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[Congressional Bills 104th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 3396 Reported in House (RH)]

                                                 Union Calendar No. 339

104th CONGRESS

  2d Session

                               H. R. 3396

                          [Report No. 104-664]

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL

           To define and protect the institution of marriage.

_______________________________________________________________________

                              July 9, 1996

Committed to the Committee of the Whole House on the State of the Union 
                       and ordered to be printed

                                                 Union Calendar No. 339
104th CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                H. R. 3396

                          [Report No. 104-664]

           To define and protect the institution of marriage.

_______________________________________________________________________

                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                              May 7, 1996

Mr. Barr of Georgia (for himself, Mr. Largent, Mr. Sensenbrenner, Mrs. 
  Myrick, Mr. Volkmer, Mr. Skelton, Mr. Bryant of Tennessee, and Mr. 
   Emerson) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the 
                       Committee on the Judiciary

                              July 9, 1996

Additional sponsors: Mr. Istook, Mr. Dornan, Mr. Stockman, Mr. Deal of 
Georgia, Mr. Burton of Indiana, Mr. Petri, Mr. Collins of Georgia, Mr. 
 Ney, Mr. Cooley of Oregon, Mr. Hilleary, Mr. Funderburk, Mr. Norwood, 
 Mr. Coburn, Mr. Graham, Mr. Bachus, Mr. Barton of Texas, Mr. Souder, 
  Mr. Hefley, Mr. Hancock, Mr. Weldon of Florida, Mr. Inglis of South 
   Carolina, Mr. Bartlett of Maryland, Mr. Smith of New Jersey, Mr. 
    Barrett of Nebraska, Mr. Watts of Oklahoma, Mr. Taylor of North 
 Carolina, Mr. Rohrabacher, Mr. English of Pennsylvania, Mrs. Smith of 
   Washington, Mr. Manzullo, Mr. Stearns, Mr. Lucas of Oklahoma, Mr. 
 Hostettler, Mr. Crane, Mr. Smith of Michigan, Mr. Bono, Mr. Miller of 
  Florida, Mr. Buyer, Mr. Solomon, Mr. Chrysler, Mrs. Chenoweth, Mr. 
  Spence, Mr. Lipinski, Mr. Hastert, Mr. Hayworth, Mr. Sam Johnson of 
Texas, Mr. Rahall, Mr. Talent, Mr. Hastings of Washington, Mr. Hunter, 
Mr. Wicker, Mr. Tiahrt, Mr. Montgomery, Mr. Hall of Ohio, Mr. Smith of 
 Texas, Mr. McInnis, Mr. Hutchinson, Mr. Christensen, Mr. Scarborough, 
  Mr. Brownback, Mr. Baker of California, Mr. Chambliss, Mr. Young of 
  Alaska, Mr. Metcalf, Mr. Gutknecht, Mr. Heineman, Mr. Hoekstra, Mr. 
   Jones, Mr. Wamp, Mr. Lewis of Kentucky, Ms. Greene of Utah, Mrs. 
Seastrand, Mr. Hoke, Mr. Kim, Mrs. Cubin, Mr. Cunningham, Mr. Peterson 
of Minnesota, Mr. Wolf, Mr. Parker, Mr. Zeliff, Mr. Linder, Mr. Chabot, 
  Mr. Tate, Mr. Dickey, Mr. Taylor of Mississippi, Mr. McIntosh, Mr. 
Ballenger, Mr. Skeen, Mr. Canady of Florida, Mr. Hayes, Mr. Radanovich, 
Mr. Bliley, Mr. Whitfield, Mrs. Vucanovich, Mr. Bilirakis, Mr. Hansen, 
Mr. Callahan, Mr. Packard, Mr. Portman, Mr. Stenholm, Mr. Pete Geren of 
  Texas, Mr. Allard, Mr. LaHood, Ms. Danner, Mr. Fields of Texas, Mr. 
 Knollenberg, Mr. Combest, Mr. Riggs, Mr. Bunning of Kentucky, and Mr. 
                                 Paxon
 Deleted sponsor: Mr. Hastings of Florida (added May 16, 1996; deleted 
                             May 22, 1996)

                              July 9, 1996

Committed to the Committee of the Whole House on the State of the Union 
                       and ordered to be printed

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL

 
           To define and protect the institution of marriage.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Defense of Marriage Act''.

SEC. 2. POWERS RESERVED TO THE STATES.

    (a) In General.--Chapter 115 of title 28, United States Code, is 
amended by adding after section 1738B the following:
``Sec. 1738C. Certain acts, records, and proceedings and the effect 
              thereof
    ``No State, territory, or possession of the United States, or 
Indian tribe, shall be required to give effect to any public act, 
record, or judicial proceeding of any other State, territory, 
possession, or tribe respecting a relationship between persons of the 
same sex that is treated as a marriage under the laws of such other 
State, territory, possession, or tribe, or a right or claim arising 
from such relationship.''.
    (b) Clerical Amendment.--The table of sections at the beginning of 
chapter 115 of title 28, United States Code, is amended by inserting 
after the item relating to section 1738B the following new item:

``1738C. Certain acts, records, and proceedings and the effect 
                            thereof.''.

SEC. 3. DEFINITION OF MARRIAGE.

    (a) In General.--Chapter 1 of title 1, United States Code, is 
amended by adding at the end the following:
``Sec. 7. Definition of `marriage' and `spouse'
    ``In determining the meaning of any Act of Congress, or of any 
ruling, regulation, or interpretation of the various administrative 
bureaus and agencies of the United States, the word `marriage' means 
only a legal union between one man and one woman as husband and wife, 
and the word `spouse' refers only to a person of the opposite sex who 
is a husband or a wife.''.
    (b) Clerical Amendment.--The table of sections at the beginning of 
chapter 1 of title 1, United States Code, is amended by inserting after 
the item relating to section 6 the following new item:

``7. Definition of `marriage' and `spouse'.''.
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