Senators back extending federal benefits to same-sex partners

A bipartisan team of senators introduced a bill Wednesday to offer federal benefits to same-sex domestic partners of civil servants.

The bill (S. 3955) offered by Sens. Joseph Lieberman, D-Conn., and Gordon Smith, R-Ore., would allow domestic partners to benefit from federal retirement, life insurance, health insurance, workers' compensation, long-term care insurance and dental and vision benefits.

Lawmakers have tried to open federal benefits to domestic partners before. In 2003, Sen. Mark Dayton, D-Minn., introduced legislation that would have extended many benefits to both same-sex and opposite-sex domestic partners. That bill gained no Republican co-sponsors and died in subcommittee.

This time around, both Smith and fellow Republican Lincoln Chafee of Rhode Island signed onto the bill.

"Federal workers should be able to extend their benefits to loved ones," Smith said. "It's a matter of fairness, and I think the government should be leading the way rather than following. I believe we need to rid the workplace of discrimination, not just in hiring decisions, but also in the rights and privileges afforded employees."

In an August letter seeking co-sponsors, Lieberman and Smith said the Congressional Budget Office has estimated it will cost less than one-half of 1 percent of the current cost of the benefits to extend them.

"While this bill has a very modest cost to the government, it will have a significant impact on federal employees living in domestic partnerships and will assist our government in competing for the most qualified personnel," the senators wrote.

So far, 13 additional co-sponsors have signed on. The bill is too new to have been debated, but the failure of previous similar bills signals resistance.

"I think it's a very bad idea because this bill would treat same-sex relationships the same way the federal government currently treats married couples," said Glen Lavy, senior counsel for the Alliance Defense Fund, a Christian conservative legal group. "Employers don't give benefits, health insurance, just out of the kindness of their hearts. It's something that employers give to benefit the employee to encourage that relationship…the government should not be doing that for same-sex relationships."

Lieberman and Smith said domestic partner benefits are offered by thousands of private companies including General Electric Co., Chevron Corp. and Boeing Co., and by 13 states including Connecticut and Oregon.