New York Senator Kirsten Gillibrand is
lobbying New York state senators on a proposed gay marriage bill.
The 44-year-old Gillibrand, a strong
supporter of gay rights, said she had spoken to several senators on
the issue.
“I've been calling the undecided
senators – Republicans and Democrats – to talk with them about
why I feel so passionately about the issue and I'm hopeful that when
we do have this vote we will be successful,” Gillibrand said during
a MSNBC segment.
The senator called civil marriage a
“basic human right,” and added that “I don't believe that any
politician should ever stand in the way of that right.”
She said that marriage was important to
safeguard children.
“We want to make sure those children
are protected, like all families,” Gillibrand said. “I want to
make sure that all my friends who are gay who are having children
that those laws accrue to their families as well. We want to protect
all New York families.” (The video is embedded in the right panel
of this page.)
On Wednesday, a New York Senate
committee approved the gay marriage bill, paving the way for a final
vote on the Senate floor as early as Thursday morning. Rumors that a
third unnamed Republican was prepared to vote in favor of the bill
also surfaced on Wednesday.