First Amendment Defense Act

Bill: 114-hr-2802
Sponsor: Rep. Labrador, Raul R. [R-ID-1]
Introduced: 2015-06-17 in the House
Policy area: Civil Rights and Liberties, Minority Issues
Subjects: Administrative remedies
Charitable contributions
Civil actions and liability
Government lending and loan guarantees
Income tax deductions
Licensing and registrations
Marriage and family status
Public contracts and procurement
Religion
Sex and reproductive health
Sex, gender, sexual orientation discrimination
Tax administration and collection, taxpayers
Tax-exempt organizations

Summary:
action_date: 2015-06-17
text: 

First Amendment Defense Act

 
Prohibits the federal government from taking discriminatory action against a person on the basis that such person believes or acts in accordance with a religious belief or moral conviction that: (1) marriage is or should be recognized as the union of one man and one woman, or (2) sexual relations are properly reserved to such a marriage.
 
Defines &quot;discriminatory action&quot; as any federal government action to discriminate against a person with such beliefs or convictions, including a federal government action to: 
 
 
alter the federal tax treatment of, cause any tax, penalty, or payment to be assessed against, or deny, delay, or revoke certain tax exemptions of any such person;
 
 disallow a deduction of any charitable contribution made to or by such person; 
 
withhold, reduce, exclude, terminate, or otherwise deny any federal grant, contract, subcontract, cooperative agreement, loan, license, certification, accreditation, employment, or similar position or status from or to such person; or
 
withhold, reduce, exclude, terminate, or otherwise deny any benefit under a federal benefit program.
 
 
Requires the federal government to consider to be accredited, licensed, or certified for purposes of federal law any person who would be accredited, licensed, or certified for such purposes but for a determination that the person believes or acts in accordance with such a religious belief or moral conviction. 
 
Permits a person to assert an actual or threatened violation of this Act as a claim or defense in a judicial or administrative proceeding and to obtain compensatory damages or other appropriate relief against the federal government.
 
Authorizes the Attorney General to bring an action to enforce this Act against the Government Accountability Office or an establishment in the executive branch, other than the U.S. Postal Service or the Postal Regulatory Commission, that is not an executive department, military department, or government corporation. 
 
Defines &quot;person&quot; as any person regardless of religious affiliation, including corporations and other entities regardless of for-profit or nonprofit status.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2015-06-17
text: Referred to the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, and in addition to the Committee on Ways and Means, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
action_date: 2015-06-17
text: Referred to the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, and in addition to the Committee on Ways and Means, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
action_date: 2015-06-17
text: Referred to the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, and in addition to the Committee on Ways and Means, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
action_date: 2015-06-17
text: Introduced in House
action_date: 2015-06-17
text: Introduced in House