113 HR 2834 IH: Federal Benefits Equality Act U.S. House of Representatives 2013-07-25 text/xml EN Pursuant to Title 17 Section 105 of the United States Code, this file is not subject to copyright protection and is in the public domain.

I 113th CONGRESS 1st Session H. R. 2834 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES July 25, 2013 Mr. Holt introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on the Judiciary A BILL To include under Federal laws granting rights and responsibilities to married couples other couples in other legal unions similar to marriage, including domestic partnerships and civil unions.

1.

Short title

This Act may be cited as the Federal Benefits Equality Act.

2.

Definition of marriage

(a)

In general

Section 7 of title 1, United States Code, is amended to read as follows—

7.

Marriage as including civil unions and domestic partnerships; spouse as including members of such unions

In determining the meaning of any Act of Congress, the term marriage includes a marriage, a domestic partnership, a civil union, or any other similar legal union between 2 individuals that is recognized by a State, the District of Columbia, a territory or possession of the United States, or a federally recognized Indian tribe, and the word spouse refers to either member of such a legal union.

. (b)

Clerical amendment

The item for section 7 in the table of sections at the beginning of chapter 1 is amended to read as follows: 7. Marriage as including civil unions and domestic parnerships; spouse as including members of such legal unions. .