A committee markup has been scheduled for the Domestic Partner Benefits and Obligations Act, which will provide benefits to the domestic partners of federal government employees. Markups are the process by which congressional committees finalize the language of a bill and then vote on the legislation. If the bill is voted out of committee, it heads to the floor for a full House vote.

The House Oversight and Government Reform Committee will mark up DPBO on Wednesday, November 18, at 2 p.m.

Overall, next week will be a busy one for LGBT issues: In addition to the DPBO markup, the House Education & Labor Committee will mark up Employment Non-Discrimination Act legislation on Wednesday, November 18, at 10 a.m.

And on Thursday, November 19, at 9:30 a.m., the Senate Armed Services Committee will hold a confirmation hearing for Clifford Stanley, a retired general who has been nominated as undersecretary of Personnel and Readiness -- a key post in the Department of Defense that oversees the "don't ask, don't tell" policy.