What is a “civil union” law?
Civil union laws stop short of allowing marriage but grant individuals many of the legal benefits of marriage. How many states have civil union laws? Vermont and California have civil union laws or “domestic partnership” laws. Many other states have more limited laws providing some of the benefits of marriage. For a list, see the National Conference of State Legislatures Web site. Do some foreign countries permit same sex marriages? Would those marriages be recognized in the United States? The Netherlands, Belgium and two provinces of Canada, Ontario and British Columbia, allow same sex marriages. States allowing gay marriages might recognize them but under the Federal Defense of Marriage Act, the United States does not recognize them for immigration purposes. What has President Bush proposed? Bush has endorsed the idea of a constitutional amendment declaring that marriage is between a man and a woman only. While some members of Congress have proposed constitutional amendments, the pre
