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 Anti-Gay Language Reinstated In DC
Appropriations Bill Following Bush Veto Threat
by 365Gay.com Newscenter Staff
Posted: June 29, 2007 - 10:00 am ET
(Washington) A bill providing federal funding to
the District of Columbia has passed the House after a clause stating the money
could not be used to fund a domestic partner registry was reinstated.
President Bush on Wednesday threatened to veto
the bill if it did not contain the clause. (story)
The registry allows same and opposite-sex
unmarried couples to register their relationships.
Three quarters of the District of Columbia's
budget comes from local revenue - city taxes and fees. But, about $120 million
in additional funds comes from the federal government.
That money is contained in the Financial Services
and General Government Appropriations Act.
Under Republicans the legislation stated that
none of the federal money could be used to support the partner registry.
When Democrats took control of Congress the requirement was removed in committee.
In threatening a veto the White House on
Wednesday issued a statement saying: "The Administration strongly opposes
the bill’s exclusion of a longstanding provision that disallows the use of
Federal funds to register unmarried, cohabitating couples in the District, to
enable them to qualify for benefits on the same basis as legally married
couples. Under Federal law, legal marriage is the union between a man and a
woman. Federal tax dollars are not used to extend employment benefits to
domestic partners of Federal employees, and D.C. should not enjoy an exception
to this rule."
The Domestic Partner registry includes such
partner rights as hospital and nursing home visitations, medical decisions, and
inheritance rights.
When the bill came to a vote on the House floor
late Thursday
Rep. Virgil Goode (R-VA) offered an amendment adding back the anti-gay language.
The amendment passed by a vote of 224 to 200.
"In
the wake of a hateful and divisive White House veto threat, we are disappointed
that the House of Representatives voted to approve the Goode Amendment and add
anti-gay language into the DC Appropriations bill," said Human Rights Campaign President Joe Solmonese
in a statement.
"We
appreciate the efforts of our fair-minded Committee leaders in removing this
unnecessary language from the bill and we will continue to work for its removal
in the future."
The District of Columbia established a local
domestic partnership registry in 1992. However, the Republican congressional
leadership routinely prevented the registry from being enacted until 2002.
Since that time, the Republican-led Congress have
repeatedly attached anti-gay language to past appropriations bills which
stipulate that federal funds cannot be used to operate the program.
Since local funds are used, observers have noted
that the provision was simply used as a way for Republicans to demonstrate their
disapproval for the law and for same-sex families.
An amendment that would have banned the District of Columbia using its own tax revenue to fund needle exchange
programs was defeated.
The White House also wanted the needle provision
in the bill, but did not indicate the President would veto the measure if it
were omitted.
©365Gay.com 2007
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