June 18, 2009
President Barack Obama has extended some federal health benefits to same-sex partners of US government workers, in what he said was a historic step towards equality for gays and lesbians.
"Many of our government's hardworking and dedicated patriotic public servants have long been denied basic rights... for one simple reason, the people that they love are of the same sex," Obama said on Wednesday.
Obama signed a presidential memorandum ushering in the changes, in the wake of rising criticism from some lesbian and gay rights groups about what they see as sluggish progress towards implementing campaign promises.
Under the new measures, domestic partners of federal workers will get benefits including long term care insurance. Government workers will also be able to use sick days to care for their partners if they become ill.
The move will also cover members of the foreign service, allowing partners of diplomats to use medical facilities at US posts abroad, to benefit from medical evacuations and to be included in housing allocations.
But Obama's memorandum does not include comprehensive health and life insurance. Obama promised to back legislation in Congress allowing those full benefits to be provided.
Despite his action on Wednesday, the president has yet to follow through on a White House promise to end the ban on gays serving openly in the US military - a hugely controversial issue.
Gay groups also recently slammed the Obama Justice Department for backing the Defence of Marriage Act (DOMA), which denies federal benefits to same-sex married couples.
© 2009 AFP
http://news.theage.com.au/breaking-news-world/obama-extends-gay-health-benefits-20090618-cige.html
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