The House Veterans' Affairs Committee shot down a measure Wednesday that aimed to extend equal benefits, including medical care, housing and burial assistance, to veterans' same-sex spouses, even if they live in a state that does not recognize same-sex marriage.
Introduced by Rep. Dina Titus (D-Nev.), the amendment was attached to the Our Vets Deserve Better Act, a bill by Rep. Denny Heck (D-Wash.) that would set mandatory meetings between the secretary of Veterans Affairs and certain health care advisory committees.
"This inequality for those who wore the uniform of the United States armed forces and their families is unacceptable," Titus said during her opening remarks Wednesday. "The current language has resulted in legally married couples being discriminated against by the country they fought to protect. They don't wear the uniform of a state, they wear the uniform of the federal government."
After the U.S. Supreme Court ruled the Defense of Marriage Act unconstitutional in 2013, most federal agencies, including the Department of Defense, began extending benefits to same-sex spouses. But under the Department of Veterans Affairs, retired service members with same-sex spouses are still ineligible for veterans benefits if they live in one of the 31 states that bans same-sex marriage.
In a 12-13 vote Wednesday, all committee Republicans, with the exception of Rep. Jon Runyan (N.J.), voted against the Titus amendment.
More: House Republicans Shoot Down Measure To Extend Spousal Benefits To Gay Veterans
This is shameful to discriminate against gay veterans and their spouses. I wonder how many of the Republicans who voted against this measure have ever served in the military.
Introduced by Rep. Dina Titus (D-Nev.), the amendment was attached to the Our Vets Deserve Better Act, a bill by Rep. Denny Heck (D-Wash.) that would set mandatory meetings between the secretary of Veterans Affairs and certain health care advisory committees.
"This inequality for those who wore the uniform of the United States armed forces and their families is unacceptable," Titus said during her opening remarks Wednesday. "The current language has resulted in legally married couples being discriminated against by the country they fought to protect. They don't wear the uniform of a state, they wear the uniform of the federal government."
After the U.S. Supreme Court ruled the Defense of Marriage Act unconstitutional in 2013, most federal agencies, including the Department of Defense, began extending benefits to same-sex spouses. But under the Department of Veterans Affairs, retired service members with same-sex spouses are still ineligible for veterans benefits if they live in one of the 31 states that bans same-sex marriage.
In a 12-13 vote Wednesday, all committee Republicans, with the exception of Rep. Jon Runyan (N.J.), voted against the Titus amendment.
More: House Republicans Shoot Down Measure To Extend Spousal Benefits To Gay Veterans
This is shameful to discriminate against gay veterans and their spouses. I wonder how many of the Republicans who voted against this measure have ever served in the military.
