House Committee Passes Domestic Partnership Bill-- With Every Single Republican Voting NO, Even The Gay Ones

Yesterday, the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee voted 23-12 to pass the Domestic Partner Benefits and Obligations Act, which would extend benefits to same-sex partners of federal government workers. Next step: the full House, where it is expected to pass, then the Senate and then the President's desk. All of the "yes" votes were from Democrats and all of the "no" votes were from Republicans, including Illinois closet queen Aaron Schock. Another Illinois member of the committee, Danny Davis (D-IL) mentioned in the debate that “It is unsettling to me to think that because of the way that someone might feel, the way they might act, or the way they might behave-- circumstances that they have no control over-- that the rest of us would sit in some kind of judgment to deny them the very things that we would want for ourselves." He didn't get into the deep psychosis involved when fearful closet cases like Schock and Patrick McHenry (R-NC), who also voted against the bill, factor in their own severe mental problems, trying to balance their own sexual preference against the demands of the extreme right-wing, homophobic political party they belong to. It will be interesting to watch and see what other Republican closet cases like David Dreier (R-CA), Adrian Smith (R-NE), Dana Rohrabacher (R-CA) and Trent Franks (R-AZ) do when the bill comes up for a vote in the full House.

Republican California congressman Darrell Issa, the ranking member on the committee, objected to the bill on the grounds that it was fiscally irresponsible.

“We are taking up a bill that casts aside all concerns about fiscal responsibility in order to bestow costly new benefits to a select class of federal employees,” he said.

We're talking about equality and the bill is covered under pay-as-you-go rules. But Issa wasn't the only vicious homophobe from California to object. San Diego Republican always has his own kooky perspective on anything that comes up: his virulent hatred of immigrants, especially immigrants from south of the border. If you thought Lou Dobbs was bad... Bilbray, who made it clear he would vote against the bill no matter what amendments passed, offered one of his own to "prohibit benefits from being awarded unless the applicant has been screened by the E-verify program under the Illegal Immigration Reform and Immigrant Responsibility Act of 1996 (PL 104-208) and determined to have a lawful presence in the United States." Three conservative Democrats, Steve Dreihaus (OH), Bill Foster (IL) and Paul Kanjorski (PA) joined a dozen Republicans in favor; it lost anyway, 15-20.

I asked Francine Busby, the Democrat who is running against Bilbray next year, to make some sense for me about why Bilbray is bringing up his xenophobia in the middle of a discussion about health care equality. She didn't hold back: "Extending healthcare and other employee benefits to domestic partners of federal employees as a long-overdue giant step toward ending discrimination and assuring that all Americans enjoy their rightful civic and equal rights. Rep. Brian Bilbray's proposed amendment to verify the immigration status of domestic partners proves again that illegal immigration is his one and only issue, whether it is pertinent to the topic or not." Other Democrats were less polite to the whack-job everyone in DC knows Bilbray is. Patrick Kennedy (D-RI) came right out and said his amendment amounted to political posturing and was not germane to the legislation. And during the debate Stephen Lynch (D-MA) asked Bilbray point blank if "we now have to be afraid of gay people coming over the border and entering into domestic partnerships with federal employees? This is where it becomes just too incredible to believe. There are concerns we ought to be grappling with... I don't think this is really one of them."

The bill itself, H.R. 2517 defines a domestic partner as an adult unmarried person living with another adult unmarried person in a committed relationship, who intends to live with that person indefinitely. It would apply to individuals in a domestic partnership with a federal employee, former federal employee, member of Congress, former member of Congress, or annuitant. The bill would cover benefits including health care; disability; family, medical and emergency leave; long-term-care insurance; and compensation for work injuries. Domestic partners could also receive benefits from participation in the thrift savings plan and the Federal Employees' Retirement System.

Paul Hodes (D-NH), who is running for the U.S. Senate, feels the bill is just one step on a long road: "Yesterday," he told DWT "I voted for the Domestic Partner Benefits bill, which would extend benefits to same-sex partners of federal government workers. While this is an important step forward towards ensuring equal access to marriage benefits, I am still fighting for full marriage equality. The time has come for all couples to be able to enjoy the benefits of marriage.”

I was proud of my own congresswoman, Diane Watson (D-CA), who-- as usual, did not disappoint. "All this bill does is stop the federal government from playing favorites, based on irrelevant factors, among those who do the work of this nation. But for five hours we were subjected to Republicans waxing self-righteous on the right of Congress to discriminate against federal employees' whose committed relationships they disdain."

Earlier today I noticed a tweet from the right-wing version of the Log Cabin Republicans, a bunch of gay GOP extremists, sort of teabaggers in more ways than one.


They seem happy the bill passed-- and they should. Kumbaya, teabaggers! But they still didn't offer a word of admonition for the homophobic votes cast by every Republican: Brian Bilbray (R-CA) John Burton (R-IN), homophobic fanatic Jason Chaffetz (R-UT), Jeff Flake (R-AZ), Jeff Fortenberry (R-NE), Darrell Issa (R-CA), Jim Jordan (R-OH), Blaine Luetkemeyer (R-MO), Patty McHenry (R-NC), Aaron Schock (R-IL), Mark Souder (R-IN), and Steve Turner (R-OH). And not a peep about the two gay Republicans on the committee, McHenry and Schock. Let's keep in mind that even passive homophobia from public officials leads to-- gives permission to-- this kind of thing. Muchas gracias, Aaron and Patty!

It sure is a very different matter for David Dreier's congressional chief-of-staff/domestic partner. Because the powerful Republican closeted congressman was able to get his lover, Brad Smith, a very highly paid job in Congress, they not only traveled the world together, Smith had all the healthcare insurance he needed. The thing I never understand about these Republicans-- and especially not about the closet cases-- is not just that they have no empathy for other people outside their narrow circles, but that they actually hate and fear anyone who does have empathy.