GAY IE

GAY IE ISSUES
Gay partners of federal employees to get benefits;
Obama pledges to work to repeal DOMA

President Barack Obama signed a presidential memorandum on Wednesday to extend some benefits to the gay and lesbian partners of executive branch and foreign service employees.

In his remarks, the president said this was just a first step and promised to work with Congress to overturn the Defense of Marriage Act.

The signing ceremony was conducted in the Oval Office at the White House and broadcast live on some cable news networks.

The memorandum directs Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and Director of the Office of Personnel Management John Berry to oversee implementation of the policy.

Berry is the highest-ranking openly gay official in the administration. Clinton announced in May that the U.S. State Department would extend benefits to same-sex partners of diplomats.

Obama's action comes as many gay advocates are expressing disappointment in the administration's lack of progress on repealing the Defense of Marriage Act and Don't Ask, Don't Tell.

Reaction from the Human Rights Campaign:

"We commend President Obama and his administration for taking this beginning step to level the playing field but we look forward to working with him to repeal the Defense of Marriage Act, overturn 'Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell' and guarantee the entire American workforce is free from discrimination.”