S 424 · 111th Congress 2009–2011, ended

Uniting American Families Act of 2009

Introduced Feb 12, 2009 Originated Senate Sponsor Patrick J. Leahy D-VT

Fact sheet Spreadsheet

Latest action · Feb 12, 2009 Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary. (text of measure as introduced: CR S2234-2236)

Progress

Where this bill reached, and when. A stage with no date was not reached; one that failed a vote and later carried shows the date it carried.

  1. IntroducedFeb 12, 2009
  2. Passed SenateNot reached
  3. Passed HouseNot reached
  4. To the PresidentNot reached
  5. Became lawNot reached

Summary

Uniting American Families Act of 2009 - Amends the Immigration and Nationality Act to include a "permanent partner" within the scope of such Act. Defines a "permanent partner" as an individual 18 or older who: (1) is in a committed, intimate relationship with another individual 18 or older in which both individuals intend a lifelong commitment; (2) is financially interdependent with the other individual; (3) is not married to, or in a permanent partnership with, any other individual other than the individual; (4) is unable to contract with the other individual a marriage cognizable under this Act; and (5) is not a first, second, or third degree blood relation of the other individual. Defines a "permanent partnership" as the relationship existing between two permanent partners.

Cosponsors 25

Members who signed on, in the order they did. Signatures ran from Feb 12, 2009 to Sep 23, 2010; 14 are original cosponsors, there from the day it was introduced.

SeatCosponsorSigned on
D-CABarbara BoxerOriginalFeb 12, 2009
D-MDBenjamin L. CardinOriginalFeb 12, 2009
D-NYCharles E. SchumerOriginalFeb 12, 2009
D-CTChristopher J. DoddOriginalFeb 12, 2009
D-HIDaniel K. AkakaOriginalFeb 12, 2009
D-HIDaniel K. InouyeOriginalFeb 12, 2009
D-NJFrank R. LautenbergOriginalFeb 12, 2009
D-MAJohn F. KerryOriginalFeb 12, 2009
D-WAPatty MurrayOriginalFeb 12, 2009
D-NJRobert MenendezOriginalFeb 12, 2009
D-ORRon WydenOriginalFeb 12, 2009
D-WIRussell D. FeingoldOriginalFeb 12, 2009
D-RISheldon WhitehouseOriginalFeb 12, 2009
D-OHSherrod BrownOriginalFeb 12, 2009
I-VTBernard SandersFeb 27, 2009
D-NYKirsten E. GillibrandMar 23, 2009
D-ORJeff MerkleyMar 24, 2009
D-WAMaria CantwellJun 2, 2009
D-ILRichard J. DurbinJun 3, 2009
D-ILRoland BurrisJun 25, 2009
D-PARobert P. Casey Jr.Aug 4, 2009
D-MNAl FrankenSep 10, 2009
D-PAArlen SpecterNov 18, 2009
D-IATom HarkinSep 16, 2010
D-COMark UdallSep 23, 2010

Committees 1

Where it was sent and what each committee and subcommittee did with it, in order.

ChamberCommitteeWhat it did
SenateJudiciary Committee
Referred Feb 12, 2009

Actions 3

Everything that happened, newest first.

  1. Feb 12, 2009Introduced in Senate
  2. Feb 12, 2009Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S2233-2234)
  3. Feb 12, 2009Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary. (text of measure as introduced: CR S2234-2236)

In the Congressional Record 1

Days the Record’s own index lists this bill, newest first, with the pages and the members it names. Pages starting H are the House, S the Senate, E Extensions of Remarks.

WhereIn the RecordMembersDate
SenateDebate and remarks S2233Text printed S2234–S2236Patrick J. Leahy D-VT (text)Feb 12, 2009

Research

What has been written about this bill: committee reports, cost estimates, the sponsor’s authority statement, printed hearings and the Congressional Research Service’s work.

Printed hearings 1

Hearings whose printed record names this bill, newest first: hearings on it, and wider hearings where it came up.

NumberHearingCommitteeHeld
S. Hrg. 111-560THE UNITING AMERICAN FAMILIES ACT: ADDRESSING INEQUALITY IN FEDERAL IMMIGRATION LAW152 pagesJudiciary CommitteeJun 3, 2009

Related bills 2

Companion bills and other measures the record links to this one.

BillTitleRelationshipLatest action
HR 1024Uniting American Families Act of 2009Related billMar 16, 2009
HR 2709Reuniting Families ActRelated billAug 19, 2009

Titles 2

Every title it has carried, official and short, at each stage.

Official Title as Introduced
A bill to amend the Immigration and Nationality Act to eliminate discrimination in the immigration laws by permitting permanent partners of United States citizens and lawful permanent residents to obtain lawful permanent resident status in the same manner as spouses of citizens and lawful permanent residents and to penalize immigration fraud in connection with permanent partnerships.
Short Titles as Introduced
Uniting American Families Act of 2009

Subjects

Assigned by the Library of Congress. Policy area: Immigration.

Text 1

Each version as it was printed, newest first.

  1. Feb 12, 2009Introduced in Senate

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Everything here is as published by Congress: the summary is the Congressional Research Service's, the action wording is the clerks', and the subjects are the Library of Congress's. How far it got is read from the actions themselves, taking the most recent one of each kind, so a bill that failed a vote and later passed is shown as having passed. Records come from this bill on Congress.gov and govinfo.gov; cost estimates are the Congressional Budget Office's, and the hearings are the printed hearings GovInfo publishes, which can appear months after the hearing.