The highest ranking Republican in the Senate, Bill Frist, said on ABC News' This Week today that he would back a constitutional amendment banning gay marriage. Never happen? Probably not. But, the proposed Amendment was introduced in the House of Representatives last month.

H. J. RES. 56 was introduced on May 21, 2003 by Mrs. MUSGRAVE and has 25 co-sponsors. Last week it was referred to the Committee on the Judiciary. subcommittee on the Constitution. Here's the text (available on Thomas, the Federal Legislation Server.)

Article --

`SECTION 1. Marriage in the United States shall consist only of the union of a man and a woman . Neither this Constitution or the constitution of any State, nor state or federal law, shall be construed to require that marital status or the legal incidents thereof be conferred upon unmarried couples or groups.'

We're outing the co-sponsors so you can write them an appropriate letter:

Rep Akin, W. Todd - 6/10/2003 [MO-2]
Rep Bartlett, Roscoe G. - 6/2/2003 [MD-6]
Rep Burgess, Michael C. - 6/10/2003 [TX-26]
Rep Davis, Jo Ann - 5/21/2003 [VA-1]
Rep DeMint, Jim - 6/10/2003 [SC-4]
Rep Goode, Virgil H., Jr. - 6/2/2003 [VA-5]
Rep Hall, Ralph M. - 5/21/2003 [TX-4]
Rep Isakson, Johnny - 6/24/2003 [GA-6]
Rep Istook, Ernest J., Jr. - 6/10/2003 [OK-5]
Rep Johnson, Sam - 6/10/2003 [TX-3]
Rep Jones, Walter B., Jr. - 6/10/2003 [NC-3]
Rep Kennedy, Mark R. - 6/24/2003 [MN-6]
Rep King, Steve - 6/24/2003 [IA-5]
Rep Lewis, Ron - 6/25/2003 [KY-2]
Rep McIntyre, Mike - 5/21/2003 [NC-7]
Rep Miller, Jeff - 6/25/2003 [FL-1]
Rep Norwood, Charlie - 6/10/2003 [GA-9]
Rep Pence, Mike - 6/10/2003 [IN-6]
Rep Peterson, Collin C. - 5/21/2003 [MN-7]
Rep Pitts, Joseph R. - 6/2/2003 [PA-16]
Rep Ryun, Jim - 6/10/2003 [KS-2]
Rep Souder, Mark E. - 6/24/2003 [IN-3]
Rep Vitter, David - 5/21/2003 [LA-1]
Rep Weldon, Dave - 6/2/2003 [FL-15]
Rep Wilson, Joe - 6/2/2003 [SC-2]