Peter Graves, a spokesman for the Office of Personnel Management, which administers the congressional pension program, said same-sex partners are not recognized as spouses for any marriage benefits. He said Studds's case is the first of its kind known to the agency.
Under federal law, pensions can be denied only to lawmakers' same-sex partners and to people convicted of espionage or treason, Graves said.
Thursday, October 19, 2006
One of These Things Is Not Like the Others
Regarding pension benefits from recently deceased and openly gay congressman Gerry Studds (emphasis mine):
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5 comments:
Man, Peter Graves has really turned into a dick since he starred as the pilot in the movie "Airplane!"
Good point, Smitty. It's really a two-fer. As John Cole over at balloon juice suggests, maybe we should just waterboard all congresspeople to see who's gay.
we should just waterboard all congresspeople to see who's gay.
Excellent. Like the old "if you float you're a witch, and we have to execute you; if you sink you're not a witch and you'll get a proper Christian burial after you drown."
Therefore . . . If you receive benefits, you're neither gay nor a spy nor a traitor; if you receive no benefits, you're a gay traitor and therefore can receive no benefits.
Welcome to America, Version 0.6. Where the only Rule of Law is that there are no rules.
What I find interesting, although appalling, is that gay and lesbian members of Congress get their pensions, but surviving spouses or domestic partners do not.
I guess that's because Congress is worried that when a gay member expires, a long line of one-night-stand partners or pages who were their steadies for awhile will show up claiming to have been longterm domestic partners.
Looks like another good reason to have a law providing for domestic partnership or civil unions that are legally the equivalent of heterosexual marriages.
I guess that's because Congress is worried that when a gay member expires, a long line of one-night-stand partners or pages who were their steadies for awhile will show up claiming to have been longterm domestic partners.
Who knows how many people would try to claim Foley's benefits!
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