HRC Blog

HRC Applauds Committee Approval of Domestic Partnership Benefits and Obligations Act

May 16, 2012 by Paul Guequierre

Moments ago, the U.S. Senate Homeland Security and Government Affairs Committee approved the Domestic Partnership Benefits and Obligations Act (DPBO) by a voice vote. DPBO would provide benefits for same-sex domestic partners of federal civilian employees on the same basis as spousal benefits. These benefits would include participation in applicable retirement programs, life and health insurance benefits, and family and medical leave. DPBO is sponsored by Sens. Joe Lieberman (I-CT) and Susan Collins (R-ME), two leaders in the fight for LGBT equality.

DPBO will provide benefits that many private sector employers have been offering for years. Currently, 60 percent of Fortune 500 companies provide domestic partner benefits to their employees. The federal government would be wise to follow the private sector in offering equal pay for equal work. America’s major corporations have discovered that equality is not only the right thing to do, but good for business. Equal workplace policies, like those DPBO would enact, will help attract and retain the best and brightest talent, which is exactly what our federal workforce needs.

Unfortunately the fight for DPBO is not over. HRC calls on the full Senate to pass the bill.