Bush Urges Amendment Banning Gay Marriage

WASHINGTON – President Bush on Tuesday renewed his call for a constitutional amendment banning same-sex marriage.

Speaking by satellite hookup to a meeting of the Southern Baptist Convention (search), the president said marriage between a man and a woman "is the most enduring human institution" — and needs defending from "activist courts and local officials."

Bush first called for an amendment in February. But since then, he's rarely mentioned it explicitly in public.

Delegates to the Indianapolis convention cheered Bush's call.

However, lawmakers have shown little sign of moving for a vote during an election year. And even backers of an amendment acknowledge they're well shy of the two-thirds support needed for Congress to send it to the states.