democrat leader Willie Rennie attacks senior figures in the Catholic church over gay marriage. Mr Rennie criticised threats by church leaders to invoke a block vote against proposals to allow same-sex couples to marry in a religious ceremony.

Many lawmakers and staff members say the issue would probably pass if it were brought up for consideration.

Catholic Church officials are mounting a full-court press to convince lawmakers in Albany to vote against same-sex marriage legislation, which stands a vote or two from becoming law in New York State.

A federal judge's long-term same-sex relationship did not mean he would be biased in handling the legal challenge to Proposition 8 and does not justify wiping out his ruling invalidating California's ban on gay marriage, the Bay Area's chief federal judge ruled Tuesday.

Council vote to honor nuptials performed in other states sends District deeper into national debate.