Respect for Marriage Act
This bill provides statutory authority for same-sex and interracial marriages.
Specifically, the bill replaces provisions that define, for purposes of federal law, marriage as between a man and a woman and spouse as a person of the opposite sex with provisions that recognize any marriage that is valid under state law. (The Supreme Court held that the current provisions were unconstitutional in United States v. Windsor in 2013.)
The bill also replaces provisions that do not require states to recognize same-sex marriages from other states with provisions that prohibit the denial of full faith and credit or any right or claim relating to out-of-state marriages on the basis of sex, race, ethnicity, or national origin. (The Supreme Court held that state laws barring same-sex marriages were unconstitutional in Obergefell v. Hodges in 2015; the Court held that state laws barring interracial marriages were unconstitutional in Loving v. Virginia in 1967.) The bill allows the Department of Justice to bring a civil action and establishes a private right of action for violations.
| Action Date | Type | Text | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2022-12-13 | President | Became Public Law No: 117-228. | Library of Congress |
| 2022-12-13 | President | Signed by President. | Library of Congress |
| 2022-12-09 | Floor | Presented to President. | House floor actions |
| 2022-12-08 | ResolvingDifferences | Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection. | House floor actions |
| 2022-12-08 | Vote | On motion to table the motion to reconsider the vote Agreed to by the Yeas and Nays: 224 - 164 (Roll no. 514). | House floor actions |
| 2022-12-08 | ResolvingDifferences | Mr. Cicilline moved to table the motion to reconsider the vote | House floor actions |
| 2022-12-08 | ResolvingDifferences | Perlmutter moved to reconsider the vote on agreeing to the Senate amendment to H.R. 8404. | House floor actions |
| 2022-12-08 | Floor | Motion to reconsider laid on the table. Objection heard. | House floor actions |
| 2022-12-08 | Vote | On motion that the House agree to the Senate amendment Agreed to by the Yeas and Nays: 258 - 169, 1 Present (Roll no. 513). (text of amendment in the nature of a substitute: CR H8827) | House floor actions |
| 2022-12-08 | ResolvingDifferences | The previous question was ordered pursuant to the rule. | House floor actions |
| 2022-12-08 | Floor | Pursuant to the provisions of H.Res 1510, the House proceeded with one hour of debate on the Nadler motion to concur in the Senate amendment to H.R. 8404. | House floor actions |
| 2022-12-08 | ResolvingDifferences | Pursuant to the provisions of H.Res. 1510, Mr. Nadler moved that the House agree to the Senate amendment. (consideration: CR H8827-8839) | House floor actions |
| 2022-11-30 | Floor | Message on Senate action sent to the House. | Senate |
| 2022-11-29 | Vote | Passed Senate under the order of 11/28/22, having achieved 60 votes in the affirmative, with an amendment by Yea-Nay Vote. 61 - 36. Record Vote Number: 362. (text of amendment in the nature of a substitute: CR S6771) | Senate |
| 2022-11-29 | Floor | Cloture motion on the measure withdrawn by unanimous consent in Senate. (CR S6844) | Senate |
| 2022-11-29 | Floor | Considered by Senate. (consideration: CR S6831-6846) | Senate |
| 2022-11-28 | Floor | Motion by Senator Schumer to refer to Senate Committee on the Judiciary with instructions to report back forthwith with the following amendment (SA 6490) fell when cloture was invoked on SA 6487 in Senate. | Senate |
| 2022-11-28 | Floor | Considered by Senate. (consideration: CR S6809, S6817) | Senate |
| 2022-11-17 | Floor | Cloture motion on the measure presented in Senate. (CR S6772) | Senate |
| 2022-11-17 | Floor | Motion by Senator Schumer to refer to Senate Committee on the Judiciary with instructions to report back forthwith with the following amendment (SA 6490) made in Senate. | Senate |
| 2022-11-17 | Floor | Measure laid before Senate by motion. | Senate |
| 2022-11-17 | Vote | Motion to proceed to consideration of measure agreed to in Senate by Yea-Nay Vote. 53 - 23. Record Vote Number: 357. | Senate |
| 2022-11-17 | Floor | Motion to proceed to measure considered in Senate. (CR S6770) | Senate |
| 2022-11-16 | Vote | Cloture on the motion to proceed to the measure invoked in Senate by Yea-Nay Vote. 62 - 37. Record Vote Number: 356. | Senate |
| 2022-11-16 | Floor | Motion to proceed to measure considered in Senate. (CR S6715-6725) | Senate |
| 2022-11-14 | Floor | Cloture motion on the motion to proceed to the measure presented in Senate. (CR S6642) | Senate |
| 2022-11-14 | Floor | Motion to proceed to consideration of measure made in Senate. (CR S6642) | Senate |
| 2022-07-21 | Calendars | Read the second time. Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 449. | Senate |
| 2022-07-20 | Calendars | Received in the Senate. Read the first time. Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under Read the First Time. | Senate |
| 2022-07-19 | Floor | Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection. | House floor actions |
| 2022-07-19 | Vote | On passage Passed by the Yeas and Nays: 267 - 157 (Roll no. 373). (text: CR H6719) | House floor actions |
| 2022-07-19 | Floor | Considered as unfinished business. (consideration: CR H6859) | House floor actions |
| 2022-07-19 | Floor | POSTPONED PROCEEDINGS - At the conclusion of debate on H.R. 8404, the Chair put the question on passage and by voice vote, announced that the ayes had prevailed. Mr. Jordan demanded the yeas and nays and the Chair postponed further proceedings until a time to be announced. | House floor actions |
| 2022-07-19 | Floor | The previous question was ordered pursuant to the rule. | House floor actions |
| 2022-07-19 | Floor | DEBATE - The House proceeded with one hour of debate on H.R. 8404. | House floor actions |
| 2022-07-19 | Floor | Rule provides for consideration of H.R. 8294, H.R. 8373 and H.R. 8404. Provides for one of hour of general debate on each bill as well as one motion to recommit. Amendments are made in order. Resolution also provides for en bloc suspension authority. H. Res. 1230 is considered adopted. | House floor actions |
| 2022-07-19 | Floor | Considered under the provisions of rule H. Res. 1232. (consideration: CR H6719-6728) | House floor actions |
| 2022-07-19 | Floor | Rule H. Res. 1232 passed House. | House floor actions |
| 2022-07-19 | Floor | Rules Committee Resolution H. Res. 1232 Reported to House. Rule provides for consideration of H.R. 8294, H.R. 8373 and H.R. 8404. Provides for one of hour of general debate on each bill as well as one motion to recommit. Amendments are made in order. Resolution also provides for en bloc suspension authority. H. Res. 1230 is considered adopted. | House floor actions |
| 2022-07-18 | IntroReferral | Referred to the House Committee on the Judiciary. | House floor actions |
| 2022-07-18 | IntroReferral | Introduced in House | Library of Congress |