Government Reform Committee Votes To Provide Benefits To The Same-sex Domestic Partners Of Federal Employees

Press Release

Government Reform Committee Votes To Provide Benefits To The Same-sex Domestic Partners Of Federal Employees

Today Congressman Chris Van Hollen (D-MD) issued the following statement on the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform mark-up of the Domestic Partner Benefits and Obligations Act of 2009:

"Today's vote is an important step toward a fairer and more just federal workplace. The Domestic Partner Benefits and Obligations Act will make available certain employment benefits, including health care, to the same-sex domestic partners of federal employees. This change will allow the government to compete with the private sector and attract younger workers to federal service. At its core, this legislation is a good business decision that will move us toward a better, stronger, more inclusive federal workforce."

BACKGROUND

* Almost 10,000 employers nationally already offer benefits to domestic partners. This legislation will place the government on par with top employers in the private sector.
* There are approximately 30,000 federal employees with same-sex partners who would be eligible for these benefits.
* The Office of Personnel Management estimates that covering same-sex partners would increase the overall health care costs to the federal government by only 0.2 percent.
* Both the White House and the Office of Personnel Management strongly support the Domestic Partner Benefits and Obligations Act of 2009.
* The Administration is committed to finding a way to pay for this bill, so it fully complies with House PAY-GO rules.

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