{"bills":[{"photos":{"featured":"https://assets.causes.com/bill/photo/hr2802-114/featured_first-amendment-defense-act-1454550828.jpg","featured_large":"https://assets.causes.com/bill/photo/hr2802-114/featured_large_first-amendment-defense-act-1454550828.jpg","shareable":"https://n.causes.com/share-images/bills/hr2802-114.png"},"introduced_on":"2015-06-17","title_override":"Do People, Businesses, and Churches Need Protections From the Government When Exercising Their Religious Beliefs About Same-Sex Marriage?","summary_override":"

This bill would prohibit the federal government from discriminating against a person, business, or other groups like churches, based on their religious beliefs regarding same-sex marriage or premarital sex.

Discriminatory actions would include:

Altering the target’s tax treatment or assessing penalties,
Withholding or otherwise denying bids for contracts, loans, or federal grants,
And denying in any way a federal benefit.

The federal government would be required to pay for the wronged parties’ attorneys’ fees if it is found to have committed a discriminatory action. Also, the federal government would be empowered to enforce compliance with this legislation to ensure that the expression of religious beliefs doesn't lead to retaliation by the government.

Individuals, businesses, and groups who have been subject to an actual or threatened act of discrimination based on their religious beliefs would be able to seek legal relief via claims against the federal government. There would not be a requirement that such claims are settled administratively, so they could proceed to federal courts — where religious beliefs and moral convictions would be interpreted to receive the broadest possible protection.

","official_title":"To prevent discriminatory treatment of any person on the basis of views held with respect to marriage.","short_title":"First Amendment Defense Act","popular_title":null,"short_summary":"First Amendment Defense Act\n\nProhibits the federal government from taking discriminatory action against a person on the basis that such person believes or acts in accordance with a religious belief or moral conviction that: (1) marriage is or should be recognized as the union of one man and one woman, or (2) sexual relations are properly reserved to such a marriage.\n\nDefines \"discriminatory action\" as any federal government action to discriminate against a person with such beliefs or convictions, including a federal government action to:\n\n alter the federal tax treatment of, cause any tax, penalty, or payment to be assessed against, or deny, delay, or revoke certain tax exemptions of any such person; disallow a deduction of any charitable contribution made to or by such person; withhold, reduce, exclude, terminate, or otherwise deny any federal grant, contract, subcontract, cooperative agreement, loan, license, certification, accreditation, employment, or similar position or status from...","summarized":true,"cost":null,"cost_commentary":"A CBO cost estimate is unavailable.","impact":"People, businesses, or other groups who exercise their moral and religious beliefs regarding same-sex marriage or premarital sex; same sex couples, and the LGBTQ community; the distribution of federal benefits and the federal agencies in charge of those benefits. 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Think legislation that addresses #YesAllWomen, #BlackLivesMatter, #HandsUpDontShoot, #CarryThatWeight, #YaMeCanse, #ICantBreathe #AmINext, #IfTheyGunnedMeDown, and the countless other instances of social injustice that have found their place across the nation and spoken up about online. ","page_title":"","icons":{"black":"https://assets.causes.com/issue/icon/social-justice/black_social-justice-1429042049.svg","grey":"https://assets.causes.com/issue/icon/social-justice/grey_social-justice-1429042049.svg","white":"https://assets.causes.com/issue/icon/social-justice/white_social-justice-1429042049.svg"},"cover_image_url":null,"is_following":false},{"id":"business","name":"Business","slug":"business","description":"Vote on the latest federal legislation regarding Business. Make your voice heard about the issues you care about. 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Do People, Businesses, and Churches Need Protections From the Government When Exercising Their Religious Beliefs About Same-Sex Marriage?