Is a civil union recognized by the federal government?
No, a civil union is not recognized by the federal government. In the United States, federal recognition of a relationship is determined by the federal government itself and does not depend on state law. In Washington, civil unions are a form of limited recognition of relationships between two adults of the same gender. This limited recognition provides some of the rights and protections associated with marriage, such as the ability to make medical decisions for one another and access to your partner’s health insurance. However, the federal government does not recognize civil unions as marriage. The federal government only recognizes marriages between a man and woman under the 1996 Defense of Marriage Act. This means that civil unions in Washington are only recognized at the state level and do not carry the same legal benefits as a federally recognized marriage.
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