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HR 1116 112th Congress House Law Intergovernmental relations Judicial procedure and administration Marriage and family status Sex, gender, sexual orientation discrimination State and local government operations

Respect for Marriage Act

Introduced: March 16, 2011 Introduced by: Nadler, Jerrold Democratic · New York See on congress.gov
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This bill died when the 112th Congress ended
It never became law before the 112th Congress (2011–2012) 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
Jun 1, 2011
Referred to the Subcommittee on the Constitution.
Mar 16, 2011
Referred to the House Committee on the Judiciary.
Mar 16, 2011
Introduced in House
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 Plain-English summary Congressional Research Service

Respect for Marriage Act - Amends the Defense of Marriage Act to repeal a provision that prohibited a state, territory, possession, or Indian tribe from being required to recognize any public act, record, or judicial proceeding of any other state, territory, possession, or tribe respecting a same sex marriage.

Amends the federal rules of construction added by such Act concerning the definitions of "marriage" and "spouse" to provide that, for purposes of any federal law in which marital status is a factor, an individual shall be considered married if that individual's marriage 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 valid in the place where entered into and the marriage could have been entered into in a state. Removes the definition of "spouse" (currently, a person of the opposite sex who is a husband or a wife).

What's happening now June 1, 2011

Referred to the Subcommittee on the Constitution.

 Related & companion bills 1
  • S 598 Related bill Respect for Marriage Act of 2011
 Bill text 1 version

Source documents hosted by congress.gov.

 Committees of jurisdiction 2
 Cosponsors 88
All 88 Democratic 56
D
Waters, Maxine
California · Nov 16, 2012
 D
Clyburn, James E.
South Carolina · Sep 21, 2012
BOSWELL, LEONARD
· Sep 14, 2012
WATT, MELVIN
· Sep 14, 2012
 D
Thompson, Mike
California · Jul 26, 2012
REYES, SILVESTRE
· Jul 18, 2012
 D
Green, Al
Texas · Jun 21, 2012
 D
Luján, Ben Ray
New Mexico · Jun 19, 2012
Carnahan, Russ
· Jun 8, 2012
 D
Kaptur, Marcy
Ohio · Jun 8, 2012
 D
Wilson, Frederica S.
Florida · Jun 1, 2012
 D
Carson, André
Indiana · Apr 19, 2012
 D
Cohen, Steve
Tennessee · Mar 9, 2012
 D
Bonamici, Suzanne
Oregon · Mar 8, 2012
BACA, JOE
· Dec 16, 2011
LEVIN, SANDER
· Nov 1, 2011
 D
Larsen, Rick
Washington · Oct 6, 2011
 D
Doggett, Lloyd
Texas · Oct 3, 2011
ROS-LEHTINEN, ILEANA
· Sep 23, 2011
Miller, Brad
· Sep 15, 2011
 D
Smith, Adam
Washington · Sep 15, 2011
Walz, Timothy
· Sep 13, 2011
Hanabusa, Colleen
· Jul 19, 2011
 D
Neal, Richard E.
Massachusetts · Jul 13, 2011
INSLEE, JAY
· Jun 15, 2011
BECERRA, XAVIER
· Jun 14, 2011
Sutton, Betty
· Apr 6, 2011
ACKERMAN, GARY
· Mar 16, 2011
 D
Baldwin, Tammy
Wisconsin · Mar 16, 2011
BERKLEY, SHELLEY
· Mar 16, 2011
BERMAN, HOWARD
· Mar 16, 2011
BRADY, ROBERT
· Mar 16, 2011
CAPUANO, MICHAEL
· Mar 16, 2011
 D
Castor, Kathy
Florida · Mar 16, 2011
 D
Chu, Judy
California · Mar 16, 2011
 D
Clarke, Yvette D.
New York · Mar 16, 2011
 D
Cleaver, Emanuel
Missouri · Mar 16, 2011
 D
Courtney, Joe
Connecticut · Mar 16, 2011
CROWLEY, JOSEPH
· Mar 16, 2011
 D
Davis, Danny K.
Illinois · Mar 16, 2011
 D
DeGette, Diana
Colorado · Mar 16, 2011
 D
DeLauro, Rosa L.
Connecticut · Mar 16, 2011
FRANK, BARNEY
· Mar 16, 2011
 D
Garamendi, John
California · Mar 16, 2011
GUTIERREZ, LUIS
· Mar 16, 2011
 D
Heinrich, Martin
New Mexico · Mar 16, 2011
 D
Himes, James A.
Connecticut · Mar 16, 2011
 D
Hirono, Mazie K.
Hawaii · Mar 16, 2011
 D
Hoyer, Steny H.
Maryland · Mar 16, 2011
 D
Johnson, Henry C. "Hank"
Georgia · Mar 16, 2011
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Cite this page click to expand
APA
U.S. Congress. (2026). H.R. 1116: Respect for Marriage Act. 112th Congress. Open America. https://openamerica.io/bill/112-HR-1116/
MLA
"H.R. 1116: Respect for Marriage Act." 112th Congress, 2026, Open America, https://openamerica.io/bill/112-HR-1116/.
Bluebook (legal)
H.R. 1116, 112th Cong. (2026), https://openamerica.io/bill/112-HR-1116/.
Markdown link
[H.R. 1116: Respect for Marriage Act](https://openamerica.io/bill/112-HR-1116/)
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