,i  #aacth ,,congress  #ast ,session    
,h4 ,r4 #bhcd  ,,in ,,the ,,house ,,of  
,,representatives  ,july #be1 #bjac ,mr4
 ,holt introduced the following bill2   
which was referred to the ,committee on 
the ,judiciary  ,a ,,bill  ,to include  
under ,federal laws granting rights and 
responsibilities to married couples     
other couples in other legal unions     
similar to marriage1 including domestic 
partnerships and civil unions4  #a4     
,short title ,this ,act may be cited as 
the ,federal ,benefits ,equality ,act4  
#b4 ,definition of marriage  7a7 ,in    
general ,section #g of title #a1 ,united
 ,states ,code1 is amended to read as   
follows--  #g4 ,marriage as including   
civil unions and domestic partnerships2 
spouse as including members of such     
unions ,in determining the meaning of   
any ,act of ,congress1 the term marriage
 includes a marriage1 a domestic        
partnership1 a civil union1 or any other
 similar legal union between #b         
individuals that is recognized by a     

,state1 the ,district of ,columbia1 a   
territory or possession of the ,united  
,states1 or a federally recognized      
,indian tribe1 and the word spouse      
refers to either member of such a legal 
union4  4  7b7 ,clerical amendment ,the 
item for section #g in the table of     
sections at the beginning of chapter #a 
is amended to read as follows3  #g4     
,marriage as including civil unions and 
domestic parnerships2 spouse as         
including members of such legal unions4 
4