PORTLAND (AP) – President Bush may want a constitutional amendment banning gay marriage, but Maine’s congressional delegation is decidedly cool on the idea.

Republican Sen. Olympia Snowe was the only Maine representative in Washington who did not rule out supporting a constitutional ban on gay marriage. But she said an amendment is unnecessary because of the 1996 Defense of Marriage Act.

“The next step would be for the issue to be considered by the federal courts,” Snowe said.

Republican Sen. Susan Collins and Democratic Reps. Tom Allen and Michael Michaud all came out against an amendment.

Collins also expressed support for the 1996 law, saying it keeps states from recognizing same-sex marriages performed in other states. And an Allen spokesman said the congressman would not have voted for the act if he had been a member of Congress in 1996.

Last week the Maine House of Representatives voted not to refer to the judiciary committee a proposed amendment outlawing same-sex marriage. Same-sex marriage has been illegal in the state since 1997, but supporters of the amendment may revisit the issue next year.

Next month, the Maine Legislature will consider a bill that would give domestic partners inheritance rights.

Members of Maine’s gay and lesbian community called Bush’s announcement distressing, if not unexpected.

“It’s the first time ever that discrimination would be written into the Constitution,” said Betsy Smith, executive director of the Maine Lesbian/Gay Political Alliance.

Michael Heath of the Christian Civic League of Maine, which supports amending the state constitution, welcomed Bush’s announcement.

“Unfortunately we’ve arrived at a place where marriage needs this kind of protection,” he said. “The judges are showing too often that they are unwilling to respect the authority of our elected officials and of the public.”

AP-ES-02-25-04 0932EST