Countering Threats and Attacks on Our Judges Act

House Bill

H.R. 4602

119th Congress

Countering Threats and Attacks on Our Judges Act

In Committee

Introduced:Oct 3, 2025

Primary Sponsor

Emanuel Cleaver II

Representative

Democratic

MO-5

Cosponsors

16

Quick Stats

Policy Area

Civil Rights and Liberties, Minority Issues

Summary

This bill would update federal laws to use gender-neutral language when referring to marriage and spouses. It would replace terms like 'husband' and 'wife' with 'spouse' and 'married couple'. This ensures that same-sex couples receive the same legal recognition and benefits as opposite-sex couples.

Latest Action

Referred to the House Committee on the Judiciary.

SponsorEmanuel Cleaver II (D-MO)

Introduced10/3/2025

StatusReferred to the House Committee on the Judiciary.

ChamberHouse

Data from Congress.gov

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Vote Prediction

Countering Threats and Attacks on Our Judges Act

This bill would update federal laws to use gender-neutral language when referring to marriage and spouses. It would replace terms like 'husband' and 'wife' with 'spouse' and 'married couple'. This ensures that same-sex couples receive the same legal recognitio

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This bill would update federal laws to use gender-neutral language when referring to marriage and spouses. It would replace terms like 'husband' and 'wife' with 'spouse' and 'married couple'. This ensures that same-sex couples receive the same legal recognition and benefits as opposite-sex couples.

Bill Number: 4602
Sponsor: Emanuel Cleaver II (D-MO)
Introduced: 10/3/2025
Status: Referred to the House Committee on the Judiciary.
Policy Area: Civil Rights and Liberties, Minority Issues

Data from Congress.gov

AI-generated summary

Fact Sheet

Title: Countering Threats and Attacks on Our Judges Act
Bill Number: 4602
Sponsor: Emanuel Cleaver II (D-MO)
Status: Referred to the House Committee on the Judiciary.
Introduced: 10/3/2025
Summary: This bill would update federal laws to use gender-neutral language when referring to marriage and spouses. It would replace terms like 'husband' and 'wife' with 'spouse' and 'married couple'. This ensures that same-sex couples receive the same legal recognition and benefits as opposite-sex couples.

Data from Congress.gov

AI Summary

Plain-English explanation of this bill

This bill would update federal laws to use gender-neutral language when referring to marriage and spouses. It would replace terms like 'husband' and 'wife' with 'spouse' and 'married couple'. This ensures that same-sex couples receive the same legal recognition and benefits as opposite-sex couples.

Last updated: 12/29/2025

Official Summary

Congressional Research Service summary

Amend the Code for Marriage Equality Act of 2023 This bill amends the Internal Revenue Code, the Social Security Act (SSA), and other federal laws to replace (1) references to wife or husband with references to spouse, and (2) references to husband and wife or husband or wife with references to married couple or married person. For purposes of federal laws or regulations, marriage is defined as a legal union between two people as spouses. The bill eliminates a definition of spouse that refers only to a person of the opposite sex who is a husband or a wife. Requirements concerning compensation to a surviving wife after the disability or death of a person employed at a military, air, or naval base outside the United States are revised to make surviving spouses eligible for such compensation. The bill makes similar revisions to the Family and Medical Leave Act of 1993, the Federal Mine Safety and Health Act of 1977, and other federal statutes. The bill revises title II (Old Age, Survivors, and Disability Insurance) of the SSA to consolidate separate provisions for a wife's insurance benefits and a husband's insurance benefits into a single standard for a spouse's insurance benefits.

Key Points

Main provisions of the bill

Replaces gendered terms like 'husband' and 'wife' with gender-neutral language like 'spouse' and 'married couple' in federal laws and regulations
Eliminates a definition of 'spouse' that only refers to a person of the opposite sex
Revises laws like the Social Security Act and Family and Medical Leave Act to provide equal treatment for same-sex and opposite-sex married couples

How This Impacts Americans

Potential effects on citizens and communities

If this bill becomes law, it would ensure that same-sex married couples have the same legal rights and benefits as opposite-sex married couples across a wide range of federal programs and laws. This would positively impact LGBTQ+ Americans by providing them equal treatment and recognition under the law.

Policy Areas

Primary Policy Area

Civil Rights and Liberties, Minority Issues

Scope & Jurisdiction

Jurisdiction Level

federal

Congressional Session

119th Congress

Citation Reference

4602, 119th Congress (2025). "Countering Threats and Attacks on Our Judges Act". Source: Voter's Right Platform. https://votersright.org/bills/118-hr-4602