DEFENSE OF MARRIAGE ACT (House of Representatives - July 11,
1996) Mr. CANADY of Florida. Mr. Chairman, I yield myself such
time as I may consume. Mr. Chairman, today, the House begins its
consideration of H.R. 3396, the Defense of Marriage Act. H.R.
3396 has two operative provisions. Section 2 of the bill reads
as follows: 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. This
provision invokes Congress' constitutional authority, under
Article IV, section 1, to prescribe the effect that shall be
given the public records, acts, and proceedings of the various
States. This section provides only that States `shall not be
required' to recognize same-se