Federal Workers' Partners Win Some Benefits, but no Marriage Law

Wednesday, President Obama signed a presidential memorandum extending limited benefits to the same-sex partners of federal employees. But what the memorandum is really notable for is what it does not do. It does not extend full health care benefits to partners, it does not change the ban on serving in the military, and it is does not recognize same-sex marriages across state lines.Six states have legalized same-sex marriage, and some people have suggested that continuing to win legalization state by state may be the only way to avoid the controversy of trying to enact a federal law.

The problem with this, however, is the federal Defense of Marriage Act, which leaves the option of whether to recognize same-sex marriages up to each state. Under the act, a same-sex couple may be married in New Hampshire, Connecticut and Iowa, but just good friends in Rhode Island, Michigan and Illinois. Imagine if all marriages were valid for just as long as you stayed within state lines. Beltway residents alone would have to have hold three separate weddings just to remain married for the entirety of a ride on the metro line.

While this strategy of a wedding in every surrounding state would probably prove to be a huge boon for the greeting card industry, local jazz bands and bakeries, it's not very practical. And neither is trying to work around the Defense of Marriage Act. Far better to work on repealing it. The Washington Post reports that Press Secretary Robert Gibbs says the Obama Administration remains committed to doing that by the 2010 congressional elections.