President Barack Obama executed on Wednesday a presidential memorandum officially extending federal job benefits to same-sex partners of US government employees, according to
The Advocate.
In what Obama qualified as a historic step forward towards equality for gays and lesbians, the president said: "Many of our government's hardworking and dedicated patriotic public servants have long been denied basic rights ... for one simple reason, the people that they love are of the same sex."
Under the new measures, domestic partners of federal employees will get benefits including long-term care insurance and be able to use sick days to care for their partners if they become ill.
Also, with regards to members of the foreign service, the measure will allow partners of diplomats to use medical facilities at US posts abroad, to benefit from medical evacuations and to be included in housing allocations.
While the memorandum covers most benefits, it fails, as anticipated, to include comprehensive health and life insurance -- benefits, future legislation Obama promised to back.
Another hugely controversial issue still left out of the presidential memorandum is the White House promise to end the ban on gays serving openly in the US military.
Obama's action on Wednesday, come at the heel of rising criticism from gay and lesbian rights groups about what they see as failure to keep campaign promises.
The Obama Justice Department was recently slammed for backing the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA), which denies federal benefits to same-sex married couples.
"The president has just as strong a duty to put his principles into action, and end discrimination against lesbian, gay, bi-sexual and transgender people and our families," Human Rights Campaign President Joe Solmonese said in a statement last week.
Yet Obama claimed upon signing the memorandum that he was committing to overturning the act.
"Today marks a historic step towards the changes we seek, but I think we all have to acknowledge it is only one step. Among the steps we have not yet taken is to repeal the Defense of Marriage Act.
I believe it is discriminatory, it interferes with states rights and we will work with Congress to overturn it."
In a statement in June marking Gay Pride month, Obama affirmed he would support the "full spectrum" of equal rights for the LGBT community.
"LGBT Americans have made, and continue to make, great and lasting contributions that continue to strengthen the fabric of American society," Obama said.
The President has previously said he believes marriage is a sacred union between a man and woman, but supports same-sex civil unions, and continues to describe himself as a "fierce advocate" of gay and lesbian rights.
