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SJRES 12 114th Congress Senate Civil Rights and Liberties, Minority Issues Constitution and constitutional amendments Intergovernmental relations Marriage and family status Sex, gender, sexual orientation discrimination State and local government operations

A joint resolution proposing an amendment to the Constitution of the United States relative to marriage.

Introduced: April 23, 2015 Introduced by: Cruz, Ted Republican · Texas See on congress.gov
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This bill died when the 114th Congress ended
It never became law before the 114th Congress (2015–2016) 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 2 steps
Introduced
In committee
Reported out
Passed House
Passed Senate
To President
Became law
Apr 23, 2015
Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.
Apr 23, 2015
Introduced in Senate
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 Plain-English summary Congressional Research Service

Constitutional Amendment

Grants the United States and each state, territory, and possession the power to define marriage as limited to the union of one man and one woman.

Declares that: (1) nothing in this constitution shall be construed to require that marriage or its legal incidents be conferred upon any union other than the union of one man and one woman or to require that a state recognize a marriage that was licensed in another state; and (2) no decision or order of any court to the contrary, including any decision or order issued before the date of ratification, shall have any force or effect.

What's happening now April 23, 2015

Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.

 Bill text 1 version

Source documents hosted by congress.gov.

 Committees of jurisdiction 1
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APA
U.S. Congress. (2026). S.J. Res. 12: A joint resolution proposing an amendment to the Constitution of the United States relative to marriage.. 114th Congress. Open America. https://openamerica.io/bill/114-SJRES-12/
MLA
"S.J. Res. 12: A joint resolution proposing an amendment to the Constitution of the United States relative to marriage.." 114th Congress, 2026, Open America, https://openamerica.io/bill/114-SJRES-12/.
Bluebook (legal)
S.J. Res. 12, 114th Cong. (2026), https://openamerica.io/bill/114-SJRES-12/.
Markdown link
[S.J. Res. 12: A joint resolution proposing an amendment to the Constitution of the United States relative to marriage.](https://openamerica.io/bill/114-SJRES-12/)
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