U.S. Statutes at Large
[DEFENSE OF MARRIAGE ACT]
[vol. 110, p. 2419]
Public Law No. 104-109
An Act
To define and protect the institution of marriage.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of
Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,
section 1. short title.
This Act may be cited as the
“Defense of Marriage Act”.
sec. 2. powers reserved to
the states.
(a) In
General.—Chapter 115 of
title 28, United States Code, is amended by adding after section 1738B
the following:
Ҥ 1738C. Certain acts,
records, and proceedings and the effect thereof
“No
State, territory, or possession of the United States, or Indian tribe,
shall be required to give effect to any public act, record, or judicial
proceeding of any other State, territory, possession, or tribe
respecting a relationship between persons of the same sex that is
treated as a marriage under the laws of such other State, territory,
possession, or tribe, or a right or claim arising from such
relationship.”.
(b) Clerical
Amendment.—The table of
sections at the beginning of chapter 115 of title 28, United States
Code, is amended by inserting after the item relating to section 1738B
the following new item:
“1738C.
Certain acts, records, and proceedings and the effect thereof.”.
sec. 3. definition of
marriage.
(a) In
General.—Chapter 1 of
title 1, United States Code, is amended by adding at the end the
following:
“§ 7. Definition of ‘marriage’
and ‘spouse’
“In
determining the meaning of any Act of Congress, or of any ruling,
regulation, or interpretation of the various administrative bureaus and
agencies of the United States, the word ‘marriage’ means only a legal
union between one man and one woman as husband and wife, and the word
‘spouse’ refers only to a person of the opposite sex who is a husband or
a wife.”.
[vol. 110, p. 2420]
(b) Clerical
Amendment.—The table of
sections at the beginning of chapter 1 of title 1, United States Code,
is amended by inserting after the item relating to section 6 the
following new item:
“7.
Definition of ‘marriage’ and ‘spouse’.”.
Approved
September 21, 1996.
Citation:
Defense of Marriage Act, Pub. L. No. 104-199, 110 Stat.
2419 (1996).
© 2007 by Stephen
Clark |
