The bill that seeks to grant equal benefits to the gay and lesbian partners of federal employees saw a preliminary victory last week.
A U.S. House subcommittee approved the Domestic-Partnership Benefits and Obligations Act in a 5-3 vote July 30.
The bill, introduced in May by openly lesbian U.S. Rep. Tammy Baldwin (D-Wisc.), would allow domestic partners of federal employees to be eligible for all the same benefits as married heterosexual partners, including access to healthcare coverage and retirement and disability plans.
President Obama signed a presidential memorandum in June that granted same-sex partners of federal employees access to some benefits, such as life-insurance plans and long-term-care programs, but said he was prevented from granting full equal rights because of the federal Defense of Marriage Act, which prohibits the government from recognizing same-sex marriages.
Obama urged Congress to pass the domestic-partner bill and pledged to sign it if it reaches his desk.
The eight members of the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform’s Subcommittee on Federal Workforce, Postal Service and the District of Columbia voted along party lines, with all Democrats in favor and all Republicans opposed.
Baldwin said in a statement last week that she was “delighted” at the subcommittee’s action and expressed gratitude for the support of subcommittee chairman Rep. Stephen Lynch (D-Mass.), a strong proponent of the legislation, which Baldwin said would have multifaceted effects on the federal government.
“Extending benefits to the domestic partners of federal employees is more than a matter of fairness,” she said. “As a majority of Fortune 500 companies have already demonstrated, equality and diversity in the workplace boost productivity and help attract and keep the most qualified employees.”
During the mark-up session, committemembers approved technical amendments to the bill that clarified the benefits provided and ensured that retirees are included. Rep. Brian Bilbray (R-Calif.) proposed an amendment that would have extended the definition of “domestic partners” to include unmarried heterosexual couples, but that amendment was defeated.
Several Republican committeemembers also raised arguments that the bill seeks to redefine marriage, but Democratic supporters countered that the legislation is focused on workplace, not marriage, equality.
The subcommittee held hearings on the bill last month that drew testimony from Baldwin, openly gay director of the Office of Personnel Management John Berry, former Romanian Ambassador Michael Guest and four other supporters. Only one person testified against the bill.
The legislation now will go before the full committee, which is expected to act on the bill in September.
The bill currently has 118 cosponsors, including Pennsylvania Reps. Allyson Schwartz (D-13th Dist.) and Joe Sestak (D-7th Dist.), and a companion Senate bill introduced by Sen. Joseph Lieberman (I-Conn.) has 24 cosponsors, including local Sen. Robert Casey (D).
Jen Colletta can be reached at [email protected].