,i  #aae? ,,congress  #b;d ,session  ,h4
 ,r4 #dhfg  ,,9 ,,! ,,h\se ,,(          
,,repres5tatives  ,janu>y #ai1 #bjah,mr4
 ,ru% introduc$ ! foll[+ bill2 :i* 0    
ref]r$ to ! ,committee on ! ,judici>y   
,a ,,bill  ,to cl>ify ! def9itions (    
c]ta9 t]ms relat+ to m>riage "u ,f$]al  
law to prev5t *ild m>riages1 & = o!r    
purposes4  #a4 ,%ort title ,?is ,act may
 be cit$ z ! ,*ild ,m>riage ,prev5tion  
,act4  #b4 ,f9d+s ,congress f9ds !      
foll[+3  7#a7 ,a ,febru>y #bjag /udy by 
,un*a9$ ,at ,la/ f\nd t1 betwe5 #bjjj & 
#bjaj1 #bdh1jjj *ildr5 _h be5 m>ri$ 9 ! 
,unit$ ,/ates1 mo/ly to adult m54  7#b7 
,! ,unit$ ,/ates ,global ,/rategy to    
,emp[] ,adolesc5t ,girls1 releas$ la/   
ye> by ! ,/ate ,dep>tm5t recognizes     
m>riage be=e #ah to be a human rights   
abuse4  7#c7 ,*ild m>riages 9 ! ,unit$  
,/ates h includ$ p>ties z "y z #aj4     
7#d7 ,m>riages 9 ! ,unit$ ,/ates h giv5 
a semblance ( legitimacy to relation%ips
 t w\ld o!rwise be illegal4  7#e7 ,wom5 
:o m>ry at #ah or y\ng] face a #bc p]c5t

 high] risk ( he>t attack1 diabetes1    
canc] & /roke ?an d wom5 :o m>ry betwe5 
ages #ai & #be4  7#f7 ,wom5 :o w$ be=e  
#ah also are at increas$ risk ( develop+
 v>i\s psy*iatric disord]s4  7#g7       
,am]ican girls :o m>ry be=e #ai are #ej 
p]c5t m likely ?an _! unm>ri$ pe]s to   
drop out ( high s*ool & f\r times less  
likely to graduate f college4  7#h7 ,a  
girl :o m>ries "y is #ca p]c5tage po9ts 
m likely to live 9 pov]ty :5 %e is old]4
  7#i7 ,wom5 :o m>ry be=e #ah are ?ree  
times m likely to be beat5 by _! sp\ses 
?an wom5 :o w$ at #ba or old]4  #c4     
,p[]s res]v$ to ! /ates ,no ,/ate %all  
be requir$ to give effect to any public 
act1 record1 or judicial proce$+ ( any  
o!r ,/ate respect+ a relation%ip :]e "o 
or bo? p]sons are bel[ ! m>riageable age
 t is treat$ z a m>riage "u ! laws ( su*
 o!r ,/ate1 or a "r or claim aris+ f su*
 relation%ip4  #d4 ,def9ition ( m>riage 
,9 det]m9+ ! mean+ ( any ,act (         
,congress1 or ( any rul+1 regulation1 or
 int]pretation ( ! v>i\s adm9i/rative   

bureaus & ag5cies ( ! ,unit$ ,/ates1 !  
^w m>riage means only a legal union     
betwe5 two p ( m>riageable age1 & ! ^w  
sp\se ref]s only to a p]son (           
m>riageable age4  #e4 ,exceptions  7a7  
,section #c ,section #c %all be         
inapplicable to any m>riage :]e ! p>ties
 involv$ h receiv$ ! approval ( a judge 
appo9t$ or elect$ pursuant to ! laws (  
any ,/ate or ! ,unit$ ,/ates4  7b7      
,section #d ,section #d %all be         
inapplicable to any m>riage :]e ! p>ties
 involv$ h receiv$ ! approval ( a judge 
appo9t$ or elect$ pursuant to ! laws (  
any ,/ate or ! ,unit$ ,/ates4  7c7      
,indep5d5t ,c\nsel ,subsections 7a7 &   
7b7 %all only apply 9 cases :]e ! m9or 9
 "q 0 repres5t$ by indep5d5t c\nsel4    
#f4 ,def9itions ,9 ?is ,act3 7#a7 ,/ate 
,! t]m ,/ate means ea* ( ! sev]al       
,/ates1 ! ,di/rict ( ,columbia1 !       
,commonweal? ( ,pu]to ,rico1 ,guam1     
,am]ican ,samoa1 ! ,unit$ ,/ates ,virg9 
,isl&s1 ! ,commonweal? ( ! ,nor!rn      
,m>iana ,isl&s1 any o!r t]ritory or     

possession ( ! ,unit$ ,/ates1 & ea*     
f$]ally recogniz$ ,indian ,tribe4  7#b7 
,m>riageable age ,! t]m m>riageable age 
means ! age ( #ah or ! age z def9$ by a 
,/ate1 :i*ev] is old]4