He Who Ha-Ha's Last, Ha-Ha's Best


See what happens when you don't read the fine print, Dubya? (bolds mine)
PENSION LAW INCLUDES IMPORTANT PROTECTIONS FOR SAME-SEX COUPLES UNDER FEDERAL LAW

Human Rights Campaign Helps Secure Key Provisions to Assist GLBT and Other Americans

WASHINGTON — The Federal Pension Protection Act passed by Congress and signed into law today by President George W. Bush contains two key provisions that will extend important financial protections to same-sex couples and other Americans who leave their retirement savings to non-spouse beneficiaries. The bipartisan provisions in the bill are a step forward in equality and stem from a continuous effort led by the Human Rights Campaign.

“There is a large group of Americans that are left behind in traditional pension benefit models. We need to do better to keep these groups from falling through the cracks,” said Sen. Gordon Smith, R-Ore. “I am pleased that the pension reform legislation takes an important step to fill this gap by equalizing treatment in retirement savings vehicles for non-spouse beneficiaries.”

“We need to address the economic and legal barriers that affect many American families — from providing equal access to family law, to equal opportunities in the workplace. All families need to be able to plan and save for their future,” said Rep. Benjamin L. Cardin, D-Md.

“For gay couples and all Americans with non-spouse beneficiaries, death and taxes weren’t only certain, but also times of great and unequal financial difficulty. Today marks an important day for fairness under the law in America,” said Human Rights Campaign President Joe Solmonese. “For four years, the Human Rights Campaign worked closely with members of Congress to secure these provisions and carefully guide them through the political process. In a challenging political climate, we persevered and helped to secure critical federal protections that will make difficult times for domestic partners a little easier.”
Oh, the base is not going to like this...


(Tip 'o the Energy Dome to Pam. If there's a smile on my cross-post, it's only there trying to fool the public...)

Shakesville is run as a safe space. First-time commenters: Please read Shakesville's Commenting Policy and Feminism 101 Section before commenting. We also do lots of in-thread moderation, so we ask that everyone read the entirety of any thread before commenting, to ensure compliance with any in-thread moderation. Thank you.

blog comments powered by Disqus