1.   Arne Owens, a spokesman for the Christian Coalition, said his group backs legislation like the covenant marriage bill.

2.   Besides the marriage tax bill, the House approved legislation to strengthen ties between the U.S. military and Taiwan.

3.   A parallel gay marriage bill presented last fall won little support among gay rights groups.

4.   A vote on the overall marriage bill was put off until next week.

5.   But Clinton has said he will sign the marriage bill.

6.   But Sen. Trent Lott of Mississippi, the majority leader, promised to use a procedural maneuver to keep the Democrats from amending the marriage bill.

7.   Clinton, in Kansas City, Mo., said he would sign the marriage bill, because it was consistent with his position opposing same sex-marriage.

8.   Conservative Republicans, including Nickles, voiced concerns that attaching the gay-rights provision to the marriage bill would doom the broader legislation.

9.   Despite a majority in Congress hostile to gay rights, Birch said her organization has been able to block all anti-gay measures except for the marriage bill.