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________
THE WHITE HOUSE
Office of the Press Secretary
________________________________________________________________________________________________________
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
June 17, 2009
STATEMENT BY THE PRESIDENT ON THE PRESIDENTIAL MEMORANDUM ON FEDERAL BENEFITS AND NON-DISCRIMINATION, AND SUPPORT OF THE LIEBERMAN-BALDWIN BENEFITS LEGISLATION
In 2007, Michael Guest, the first openly gay Ambassador confirmed by the United States Senate, resigned from the Foreign Service. He loved his career, but he had to leave it in the end -- because he believed that the country he served was failing to implement the principles of equality it espoused abroad. His partner was ineligible for training provided to Ambassadorial spouses; he bore the costs of his partner's transportation to his placements abroad; and his partner did not receive the overseas benefits and allowances given to spouses of Ambassadors.
It is too late to prevent Ambassador Guest from having to make the choice he made, but today I am proud to issue a Presidential Memorandum that will go a long way toward achieving equality for many of the hard-working, dedicated, and patriotic LGBT Americans serving in our Federal Government -- Americans like Ambassador Guest. In consultation with Secretary Clinton, who in her role as Secretary of State oversees our foreign service employees, and Office of Personnel Management Director John Berry, who oversees human resource management for our civil service employees, my Administration has identified a number of areas in which greater equality can be achieved under existing law by extending to the same-sex partners of Federal employees many of the same benefits already available to the spouses of heterosexual Federal employees. I am therefore requesting the Secretary of State and the Director of the Office of Personnel Management to extend the benefits they have identified to the same-sex partners of Federal employees where doing so can be achieved consistent with Federal law. I am also requesting the heads of all other executive departments and agencies to conduct a review of the benefits they administer to determine which may legally be extended to same-sex partners.
But this Presidential Memorandum is just a start. Unfortunately, my Administration is not authorized by existing Federal law to provide same-sex couples with the full range of benefits enjoyed by heterosexual married couples. That's why I stand by my long-standing commitment to work with Congress to repeal the so-called Defense of Marriage Act. It's discriminatory, it interferes with States' rights, and it's time we overturned it.
I am also proud to announce my support for an important piece of legislation introduced in both Houses of Congress last month -- the Domestic Partners Benefits and Obligations Act of 2009. This legislation will extend to the same-sex partners of Federal employees the same benefits already enjoyed by the opposite-sex spouses of Federal employees. The legislation has a number of co-sponsors in both Houses of Congress, but among those many sponsors, I want to recognize one in particular -- Representative Tammy Baldwin, who has been a real leader on this issue, and more broadly on the LGBT struggle for equality. Representative Baldwin, I look forward to working with you to achieve the important objectives set out in this bill as it moves through the legislative process. I also look forward to working with the bill's Senate champions, Senators Lieberman and Collins; I know that they will approach this process with the same spirit of cooperation in pursuit of our shared goals that they bring to all of their work in the Senate.
Extending equal benefits to the same-sex partners of Federal employees is the right thing to do. It is also sound economic policy. Many top employers in the private sector already offer benefits to the same-sex partners of their employees; those companies recognize that offering partner benefits helps them compete for and retain the brightest and most talented employees. The Federal Government is at a disadvantage on that score right now, and change is long overdue.
As Americans, we are all affected when our promises of equality go unfulfilled. Through measures like the Presidential Memorandum I am issuing today and the Domestic Partners Benefits and Obligations Act of 2009, we will advance the principles upon which our Nation was founded and continue to perfect our Union.
***
More on the topic, from GovernmentExecutive.com
John Berry, the highest-ranking openly LGBT official in the Obama administration, delivered a stirring and poignant appeal to Justice Department employees at their Pride celebration.
John Berry, the openly gay director of the Office of Personnel Management, delivered a deeply moving and personal speech to a mixed crowd of about 200 Department of Justice employees at their annual Pride Awards on Wednesday.
Berry paid tribute to the “patrons of the Stonewall bar” and Frank Kameny, the gay rights icon who fought to eradicate discriminatory practices in the federal workforce, before citing his own experiences as a gay man to simultaneously touch and challenge the hearts of those sitting before him.
The goal of the LGBT movement is simple, he said. “All Americans should be free to work where their skills enable them, free to share equally in every right as well as every responsibility and burden of citizenship, and free to love and pursue happiness no more and no less than our fellow Americans.”
Berry, well aware his LGBT peers often feel ostracized and belittled by their fellow citizens, drew strength in recalling the struggles once faced by some of the nation’s most hallowed citizens.
“Who can forget the courage of Washington, Jefferson, and Franklin, when many of their neighbors and countrymen saw their pursuit of liberty as treason and would have cheered their hanging?” he offered. “Whether it was securing a woman’s right to vote or ending 'separate but equal' -- make no mistake -- Susan B. Anthony and Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. were not unanimously acclaimed and embraced by all their country.”
“Today, our country is once again divided -- and pray as I do for a middle ground, finding it is often elusive when liberty is at stake,” he declared.
The tree of liberty grows by adding new rings, Berry said, and “we must not rest until our ring is secure. We shall be clear in our ends; we shall be honest and open; we shall work where our abilities allow; we shall continue to serve our country with bravery and distinction; we shall love who our hearts desire.”
Berry capped his speech with two remarkably open and personal appeals to the audience.
Coming from a long line of men who served in the military, he told of his father’s puzzlement at the nation’s present treatment of gays who serve. “We didn’t call ‘em gays -- but they were there and they died as bravely as everyone else,” Berry’s father said to him in the year before he died.
Berry then recalled one of his good friends who was gay and had served in the Middle East. “His sacrifice and risk of life was no less dear than anyone. I ask America, where do you stand -- with his honorable service or with those who would make him lie to do so?”
In the final moments of his address, Berry revisited losing his partner of 10 years to AIDS after it reduced his athletic 190-pound body to just 90 pounds.
“I was his primary caregiver -- and I held him in my arms as he died. I would have gladly traded my life for his that night, just as I would do so now for my current partner of 12 years if ever need be. Were we married? No, but I dare anyone to say we were not in love. I was blessed by two supportive families and dear friends who honored our relationship. If I hadn’t been -- I shudder to think -- because no power on earth could have kept me from his side.
“Again, I ask: Where do you stand? Honoring love as precious and true wherever you find it, or with those who would demean or deny it?
“I urge you. Stand where you can be proud. Stand with service and truth. Stand with love. Stand for liberty and justice for all,” he concluded.
Those who witnessed the address said it profoundly impacted the audience, partly due to Berry’s candor but also because of his standing within the administration as the human resources manager of about 1.9 million federal employees.
“His position allows him to understand the complexities of government work, the challenges facing LGBT employees, and the distance we have yet to travel in order to reach full equality,” said Chris Hook, a budget analyst who is president of 'Department of Justice Pride'. “His presence and his words serve as an inspiration and reminder to all LGBT employees in federal service that he too shares our goals and our frustrations while providing hope that this administration will take the necessary steps to ensure equality for all.”
Vic Basile, a longtime LGBT activist who now serves as special counselor to the director at OPM, said Berry definitely had his audience in mind when he wrote this speech. The Department of Justice is currently mulling a number of LGBT issues, including legal challenges to the Defense of Marriage Act and “don’t ask, don’t tell,” but it is also reviewing personnel policies that might be made more LGBT-friendly without congressional oversight.
“He knows he has the ear of a lot of people who are decision makers,” Basile said. “He knew he had an opportunity to reach people at very high levels and on very human terms, and he did so in ways that I think anybody can understand.”
Full text of John Berry's speech as prepared for delivery below:
Thank you. It’s good to be here at the Department of Justice. I deeply appreciate the work you do and thank you for your service to our country. Thank you, Mr. Attorney General, for your leadership in continuing this wonderful tradition of celebrating Gay Pride. And thank you, Chris Hook, for the kind introduction. It’s an honor to be with you all today.
I’m so glad that you’re honoring Dr. Frank Kameny today. In 1957, two years before I was born, Dr. Kameny, a veteran and Ph.D. astronomer from Harvard, was fired from his civil service job solely for his sexual orientation. In one letter to him, an agency official wrote that the Government “does not hire homosexuals and will not permit their employment...” He went on to say that “the homosexual is automatically a security risk” and that he “frequently becomes a disruptive personnel factor within any organization.”
With the fervent passion of a true patriot, Frank did not resign himself to his fate or quietly endure his wrong. He fought back. After 20 years, he achieved the goal he sought: The repudiation of the Government’s policy of formal and unfounded discrimination.
That same spirit burned in the hearts of patrons of the Stonewall bar on a warm July night 40 years ago. Laws against homosexuality were often selectively enforced by police -- not to protect and defend, but to terrorize and abuse an unpopular minority. On one such raid to arrest gay and transgender patrons of the Stonewall bar, that same spark of liberty that burned so brightly in Frank Kameny’s chest burst to bonfire life in New York City.
Saying “no” to abuse, “no” to harassment, “no” to basic violations of human dignity -- proud Americans stood up, fought back, and gave birth to the national movement for lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender rights.
That movement’s agenda and goal is simple: All Americans should be free to work where their skills enable them; free to share equally in every right as well as every responsibility and burden of citizenship; and free to love and pursue happiness no more and no less than our fellow Americans.
This struggle follows the great American tradition of taking on difficult battles with the same full depth of commitment and passion of those who fought for liberty and against the injustices of their day. Who can forget the courage of Washington, Jefferson, and Franklin, when many of their neighbors and countrymen saw their pursuit of liberty as treason and would have cheered their hanging?
We need no public poll to tell us how half the country, desperately defending the shackles of slavery, used Scripture, courts, secession, and war to declare African-Americans as chattel and 3/5ths of a person.
Whether it was securing a woman’s right to vote or ending “separate but equal” -- make no mistake -- Susan B. Anthony and Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. were not unanimously acclaimed and embraced by all their country. Thankfully, they were embraced by enough hearts, with enough passion, that together they could stand their ground with courage and hope, carrying the day for right, for justice, and for liberty.
Today, our country is once again divided -- and pray as I do for a middle ground, finding it is often elusive when liberty is at stake.
The tree of liberty grows but in one direction -- by adding rings. It is that miraculous quality that has produced the proud sheltering and living tree whose branches have withstood the lightning strike of secession and the gale force winds of fascism and communism.
The rings of that tree are nourished by honesty and truth, warmed by love and justice, and rooted in respect and dignity. It is my belief that Frank Kameny’s fight to hold a job he did well and the passionate fight for dignity and respect that began at Stonewall were not isolated events. They were in fact the formation of a new ring of life on the American tree of liberty.
How privileged are we, in this generation, to stand upon their shoulders and carry forth their fight? We must not rest until our ring is secure. We shall be clear in our ends; we shall be honest and open; we shall work where our abilities allow; we shall continue to serve our country with bravery and distinction; we shall love who our hearts desire. And with the help of a President who supports our cause, the aid of courageous fellow country men and women who love liberty; and with God’s grace -- We Shall Prevail.
I would like to end on a personal note. I come from a family with a proud tradition of service. My father enlisted in the Marines before Pearl Harbor and served at Guadalcanal, and my uncle, for whom I am named, was killed in battle in the Pacific.
In the year before he died, my father told me that he didn’t know what all the fuss about gays in the Military was about. He said “we didn’t call 'em gays -- but they were there and they died as bravely as everyone else.” I know he was right. A good friend of mine was a Colonel who honorably served in the Middle East. His sacrifice and risk of life was no less dear than anyone. I ask America, where do you stand -- with his honorable service or with those who would make him lie to do so?
My family has never known divorce. My first partner of 10 years died after a protracted and grueling battle with AIDS that reduced a 6-foot-2 190-pound athlete to 90 pounds at death. I was his primary caregiver -- and I held him in my arms as he died. I would have gladly traded my life for his that night, just as I would do so now for my current partner of 12 years if ever need be. Were we married? No, but I dare anyone to say we were not in love. I was blessed by two supportive families and dear friends who honored our relationship. If I hadn’t been -- I shudder to think -- because no power on earth could have kept me from his side.
Again, I ask: Where do you stand? Honoring love as precious and true wherever you find it, or with those who would demean or deny it?
I urge you. Stand where you can be proud. Stand with service and truth. Stand with love. Stand for liberty and justice for all.
God Bless you and God Bless America.
On May 20, 2009, The Domestic Partnership and Obligations Act was re-introduced in both the Senate and the House.
HRC statement (5/20/2009)
FED GLOBE issued the following statement:
Federal GLOBE: Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, Transgender Employees of the Federal Government strongly welcomes the bicameral and bipartisan introduction of the Domestic Partnership Benefits and Obligations Act. We urge the White House to strongly support this legislation and work with Congress for the speedy and long-overdue passage of this bill. We thank the Senate leads Senators Joe Lieberman (I-CT) and Susan CoIlins (R-ME), the Chairman and Ranking Member of the Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, respectively and, Reps. Tammy Baldwin (D-WI) and Ileana Ros-Lehtinen (R-FL) who will be the lead sponsors in the House. We thank all of those members who have signed on and call upon every member of Congress to support this bill. We note that in the last Congress, then Senator Obama was one of the supporters of the bill. This legislation is important for the United States both because it will help the government recruit and retain the best possible employees and because it moves towards equity in benefits for all Federal employees. As Mrs. Obama has pointed out in her greatly appreciated visits with the Departments of the government, the civil service is hard working, doing the country’s work, and deserving of respect. The Domestic Partnership Benefits and Obligations Act provides this respect and supports a portion of the civil service who currently do not have equal access to many of the benefits for their families which arise from government service. We call upon the Office of Personnel Management to examine the experiences of those companies and governmental units in the public and private sector which already provide DP benefits for best practices and outline speedy implementation plan to put in place when Congress pass this legislation. In 1992, the major issue facing LGBT Federal employees was discrimination during security clearance procedures. Federal GLOBE worked with departments and agencies to evaluate their practices and procedures and to eliminate this and other overt discriminatory practices, based on the rights which Federal employees have under the 1978 Civil Service Reform Act to be free from personnel actions which are based on “non‐merit” factors. President Clinton, in issuing his 1998 Executive Order 13087 (which amends E.O. 11478), reiterated and made clear that there would be a uniform policy throughout the whole government, that discrimination based on sexual orientation, would not be tolerated. |
Federal GLOBE: Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, Transgender Employees of the Federal Government |
PO Box 23922 Washington, D.C. 20026‐3922 |
Federal GLOBE sent a questionnaire to our membership in August 2008 to gain increased insight into their concerns.1 We received over 750 responses. Over 2/3 reported they would be interested in receiving benefits included in this bill, and most would sign up in appropriate registries as stipulated in the bill (though some felt it was discriminatory as such affidavits are not requested of heterosexual unions). They are currently paying an average of $1,800 additional for benefits since they cannot add their partners and families to the government plans. We would like to share some of the findings with you which reflect on the importance of this bill and their concerns. The themes we heard repeatedly were that LGBT employees were looking to Congress to treat us fairly and equally with other government employees. We heard that the lack of benefits were creating problems with retention of employees and with recruitment of new employees in this critical time when the baby boomers are retiring and the government needs well skilled, creative, and innovative employees. When we cannot compete with the private sector or many state and municipal governments, we cannot attract the best and the brightest. Their interests are the interests of all Americans—access to affordable health care; benefits for their children, natural, adopted, and foster; retirement benefits to their families; and equal payment and support for job related expenses such as relocation expenses. Government workers in many agencies move cities and countries to do their jobs. However, many agencies believe they cannot support the movement of the whole household of LGBT families, creating increased problems and costs. The government will pay for the movement of an employee’s canary but not of their life partner. For our members in the foreign affairs agencies this is an enormous burden and increases not only costs for them but the danger to their families when they cannot get Embassy medical care, jobs, and, when necessary, evacuation in times of emergency.2
|
In 2009, the major issue facing LGBT Federal employees is the lack of benefits for their families and the additional costs which this imposes. The Domestic Partnership Benefits and Obligations Act addresses this major concern. From daily concerns on health benefits for our families, to concerns about the retirement benefits we can leave to our loved ones, this standing inequality not only impacts our daily lives, but the government’s ability to recruit and retain the best and the brightest for Federal employment. In this time of economic uncertainty it is even more important for this bill to pass and to provide loyal, hard‐working government employees these benefits so their families can be more secure and enabled to work bringing the United States out of its problems and again be in the forefront of the world in innovation, entrepreneurship and leadership. This is not a new issue—Federal GLOBE, OPM GLOBE and many individual federal workers have requested benefit changes and additions for many years. |
“I have had to turn down overseas assignments because my same sex partner could not obtain insurance to enable him to relocate with me.” |
We were struck with the number of comments we received from government employees that one negative impact of not being able to provide benefits to their partners is that it all to frequently stopped the partner from being entrepreneurial—starting new businesses, working for many not‐for‐profits, because these new or service organizations could not afford health care insurance packages. Providing benefits for LGBT government worker partners will enable increased development of small businesses and employment options for service organizations around the country and the world. As one person put it: |
“My partner could not afford to take an exciting but risky position in a startup.” |
A majority of our respondents knew Federal employees who had left government service to be able to provide benefits for their families from private sector employers. Not only is this a matter of simple fairness, the government is well behind civil society in this regard and cannot compete effectively. As one long‐term scientist put it: |
"When I joined the federal government 30 years ago domestic partner benefits were unusual. Times have changed- now EVERY university and major biotech partner would offer my partner /same-sex spouse the same benefits as an opposite-sex partner/spouse. I would not join the government today; they are discriminating against me." |
In order to remain competitive and continue to offer high quality service to the American people, the government needs to be able to attract the best Americans to fill the many jobs which are open and coming open within the federal government. All studies have shown that this will be an increasing problem for the government in the coming years and providing domestic partner benefits fully will enable the Federal government better compete for excellent and caring employees. As one respondent said: |
“Each year I help recruit individuals for the DOE, and at every session I am asked if there are Domestic Partner Benefits. I think if the Federal Government wants to be able to compete and retain quality individuals, they need to consider following industry standards in this regard.” |
All Americans, gay and straight, have the interest and need to protect their families and build lives of merit and caring. Government policy should not lead to irony, as stated so eloquently in this final quote we will use to illustrate the problems we face by not having the benefits which this bill would provide: |
“Within the last year, my partner had to quit her federal position to be at home with our special needs child and we cannot afford private health insurance. She required emergency surgery a number of months ago and we now have over $17,000 worth of medical bills. I think it is ironic that she cannot be on my health insurance policy but these doctors/hospitals want to hold me financially responsible for her debts since we have a house in both of our names. She cannot receive Medicare/Medicaid because I make too much money yet I cannot claim her as a dependent for tax purposes." |
1 All of the quotes in indented italic paragraphs are from the comments we received from LGBT federal employees and contractors from this questionnaire. |
2 Many of the foreign affairs agency employees also articulated their issues with getting appropriate legal status for their partners from other countries, which is not included in this bill but is in the United American Families Act UAFA) which Federal GLOBE also strongly supports. |
DC Pride is fast approaching! Save the following dates:
Friday June 12th, FED GLOBE Party at a location to be announced
Saturday June 13th, evening GLOBE is hoping to have a presence in the Parade. If you are willing to march as a GLOBE member, please use the Contact Us button below and drop an e-mail indicating your interest.
Sunday June 14th. Federal GLOBE will have a table at the Festival. If you would like to volunteer to staff the table, please drop a note using the "Contact Us" button below..
Gay Men's Peer Counseling at Whitman Walker
As gay men, sometimes we just need someone to listen. That's where Gay Men's
Peer Counseling of Whitman-Walker Clinic comes in. They're're not professional
therapists, they're gay men who've been there. So if you're ready to talk about
relationships, coming out or other concerns, they're ready to listen.and help.
Peer counseling and support is provided to individuals and couples who are dealing
with relationship issues, self-esteem, jobs, health concerns, coming out or
other challenges. The program also offers a series of 10-week coming out groups
to help men deal with issues surrounding accepting one's gay or bisexual identity.To
leave a confidential message, call (202) 797-3592, and someone will return your
call within 48 hours. Or, send an email to info@DCPeerCounseling.org.
The Center, an GLBT organization in Washington, DC is creating a speakers bureau in repsonse to requests they receive for speakers or panelists on a wide variety of issues impacting the GLBT community. The list will be available at their offices, or on their website.
Being listed does not obligate you to speak at any particular
event, nor does it guarantee that you will be asked to speak. Also, it’s
important for you to know that you control what personal information, if any,
is included in the directory. You can choose to not list your e-mail or phone
number, in which case The Center will forward requests to you directly.
You can get more
information, or if you would like to be included in the list of local speakers
simply fill out the
form and let them know. You can also download the speakers bureau form in
pdf format
and mail it in to The Center.
Join FedGLOBE
for the Federal Employee happy hour. 
Richard Klein representing FDA GLOBE at the November 28, 2007
HHS Diversity
Briefing at the Great Hall of the Humphrey Buidling
November 27, 2007 FDA Diversity Fair at White Oak
(l. to r., Linda Amendt, Richard Klein, Diane Gubernot)
