Tammy Baldwin

This legislation is needed to offer gay and lesbian Federal workers true equality and benefits and ensure fairness in the workplace.

Marriage by another name is of concern to me and I think the majority of Americans.

Correcting a longstanding injustice which has resulted in some Federal workers not receiving equal pay for equal work.

The principles of equality, fairness, and inclusion in the workplace, principles that should be commonplace for the Federal Government as an employer both in theory and in fact.

These provisions have been specifically added as strong fraud prevention language.

We lag behind in the fact that the Federal Government does not offer these employment benefits.

I would hope that the fact that literally thousands of private sector corporations and State and local units of government have seen fit to enact domestic partnership registries and offer employment benefits would give some comfort.

I, in no way, view this measure, as limited as it is, as a way to replicate marriage by another name.

I regard this very much as an issue of equal compensation for equal work where we have identified a glaring discrepancy based merely on sexual orientation.

I think additional clarity, because of the progress being made in a number of States, is warranted.

That would be very welcome.

Congresswoman Baldwin has recommended it be filed with OPM.

This is a mechanism that allows people like myself who've been in a 13-plus-year relationship to be able to provide for my family.

The option is available for a heterosexual couple to marry, and then these employment benefits would flow automatically on the basis of that marriage and that spousal relationship.

Should they desire those benefits, they would have the option of marrying, and that is a choice open to them.

The option exists for opposite-sex couples to marry in every State of the Union.

I represent a district with a world-class university, the University of Wisconsin-Madison...

The way this legislation would work in practice recognizes the fact we have Federal employees around the world

That would require a separate act of Congress, one that I support strongly, which would be repeal of title 3 of the Defense of Marriage Act

The Federal Government cannot recognize these marriages because of DOMA, the Defense of Marriage Act

This legislation is a valuable business opportunity for the Federal Government to enhance our recruitment and our retention efforts.

Simply put, extending benefits to same-sex partners is a good, practical, bottom-line business decision.

The President took an important first step toward addressing these shortfalls when he signed the memorandum last month directing all Federal agencies to extend benefits to same-sex domestic partners of Federal employees to the extent now…

Surely, the public interest requires that these obligations also apply to partners of gay and lesbian office holders.

I would associate myself with the comments of Director Berry with regard to this point.