Senate Democrats Call for Equal Dignity in the Tax Code

Wyden leads united Democratic Caucus in introducing a bill to modernize the tax code, match marriage equality laws

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Senate Finance Committee Ranking Member Ron Wyden, D-Ore., along with the entire Senate Democratic Caucus, announced legislation providing equal dignity for all legal marriages in the tax code. The Equal Dignity for Married Taxpayers Act, S. 1715, protects LGBTQ Americans from inequality and discrimination by removing gender-specific references to marriage in the tax code.

“For two years LGBTQ Americans have been able to enjoy the same marriage rights afforded to all Americans, yet they continue to face unjust discrimination in many aspects of life,” Wyden said. “Love is love and it’s high time Congress updated our tax code to reflect that.”

On June 26, 2015 the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that same-sex couples have a constitutional right to marriage by striking down state-level bans on such marriages. Last year the Treasury Department reflected this decision by finalizing rules allowing federal joint filing for same-sex couples. Wyden’s bill adds to these efforts by ensuring our nation’s tax law offers 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, Maria Cantwell, D-Wash., Ben Cardin, D-Md., Tom Carper, D-Del., Bob Casey, D-Pa., Catherine Cortez Masto, D-Nev., Chris Coons, D-Del., Joe Donnelly, D-Ind., Tammy Duckworth, D-Ill., Dick Durbin, D-Ill., Diane Feinstein, D-Calif., Al Franken, D-Minn., Kristen Gillibrand, D-N.Y., Kamala Harris, D-Calif., Maggie Hassan, D-N.H., Martin Heinrich, D-N.M., Heidi Heitkamp, D-N.D., Mazie Hirono, D-Hawaii, Tim Kaine, D-Va., Angus King, I-Maine, D-Va., 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., Chris Murphy, D-Conn., Patty Murray, D-Wash., Bill Nelson, D-Fla., Gary Peters, D-Mich., Jack Reed, D-R.I., 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., Chris Van Hollen, D-Md., Mark Warner, D-Va., Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., Sheldon Whitehouse, D-R.I.

This legislation is endorsed by the Human Rights Campaign.

Legislative text can be found here.

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