Obama Adds Benefits To Same-Sex Partners Of Federal Workers

The Washington Post: "President Obama extended Wednesday a wider range of benefits to the same-sex partners of eligible federal workers, including access to medical treatment, relocation assistance, credit unions and fitness centers. The move goes beyond a memo Obama signed last June, which permitted same-sex partners to use the government's long-term-care insurance and other fringe benefits." The benefits do not, however, "cover uniformed members of the military" (O'Keefe, 6/3).

ABC News: "The president said in a statement that he 'continues to be prevented by existing Federal law from providing same-sex domestic partners with the full range of benefits enjoyed by heterosexual married couples. That is why, today, I renew my call for swift passage of an important piece of legislation pending in both Houses of Congress-the Domestic Partnership Benefits and Obligations Act' which 'would extend to the same-sex domestic partners of Federal employees the full range of benefits currently enjoyed by Federal employees' opposite-sex spouses'" (Tapper, 6/2).

The Hill: The memo "also requires agencies that extend any new benefits to employees' opposite-sex spouses to make those benefits available on equal terms to employees' same-sex domestic partners to the extent permitted by law." (O'Brien, 6/2).