This is a great story and shows how there will be more recognition that gay couples are recognized officially in government matters. We should thank Nancy Pelosi for doing the right thing!
Tammy BaldwinWASHINGTON -- The Pentagon at first blocked Rep. Tammy Baldwin's domestic partner from traveling on a military plane with a congressional delegation on a trip to Europe but gave in after House Speaker Nancy Pelosi intervened.
The Pentagon said it was merely following House rules, which do not define domestic partners as spouses. Pelosi's office countered that the Pentagon has its own rules about who can go on its planes.
Both sides agree that Defense Secretary Robert Gates reversed the decision to keep Baldwin's partner, Lauren Azar, off the plane after getting contacted by Pelosi, D-Calif.
"It's a matter of fairness that spouses should be allowed to go, and she is Ms. Baldwin's spouse," said Pelosi spokesman Brendan Daly. He said that Baldwin had raised the exclusion with a colleague, who mentioned it to Pelosi. The lawmakers visited France, the Czech Republic and Poland last month. Six members of Congress were on the trip and five of them were accompanied by their spouses, including Baldwin, her spokeswoman Jerilyn Goodman said today.
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In her letter to Gates last month, Pelosi wrote that she was using "the waiver authority inherent in the speaker's travel policies to authorize the travel of Ms. Lauren Azar to accompany Representative Tammy Baldwin on a congressional delegation scheduled for the March congressional work period. I request that you in turn use your waiver authority to facilitate Ms. Azar's participation in the delegation."
http://www.madison.com/tct/news/stories/279938