H. R. 8404—2 
‘‘(b) ENFORCEMENT BY ATTORNEY GENERAL.—The Attorney Gen-
eral may bring a civil action in the appropriate United States 
district court against any person who violates subsection (a) for 
declaratory and injunctive relief. 
‘‘(c) PRIVATE RIGHT OF ACTION.—Any person who is harmed 
by a violation of subsection (a) may bring a civil action in the 
appropriate United States district court against the person who 
violated such subsection for declaratory and injunctive relief. 
‘‘(d) STATE DEFINED.—In this section, the term ‘State’ has the 
meaning given such term under section 7 of title 1.’’. 
SEC. 5. MARRIAGE RECOGNITION. 
Section 7 of title 1, United States Code, is amended to read 
as follows: 
‘‘§ 7. Marriage 
‘‘(a) For the purposes of any Federal law, rule, or regulation 
in which marital status is a factor, an individual shall be considered 
married if that individual’s marriage is between 2 individuals and 
is valid in the State where the marriage was entered into or, 
in the case of a marriage entered into outside any State, if the 
marriage is between 2 individuals and is valid in the place where 
entered into and the marriage could have been entered into in 
a State. 
‘‘(b) In this section, the term ‘State’ means a State, the District 
of Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, or any other terri-
tory or possession of the United States. 
‘‘(c) For purposes of subsection (a), in determining whether 
a marriage is valid in a State or the place where entered into, 
if outside of any State, only the law of the jurisdiction applicable 
at the time the marriage was entered into may be considered.’’. 
SEC. 6. NO IMPACT ON RELIGIOUS LIBERTY AND CONSCIENCE. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Nothing in this Act, or any amendment made 
by this Act, shall be construed to diminish or abrogate a religious 
liberty or conscience protection otherwise available to an individual 
or organization under the Constitution of the United States or 
Federal law. 
(b) GOODS OR SERVICES.—Consistent with the First Amendment 
to the Constitution, nonprofit religious organizations, including 
churches, mosques, synagogues, temples, nondenominational min-
istries, interdenominational and ecumenical organizations, mission 
organizations, faith-based social agencies, religious educational 
institutions, and nonprofit entities whose principal purpose is the 
study, practice, or advancement of religion, and any employee of 
such an organization, shall not be required to provide services, 
accommodations, advantages, facilities, goods, or privileges for the 
solemnization or celebration of a marriage. Any refusal under this 
subsection to provide such services, accommodations, advantages, 
facilities, goods, or privileges shall not create any civil claim or 
cause of action. 
SEC. 7. STATUTORY PROHIBITION. 
(a) NO IMPACT ON STATUS AND BENEFITS NOT ARISING FROM 
A MARRIAGE.—Nothing in this Act, or any amendment made by 
this Act, shall be construed to deny or alter any benefit, status, 
or right of an otherwise eligible entity or person which does not 
arise from a marriage, including tax-exempt status, tax treatment,
H. R. 8404—3 
educational funding, or a grant, contract, agreement, guarantee, 
loan, scholarship, license, certification, accreditation, claim, or 
defense. 
(b) NO FEDERAL RECOGNITION OF POLYGAMOUS MARRIAGES.— 
Nothing in this Act, or any amendment made by this Act, shall 
be construed to require or authorize Federal recognition of mar-
riages between more than 2 individuals. 
SEC. 8. SEVERABILITY. 
If any provision of this Act, or any amendment made by this 
Act, or the application of such provision to any person, entity, 
government, or circumstance, is held to be unconstitutional, the 
remainder of this Act, or any amendment made thereby, or the 
application of such provision to all other persons, entities, govern-
ments, or circumstances, shall not be affected thereby. 
Speaker of the House of Representatives. 
Vice President of the United States and
President of the Senate.