Partnerships for a Percent of a Percent of the Population?Why can’t congress just create a National Domestic Partnership Registry, similar to Washington’s and Nevada’s? It would make things easier in the long run for a DOMA repeal, whether legislative or judicial…

Fundies head explosionsin 3…2…1…

You should askyour US Senators and Rep. that question.  Give them a call and see what they say, then let us know.

Speaking of,did you see this?

(The omnibus spending measure just passed by the House) includes the measure that provides federal funding for the District (of Columbia). City leaders rejoiced this week after a House-Senate conference committee agreed to remove a handful of controversial, long-standing riders from the D.C. budget, including language that banned needle-exchange programs, medical marijuana use and local government-funded abortion. The bill also would end a ban on using federal money “for domestic partnership registration and benefits.”

Heh.  That’s gonna cause some acid indigestion this weekend in a few fundie guts.

Been wonderingEver since this first came up I’ve been wondering how they’re able to do this while DOMA’s still in place.  Doesn’t this constitute a “marriage-like benefit” which DOMA prohibits?
Not that I’m complaining!  My wife is a federal employee, and even though we live in a state that has marriage equality she can’t cover me under her health benefit.  Kinda scary going without health insurance since I’m in my 60s (and can’t get private coverage due to a pre-existing condition) but not yet eligible for Medicare.
I realize this would only help a few people, but… being one of the few… it would make a big difference for those few of us it would impact.  Probably doesn’t have a hope in hell of passing.

I don’t think DOMA is a problemIf you look at the pertinent section of DOMA, there is no prohibition to this as long as the words “marriage” and “spouse” aren’t used.

In determining the meaning of any Act of Congress, or of any ruling, regulation, or interpretation of the various administrative bureaus and agencies of the United States, the word “marriage” means only a legal union between one man and one woman as husband and wife, and the word “spouse” refers only to a person of the opposite sex who is a husband or a wife.

As for only helping a few people, the opposite is true:

# With more than 1.8 million civilian employees, the Federal Government, excluding the Postal Service is the Nation’s largest employer.
# About 9 out of 10 Federal employees work outside the Washington, DC metropolitan area.