Democratic Caucus Joins Senator Ron Wyden in Introducing New Legislation to Modernize the Tax Code Reflecting the Supreme Court’s Favorable Marriage Equality Ruling

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Senate Finance Committee Ranking Member Ron Wyden, Senator Edward J. Markey, along with the full Senate Democratic Caucus today unveiled legislation providing equal dignity for all legal marriages in the tax code.  The bill, the “Equal Dignity for Married Taxpayers Act” sets new precedent by removing gender-specific references to marriage, enshrining dignity and recognition for LGBTQ Americans in the tax code. 

“It’s about time that we update our tax law to reflect the institution of legal marriage,” said Wyden.  “All married Americans deserve the same respect and dignity in the eyes of the law.”

This bill follows the U.S. Supreme Court ruling on June 26, 2015 that same-sex couples have a constitutional right to marriage under the Fourteenth Amendment’s guarantee of equal protection, striking down state-level bans on such marriages.  The bill ensures that the nation’s tax law properly reflects the landmark civil rights decision, offering equal treatment to all married taxpayers. 

Co-sponsors of the bill:  

Tammy Baldwin (D-Wis.), Michael Bennet (D-Colo.), Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), Cory Booker (D-N.J.), Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio), Barbara Boxer (D-Calif.), Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.), Ben Cardin (D-Md.), Tom Carper (D-Del.), Bob Casey (D-Pa.), Chris Coons (D-Del.), Joe Donnelly (D-Ind.), Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), Diane Feinstein (D-Calif.), Al Franken (D-Minn.), Kristen Gillibrand (D-N.Y.), Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.), Heidi Heitkamp (D-N.D.), Mazie Hirono (D-Hawaii), Tim Kaine (D-Va.), Angus King (I-Maine), Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.), Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.), Joe Manchin (D-W. Va.), Ed Markey (D-Mass.), Claire McCaskill (D-Mo.), Robert Menendez (D-N.J.), Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.), Barbara Mikulski (D-Md.), Chris Murphy (D-Conn.), Patty Murray (D-Wash.), Bill Nelson (D-Fla.), Gary Peters (D-Mich.), Jack Reed (D-R.I.), Harry Reid (D-Nev.), Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), Brian Schatz (D-Hawaii), Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.), Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.), Debbie Stabenow (D-Mich.), Jon Tester (D-Mont.), Tom Udall (D-N.M.), Mark Warner (D-Va.), Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.).

Legislative text can be found here.

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