An Obama administration
official has confirmed to
The Advocate
that President Barack Obama will be signing a presidential
memorandum Wednesday to provide benefits to
same-sex partners of federal employees.
An Obama administration
official has confirmed to
The Advocate
that President Barack Obama will be signing a presidential
memorandum Wednesday to provide benefits to
same-sex partners of federal employees.
The White House press
office
sent out a fact sheet detailing the benefits
that will be made available
. The Lieberman-Baldwin Domestic Partnership Benefits and
Obligations Act, a bicameral bill that was introduced
last month, will still need to be passed by Congress in order
for full benefits to be extended to domestic partners
of federal workers.
"Our analysis has
been that it will take an act of Congress for the full suite of
benefits such as health benefits and retirement benefits to be
provided for same-sex couples and families," said Leonard
Hirsch, president of Federal Globe: Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual,
Transgender Employees of the Federal Government. According to
Hirsch, the executive branch has the authority to
extend certain other benefits through departments and
agencies, such as providing relocation costs for partners of
federal employees.
Hirsch welcomed the
announcement and added that his organization would
gladly help with implementing the new policy. "We
look forward to working closely with the administration to put
this in place as quickly as possible," he said.
The signing is
scheduled for 5:45 p.m. in the Oval Office, and the president
is scheduled to make brief remarks.
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