Federal legislation would give gay couples equality in Social Security

[bear425]

http://www.advocate.com/news_detail_ektid29434.asp

Legislation introduced in the U.S House of Representatives last week would amend the Social Security Act to afford same-sex couples the same benefits, responsibilities, and obligations as others who pay into Social Security. The Equal Access to Social Security Act, H.R. 5152, would add the term "permanent partner" to the Social Security Act in addition to the terms "husband" and "wife," which are already present in the legal code.

"Same-sex couples are denied more than 1,000 federal benefits that other taxpayers are entitled to," said Democratic congressman Jerrold Nadler of New York, who authored the bill. "The Equal Access to Social Security Act addresses this inequity. Ultimately, the only way same-sex couples will be treated equally is when they are allowed to marry—but until that can be a reality for the millions of same-sex couples in this country, we should act to make federal law fair to all."

Nadler's bill does not address same-sex marriage but does provide gay and lesbian couples with some of the benefits married couples enjoy under the Social Security system. Under H.R. 5152, children of same-sex couples would be able to collect survivor benefits in the event of a parent's death, just as children of federally recognized married couples may do.

"I've heard many conservatives say that other than the case of marriage, they don't want to discriminate against the LGBT community," Nadler said. "If they truly don't want to discriminate, here is their chance to prove it. Same-sex couples pay the same taxes as married couples, and they deserve the same Social Security benefits as everyone else."

-more-

[Freedom_from_Chains]

1. The Freeps are going to love this

"The end times are upon us."

[xchrom]

3. let the hate come out.

i want people to be exposed to their lunacy -- let america look at it up close.

[sui generis]

4. so, next the "institution" of Social Security is only for

traditional families and individuals? That's a hard one to back up if gay parents are raising kids, since the "institution" was intended to protect families.

[BR_Parkway]

5. It's the real reason they are against equality - all us homos leave

our SS money to them, so they can keep spending it for stuff other that SS benefits, then claim SS is going broke and needs to be privatized.

Sure, we make great campaign/donation fodder by scaring the fundies, but if there is an (R) in the name, there's money at the root.

[sui generis]

2. now they're just going to have to pick their "mean"

either we can't get married and benefit from SS anyway or we CAN get married and suffer from the marriage penalty tax, and benefit from SS anyway. I believe I may actually be delighted, at least for a little while.

What to choose what to choose . . . :rofl:

Actually, I'm interested in the discussion on this. I wonder how the anti- side is going to try to use it against us (I mean Dems), and I wonder if our own politico people will say the mere attempt was "good enough, now STFU".

Hmmm.

[foreigncorrespondent]

6. Jerry is such a good boy!

He also was the original co-sponsor of the immigration act which would (if passed) give gay and lesbian citizens the right to sponsor their foreign born partners for immigration into the U.S.