(CNSNews.com) - Flying under the media's radar, but top of mind for many conservatives and liberals alike, is the upcoming Senate debate on a Federal Marriage Amendment.

The Senate is expected to begin debating the proposed constitutional amendment on Monday, July 12. Homosexual advocacy groups are rolling out ads opposing the FMA, while a number of conservative groups are urging like-minded people to sign petitions in support of it.

According to the American Family Association, 1.66 million people already have signed its petition to senators, which reads as follows:

"Activist liberal judges are intent on destroying the institution of marriage as being between one man and one woman. I urge you to pass the federal marriage amendment defining marriage as the union of one man and one woman only. This is a defining moment in history. It is time for members of Congress to take a stand for traditional marriage."

On Monday afternoon, Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist (R-Tenn.) is scheduled join African-American, Latino and Asian leaders from the Alliance for Marriage at a Capitol Hill press conference to urge support for the FMA.

The Alliance for Marriage drafted the Federal Marriage Amendment over three years ago and has been lobbying for its passage ever since.

"The constitutional problem created by almost a decade of activist lawsuits to destroy our marriage laws demands a constitutional fix," said Matt Daniels, president of the Alliance for Marriage.

Daniels noted that the Alliance's marriage amendment has been introduced with bi-partisan sponsorship in two successive sessions of Congress, with the goal of protecting the "common sense view of marriage, shared by the vast majority of Americans of every race, color and creed."

The Alliance for Marriage says it welcomes the upcoming debate on its amendment.

"Most Americans believe that gays and lesbians have a right to live as they choose. But they don't believe they have a right to redefine marriage for our entire society," Daniels has said repeatedly.

"Americans want our laws to send a positive message to children about marriage, family and their future."

Vote delay possible

Although Sen. Frist has scheduled debate on the Federal Marriage Amendment for the week of July 12, some conservatives fear that an actual vote on the FMA may be postponed until after the election -- so lawmakers won't have to take a public stand on the controversial issue before voters go to the polls in November.

The Christian Coalition of America believes that senators will "use every procedural tactic that they can think up" to delay casting a vote on the Federal Marriage Amendment.

"We can't let them get away with it," the Christian Coalition website says. "We must send a loud, clear message that politics as usual is not good enough. Not this time, not on this issue."

The Christian Coalition is urging Americans to sign its petition, which demands two things, as follows:

"We the People, demand that you vote to send the Federal Marriage Amendment to the Senate floor for a vote by ALL 100 Senators during the week of July 12.

"Further, We the People, demand when the bill arrives on the floor of the Senate that you fulfill your sworn oath to represent the people by voting "Yea."

"We must protect the institution of marriage by defining it as being only between a man and a woman," the Christian Coaltion's petition says.

"This position is supported by a vast majority of Americans. Unfortunately this building block of civil society is under attack by an out of control judiciary at all levels of government.

"We must take control of this vital issue out of the hands of unelected Radicals in Black Robes and return it to the people."

On the other side of the issue, the Human Rights Campaign - which describes itself as the largest national lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender political organization - has launched a multi-million dollar TV, print, and online advertising campaign to "influence leaders" and "activate grassroots." The ads urge Americans "not to write discrimination into the U.S. Constitution."

"The Federal Marriage Amendment is unnecessary, discriminatory and undermines the Constitution," said HRC President Cheryl Jacques in a press release.

"We are delivering this message directly to our elected leaders and encouraging the millions of fair-minded Americans who oppose this amendment to contact their senators today."

The HRC noted that the debate on the Federal Marriage Amendment comes at a time when many other issues -- such as jobs, health care and the economy - take precedence for many Americans.

The online ads urge Senators to "stop wasting time on the FMA."

Political divide

The John Kerry-John Edwards campaign opposes the Federal Marriage Amendment, and both senators may have the opportunity to vote against it next week.

President Bush, on the other hand, supports the Federal Marriage Amendment.

"On an issue of such great consequence, the people's voice must be heard," he said in his January State of the Union Address.

"If judges insist on forcing their arbitrary will upon the people, the only alternative left to the people would be the constitutional process. Our nation must defend the sanctity of marriage."

President Bush said while the debate is important -- "and so is the way we conduct it. The same moral tradition that defines marriage also teaches that each individual has dignity and value in God's sight."