Happy LGBT Pride Month, from Barack Obama.
One year after he declared the first LGBT Pride Month, President Obama issued an order on Wednesday requiring agencies of the executive branch to extend a number of federal benefits to employees’ same-sex partners. This comes after he issued a memorandum last year extending some federal benefits to same-sex partners of federal employees and requiring that executive-branch agencies review other benefits that could be offered under existing federal law. With the new order, executive-branch agencies will now be required to extend child-care services and subsidies to children of same-sex couples. Other benefits include credit union access, relocation benefits, and more flexible family leave to take care of same-sex partners. In addition, some intelligence and financial regulatory agencies will be able to reimburse for health insurance premiums, business travel accident insurance, and dental and vision insurance.
From President Obama’s statement:
While this Memorandum is an important step on the path to equality, my Administration 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. This legislation, championed by Senators Joe Lieberman and Susan Collins and Congresswoman Tammy Baldwin, would extend to the same-sex domestic partners of Federal employees the full range of benefits currently enjoyed by Federal employees’ opposite-sex spouses. I look forward to signing it into law.
Despite my frustration sometimes with the seemingly slow-moving pace of this administration and this Congress when it comes to LGBT equality, I also recognize that baby steps are better than no steps at all. The President has so far done more for LGBT people than any of his predecessors. I’m deeply disappointed in the timidity of the DADT compromise supported by the White House, among other things, but it appears that we are moving, slowly but surely, to a more equal society for gays and lesbians. This memorandum is a good example of the baby steps toward LGBT equality that have become quite regular in this administration. It doesn’t go nearly as far as it should go – it doesn’t include health benefits, along with other basic benefits denied to gay and lesbian couples by DOMA. And of course, it doesn’t apply to uniformed military members.
While I’m pleased with this step toward greater equality, this memorandum serves as a troubling illustration of the obstacle that DOMA poses for true LGBT equality. We have a President who strongly supports extending all benefits – including health benefits – to the same-sex partners of federal employees. But there stands DOMA, and it doesn’t look like it’s going anywhere anytime soon. DADT repeal (in its watered-down form) is probably going to happen, a trans-inclusive ENDA still might happen, but DOMA appears to have fallen off the radar even though it was a core promise to the LGBT community during the campaign.
Maybe some are right that DOMA is a long shot in this Congress, but the reality is that it needs to go, and it needs to go now. Its blatant unfairness to gay and lesbian couples has been made even more visible by this mediocre memorandum that extends some, but not even close to all, benefits to gay and lesbian families. With DADT repeal and ENDA still on the table, it would certainly be nice if Democratic leaders would add DOMA repeal to the mix.
But disappointments aside, this is still a cause for celebration. Here’s to a day when all same-sex couples – even ones that are not federally employed – will enjoy the same rights and benefits as heterosexual couples.