,,ii  #aae? ,,congress  #b;d ,session   
,s4 #bebe  ,,9 ,,! ,,s5ate ,,( ,,!      
,,unit$ ,,/ates  ,m>* #h1 #bjah,mr4 ,lee
 7= himself1 ,mr4 ,rubio1 ,mr4 ,crapo1  
,mr4 ,hat*1 ,mr4 ,inh(e1 ,mr4 ,blunt1   
,mr4 ,ris*1 ,mr4 ,wick]1 ,mr4 ,enzi1    
,mr4 ,johnson1 ,mr4 ,r\nds1 ,mr4        
,b>rasso1 ,mr4 ,sasse1 ,mr4 ,hoev51 ,mr4
 ,?une1 ,mr4 ,paul1 ,mr4 ,p]due1 ,mr4   
,scott1 ,mr4 ,cotton1 ,mr4 ,boozman1    
,mr4 ,cruz1 & ,mr4 ,moran7 introduc$ !  
foll[+ bill2 :i* 0 read twice & ref]r$  
to ! ,committee on ! ,judici>y  ,a      
,,bill  ,to ensure t ! ,f$]al ,gov]nm5t 
%all n take any discrim9atory action    
aga9/ a p]son1 :olly or p>tially on !   
basis t su* p]son speaks1 or acts1 9    
accordance ) a s9c]ely held religi\s    
belief or moral conviction t m>riage is 
or %\ld be recogniz$ z a union ( "o man 
& "o woman1 or two individuals z        
recogniz$ "u ,f$]al law1 or t sexual    
relations outside m>riage are improp]4  
#a4 ,%ort title ,?is ,act may be cit$ z 
! ,fir/ ,am5dm5t ,def5se ,act4  #b4     

,f9d+s ,congress f9ds ! foll[+3 7#a7    
,lead+ legal s*ol>s concur t conflicts  
betwe5 same-sex m>riage & religi\s      
lib]ty are real & %\ld be address$ ?r\gh
 legislation4  7#b7 ,z ,presid5t ,obama 
/at$ 9 response to ! decision ( !       
,supreme ,c\rt 9 ,unit$ ,/ates v4       
,w9dsor1 #acc ,s4 ,ct4 #bfge 7#bjac71   
,am]icans hold a wide range ( views on !
 issue ( same-sex m>riage1 & ma9ta9+ our
 ,nation's commitm5t to religi\s fre$om 
is vital4  7#c7 ,nev]!less1 9 #bjae1 :5 
ask$ :e!r a religi\s s*ool c\ld lose its
 tax-exempt /atus = oppos+ same-sex     
m>riage1 ! ,solicitor ,g5]al ( ! ,unit$ 
,/ates ,donald ,v]rilli repres5t$ to !  
,unit$ ,/ates ,supreme ,c\rt t it's     
c]ta9ly go+ to be an issue4  7#d7       
,protect+ religi\s fre$om f gov]nm5t    
intrusion is a gov]nm5t int]e/ ( !      
highe/ ord]4 ,legislation advances ?is  
int]e/ by rem$y+1 det]r+1 & prev5t+     
gov]nm5t int]f]5ce ) religi\s ex]cise 9 
a way t complem5ts ! protections m&at$  
by ! ,fir/ ,am5dm5t to ! ,con/itution ( 

! ,unit$ ,/ates4  7#e7 ,laws t protect !
 free ex]cise ( religi\s beliefs & moral
 convictions ab\t m>riage w enc\rage    
private citiz5s & in/itutions to        
demon/rate tol]ance = ^? beliefs &      
convictions & !re=e contribute to a m   
respectful1 div]se1 & peaceful society4 
7#f7 ,9 a plurali/ic society1 9 :i* p ( 
good fai? hold m ?an "o view ( m>riage1 
x is possible = ! gov]nm5t to recognize 
same-sex m>riage z requir$ by ! ,unit$  
,/ates ,supreme ,c\rt )\t =c+ p]sons )  
s9c]ely held religi\s beliefs or moral  
convictions to ! contr>y to con=m4  #c4 
,protection ( ! free ex]cise ( religi\s 
beliefs & moral convictions  7a7 ,9     
g5]al ,not)/&+ any o!r provision ( law1 
! ,f$]al ,gov]nm5t %all n take any      
discrim9atory action aga9/ a p]son1     
:olly or p>tially on ! basis t su* p]son
 speaks1 or acts1 9 accordance ) a      
s9c]ely held religi\s belief1 or moral  
conviction1 t--  7#a7 m>riage is or %\ld
 be recogniz$ z a union (--  7,a7 "o man
 & "o woman2 or  7,b7 two individuals z 

recogniz$ "u ,f$]al law2 or  7#b7 sexual
 relations outside m>riage are improp]4 
7b7 ,discrim9atory action def9$ ,z us$ 9
 subsection 7a71 a discrim9atory action 
means any action tak5 by ! ,f$]al       
,gov]nm5t to--  7#a7 alt] 9 any way !   
,f$]al tax treatm5t (1 or cause any tax1
 p5alty1 or paym5t to be assess$ aga9/1 
or d5y1 delay1 or revoke an exemption f 
taxation "u section #eja7;a7 ( !        
,int]nal ,rev5ue ,code ( #aihf (1 any   
p]son ref]r$ to 9 subsection 7a72  7#b7 
disall[ a d$uction = ,f$]al tax purposes
 ( any *>itable contribution made to or 
by su* p]son2  7#c7 )hold1 r$uce ! am\nt
 or fund+ =1 exclude1 t]m9ate1 or       
o!rwise make unavailable or d5y1 any    
,f$]al grant1 contract1 subcontract1    
coop]ative agreem5t1 gu>antee1 loan1    
s*ol>%ip1 lic5se1 c]tification1         
accr$itation1 employm5t1 or o!r simil>  
position or /atus f or to su* p]son2    
7#d7 )hold1 r$uce1 exclude1 t]m9ate1 or 
o!rwise make unavailable or d5y1 any    
entitlem5t or b5efit "u a ,f$]al b5efit 

program1 includ+ admission to1 equal    
treatm5t 91 or eligibility = a degree f 
an educational program1 f or to su*     
p]son2 or  7#e7 )hold1 r$uce1 exclude1  
t]m9ate1 or o!rwise make unavailable or 
d5y1 access or an entitlem5t to ,f$]al  
prop]ty1 facilities1 educational        
in/itutions1 spee* =a 7includ+          
traditional1 limit$1 & nonpublic =a71 or
 *>itable fundrais+ campaigns f or to   
su* p]son4  7c7 ,accr$itation2 lic5sure2
 c]tification ,! ,f$]al ,gov]nm5t %all  
consid] accr$it$1 lic5s$1 or c]tifi$ =  
purposes ( ,f$]al law any p]son t w\ld  
be accr$it$1 lic5s$1 or c]tifi$1        
respectively1 = su* purposes b = a      
det]m9ation aga9/ su* p]son :olly or    
p>tially on ! basis t ! p]son speaks1 or
 acts1 9 accordance ) a s9c]ely held    
religi\s belief or moral conviction     
describ$ 9 subsection 7a74  #d4         
,judicial relief  7a7 ,cause ( action ,a
 p]son may ass]t an actual or ?reat5$   
violation ( ?is ,act z a claim or def5se
 9 a judicial or adm9i/rative proce$+ & 

obta9 comp5satory damages1 injunctive   
relief1 decl>atory relief1 or any o!r   
appropriate relief aga9/ ! ,f$]al       
,gov]nm5t4 ,/&+ to ass]t a claim or     
def5se "u ?is section %all be gov]n$ by 
! g5]al rules ( /&+ "u article ,,iii ( !
 ,con/itution4  7b7 ,adm9i/rative       
rem$ies n requir$ ,not)/&+ any o!r      
provision ( law1 an action "u ?is       
section may be comm5c$1 & relief may be 
grant$1 9 a di/rict c\rt ( ! ,unit$     
,/ates )\t reg>d to :e!r ! p]son comm5c+
 ! action has s\ght or exhau/$ available
 adm9i/rative rem$ies4  7c7 ,attorneys' 
fees ,section #gbb7;b7 ( ! ,revis$      
,/atutes 7#db ,u4,s4,c4 #aihh7;b77 is   
am5d$ by ins]t+ ! ,fir/ ,am5dm5t ,def5se
 ,act1 aft] ! ,religi\s ,l& ,use &      
,in/itutionaliz$ ,p]sons ,act ( #bjjj14 
7d7 ,au?ority ( ,unit$ ,/ates ,to en=ce 
?is ,act ,! ,attorney ,g5]al may br+ an 
action = injunctive or decl>atory relief
 aga9/ an indep5d5t e/abli%m5t describ$ 
9 section #ajd7a7 ( title #e1 ,unit$    
,/ates ,code1 or an (fic] or employee ( 

t indep5d5t e/abli%m5t1 to en=ce        
compliance ) ?is ,act4 ,no?+ 9 ?is      
subsection %all be con/ru$ to d5y1      
impair1 or o!rwise affect any "r or     
au?ority ( ! ,attorney ,g5]al1 ! ,unit$ 
,/ates1 or any ag5cy1 (fic]1 or employee
 ( ! ,unit$ ,/ates1 act+ "u any law o!r 
?an ?is subsection1 to in/itute or      
int]v5e 9 any proce$+4  #e4 ,rules (    
con/ruction  7a7 ,no preemption1 repeal1
 or n>r[ con/ruction ,no?+ 9 ?is ,act   
%all be con/ru$ to preempt ,/ate law1 or
 repeal ,f$]al law1 t is equally or m   
protective ( free ex]cise ( religi\s    
beliefs & moral convictions4 ,no?+ 9 ?is
 ,act %all be con/ru$ to n>r[ ! mean+ or
 application ( any ,/ate or ,f$]al law  
protect+ free ex]cise ( religi\s beliefs
 & moral convictions4  7b7 ,no prev5tion
 ( provid+ b5efits or s]vices ,no?+ 9   
?is ,act %all be con/ru$ to prev5t !    
,f$]al ,gov]nm5t f provid+1 ei!r        
directly or ?r\gh a p]son n seek+       
protection "u ?is ,act1 any b5efit or   
s]vice au?oriz$ "u ,f$]al law4  7c7 ,no 

affirmation or endorsem5t ( views ,no?+ 
9 ?is ,act %all be con/ru$ to affirm or 
o!rwise endorse a p]son's belief1 spee*1
 or action ab\t m>riage4  7d7 ,no impact
 on def9ition ,no?+ 9 ?is ,act %all be  
con/ru$ to alt] ! def9ition ( m>riage = 
,f$]al or ,/ate purposes4  7e7          
,sev]ability ,if any provision ( ?is    
,act or any application ( su* provision 
to any p]son or circum/ance is held to  
be uncon/itutional1 ! rema9d] ( ?is ,act
 & ! application ( ! provision to any   
o!r p]son or circum/ance %all n be      
affect$4  #f4 ,def9itions ,9 ?is ,act3  
7#a7 ,f$]al b5efit program ,! t]m ,f$]al
 b5efit program has ! mean+ giv5 t t]m 9
 section #eeb;a ( title #e1 ,unit$      
,/ates ,code4  7#b7 ,f$]al2 ,f$]al      
,gov]nm5t ,! t]ms ,f$]al & ,f$]al       
,gov]nm5t include-- 7,a7 any dep>tm5t1  
commission1 bo>d1 or o!r ag5cy ( !      
,f$]al ,gov]nm5t2  7,b7 any (fic]1      
employee1 or ag5t ( ! ,f$]al ,gov]nm5t2 
&  7,c7 ! ,di/rict ( ,columbia & all    
,f$]al t]ritories & possessions4  7#c7  

,p]son ,! t]m p]son means a p]son z     
def9$ 9 section #a ( title #a1 ,unit$   
,/ates ,code1 except t su* t]m %all n   
include--  7,a7 publicly trad$ =-pr(it  
entities2  7,b7 ,f$]al employees act+ )9
 ! scope ( _! employm5t2  7,c7 ,f$]al   
=-pr(it contractors act+ )9 ! scope ( _!
 contract2 or  7,d7 hospitals1 cl9ics1  
hospices1 nurs+ homes1 or o!r m$ical or 
resid5tial cu/odial facilities ) respect
 to visitation1 recognition ( a         
designat$ repres5tative = heal? c>e     
decisionmak+1 or refusal to provide     
m$ical treatm5t necess>y to cure an     
illness or injury4