[JURIST] The US Senate Wednesday morning voted 49-48 [MFTF log] against holding an up-or-down vote on the Marriage Protection Amendment [PDF text; SJ Res 1 summary], rejecting a motion to invoke cloture [Senate backgrounder]. Though the Senate voted to continue debate on the resolution, the issue is not expected to remain on the agenda for debate on the Senate floor, so the vote effectively ends the Senate's current consideration of the proposed amendment.

The Senate began consideration of the constitutional amendment [JURIST report], which would define marriage exclusively as a union between a man and a woman, earlier this week. President Bush had urged Congress to approve the amendment in his weekly radio address [JURIST report] Saturday, condemning "activist" judges [JURIST report] that have struck down state laws banning same-sex marriage. To become law, a constitutional amendment requires a two-thirds majority in each house of Congress followed by ratification by three-quarters of the states. AP has more.