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S 1999 104th Congress Senate

Defense of Marriage Act

Official title: A bill to define and protect the institution marriage.

Introduced: July 29, 1996 See on congress.gov
Families Administrative procedureCongressDomestic relationsGay marriage
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Government Operations and PoliticsHeterosexualsInterstate relationsLawLegislationMarriageMarried peopleState lawsStates' rightsUnmarried couples
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This bill died when the 104th Congress ended
It never became law before the 104th Congress (1995–1996) adjourned, and bills don't carry over to the next Congress. It would have to be reintroduced. You can still save it for reference, but it won't receive updates.
 Everywhere this bill has been 3 steps
Introduced
In committee
Reported out
Passed House
Passed Senate
To President
Became law
Jul 29, 1996
Read twice and referred to the Committee on Judiciary.
Jul 29, 1996
Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S9073)
Jul 29, 1996
Introduced in Senate
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 Latest action July 29, 1996

Read twice and referred to the Committee on Judiciary.

 Plain-English summary Congressional Research Service

Defense of Marriage Act - Amends the Federal judicial code to provide that no State, territory, or possession of the United States or Indian tribe shall be required to give effect to any marriage between persons of the same sex under the laws of any other such jurisdiction or to any right or claim arising from such relationship.

Establishes a Federal definition of: (1) "marriage" as only a legal union between one man and one woman as husband and wife; and (2) "spouse" as only a person of the opposite sex who is a husband or wife.

 Related & companion bills 2
  • HR 3396 Identical bill Defense of Marriage Act
  • S 1740 Identical bill Defense of Marriage Act
 Bill text 1 version

Source documents hosted by congress.gov.

 Committees of jurisdiction 1
 Cosponsors 1
All 1 Republican 1
R
McConnell, Mitch
Kentucky · Jul 29, 1996
Cite this page click to expand
APA
U.S. Congress. (2026). S. 1999: Defense of Marriage Act. 104th Congress. Open America. https://openamerica.io/bill/104-S-1999/
MLA
"S. 1999: Defense of Marriage Act." 104th Congress, 2026, Open America, https://openamerica.io/bill/104-S-1999/.
Bluebook (legal)
S. 1999, 104th Cong. (2026), https://openamerica.io/bill/104-S-1999/.
Markdown link
[S. 1999: Defense of Marriage Act](https://openamerica.io/bill/104-S-1999/)
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