 Unbeknownst to most Americans, the House left Washington last week after passing a piece of legislation that greatly impacts not only our tax code, but also our culture. The Promoting Respect for Individuals’ Dignity and Equality Act or PRIDE Act (H.R. 3299) changes the federal tax code by replacing gender specific terms with the terms spouses and married couple. This allows same-sex couples to receive tax benefits that were previously awarded only to traditionally married couples or a husband and wife.
The PRIDE Act also nullifies the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA), which prohibited same-sex couples from filing taxes jointly. The bill does this by modifying the tax code to allow these couples to receive retroactive tax refunds from years prior to the 2013 Supreme Court decision striking down DOMA in U.S. v. Windsor.
Democrats praised the legislation’s unanimous passage, which passed by voice vote; a tool the House uses to pass bills that are traditionally not controversial, like the re-naming of Post Offices. Representative Andy Levin (D-MI) was correct when he said the bill’s passage “sent a message to LGBTQ married couples across America that their unions are recognized, valued and dignified by the U.S. government.”
In a recent article our President Eunie Smith rightly points out the danger this legislation poses to our country. She said:
“By allowing couples who do not conform to traditional marriage roles, as between one man and one woman, to receive tax refunds from previous years during which same-sex marriage was illegal, the PRIDE Act reinforces the Left’s continuous need to promote victimhood and reparations for select people groups.
“This inevitably leads to the infringement of personal freedoms for those who disagree and do not affirm the ‘protected’ lifestyle or action. The fact that the House slyly passed this bill by voice vote also indicates that Republicans do not consider this movement dangerous. We must continue to fight this attack on our Constitution and the endowed rights it protects.”
Eagle Forum will continue to stand up for American families and oppose governmental efforts to provide reparations for those arbitrarily selected.
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