"The Senate Republican leadership is aiming for a mid-July vote on a constitutional amendment that would ban gay marriage, forcing Democrats to take a stand on the controversial topic just before the party heads to Boston for its presidential nominating convention," Roll Call's Mark Preston reports.
"The issue was not discussed with all 51 Republican Senators" at today's Republican policy lunch, "but a handful of senior Senators and leaders 'discussed the issue at length' Monday night... There was not unanimity in that chairmen’s meeting about whether the GOP should pursue the issue in this election year, but there appears to be a strong majority within the Republican Conference to at least force a vote."