Office of Personnel Management director John Berry just wrapped up a conference call discussing the upcoming signing of a memorandum by President Obama that will extend a number of benefits to the same-sex partners of federal employees -- though notably not including health care, retirement and survivor benefits -- and expand federal anti-discrimination rules. A few quick points from the call:
- Given the controversies over the administration's brief defending DOMA, a lot of people believe this memorandum is being rushed out the door to mollify the gay community. Berry says the work has been underway for months: "This is not in response in any way to any outside pressure, it's in response to a clear strategy the president and administration have."
- With health insurance off the table because of DOMA, making this a very limited change in many ways, why should the LGBT community be enthused? Says Berry, "What the president is doing here is a first step, not a final step." He called the memorandum the first part of an attempt to "get our federal house in order" and "an example of practicing before preaching."
- Asked if the president will be urging congress to pass the Lieberman-Baldwin legislation that would allow for extension of health insurance benefits to same-sex partners of federal employees, Berry said, "The president will be making a statement later today and I will leave that to the president to discuss."
- According to Berry, the guidance to federal agencies that will be forthcoming in the next 90 days will specifically include gender identity and expression as protected against discrimination in federal employment.
- Berry reiterated that the president is committed to passage of Hate Crimes and ENDA, and the repeal of DOMA and DADT. However, asked for a timeline, he said, "Anybody who works in Washington who tells you a specific timeline is kidding you," and that a timeline is determined by when you get the votes in congress. Again, though, he didn't address any specific plans by the president or the administration to begin moving forward on getting those votes -- we'll have to see what the president says at 5:45 p.m.
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