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Bush to Promote Marriage in $1.5 Billion Plan, Report Says

http://news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/nm/20040114/us_nm/bush_marriage_dc

Bush to Promote Marriage in $1.5 Billion Plan, Report Says
Wed Jan 14, 5:27 AM ET Add U.S. National - Reuters to My Yahoo!



NEW YORK (Reuters) - Bush administration officials are planning a $1.5 billion election-year initiative to promote marriage, especially among low-income couples, the New York Times reported on Wednesday.



Administration officials have worked with conservative groups for months on the proposal, the paper said, and are weighing whether President Bush (news - web sites) should promote the plan next week in his State of the Union address.


The plan would provide at least $1.5 billion for training to help couples develop interpersonal skills that sustain "healthy marriages," the paper said.


According to the Times, the officials said they believed the measure was timely because they were facing pressure from conservatives eager to see the federal government defend traditional marriage, after the highest court in Massachusetts ruled in November that gay couples had a right to marry.