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United States · Bill · HR

H.R. 3485 (112th)

Domestic Partnership Benefits and Obligations Act of 2011

referredUnited States· United States Congress· EN

Introduced

18 November 2011

Last action

29 March 2012 · Referred

Status

Referred to the Subcommittee on Workforce Protections.

Sponsors

Sen. Baldwin, Tammy [D-WI], ILEANA ROS-LEHTINEN, David Cicilline, Jared Polis, Rep. Frank, Barney [D-MA-4], JOSE SERRANO, Jackie Speier, Rep. Hinchey, Maurice D. [D-NY-22], Rep. Holt, Rush [D-NJ-12], WM. CLAY, Rep. Jackson, Jesse L., Jr. [D-IL-2], Barbara Lee, CAROLYN MALONEY, Rep. Smith, Adam [D-WA-9], Raúl Grijalva, LUIS GUTIERREZ, SUSAN DAVIS, JAMES LANGEVIN, Niki Tsongas, Rep. Pingree, Chellie [D-ME-1], Rep. Capps, Lois [D-CA-24], Rep. Honda, Michael M. [D-CA-17], Rep. Stark, Fortney Pete [D-CA-9], Rep. Nadler, Jerrold [D-NY-12], Sen. Van Hollen, Chris [D-MD], JOHN LEWIS, Gwen Moore, Rep. McDermott, Jim [D-WA-7], Grace Napolitano, JOSEPH CROWLEY, Rep. Miller, George [D-CA-7], Rep. Ackerman, Gary L. [D-NY-7], Rep. Moran, James P. [D-VA-8], Rep. Doggett, Lloyd [D-TX-37], LUCILLE ROYBAL-ALLARD, Rep. Quigley, Mike [D-IL-5], John Sarbanes, Rep. Berman, Howard L. [D-CA-26], ELIJAH CUMMINGS, MICHAEL CAPUANO, Rep. Woolsey, Lynn C. [D-CA-6], Rep. Dingell, John D. [D-MI-16], John Yarmuth, Zoe Lofgren, Rep. Filner, Bob [D-CA-51], Diana DeGette, Rep. Michaud, Michael H. [D-ME-2], Betty McCollum

Subjects

Defence, Taxation

Source updated

23 March 2026

Defence · Taxation

Official sourceDownload fileView documentsShare

Summary

Domestic Partnership Benefits and Obligations Act of 2011 - Amends provisions of federal civil service law to extend employment-related and retirement benefits to domestic partners of federal employees and to set forth requirements for establishing a domestic partnership, including the filing of an affidavit attesting to the existence and legitimacy of the partnership. Modifies provisions relating to the Civil Service Retirement System (CSRS) and the Federal Employees' Retirement System (FERS) to extend eligibility for annuity and survivor benefits to domestic partners of federal employees on the same basis as married employees. Requires the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) to prescribe regulations to provide that domestic partners and former domestic partners shall be considered as spouses or former spouses for purposes of creditable service determinations under CSRS and FERS. Makes domestic partners of federal employees eligible for: (1) the federal employee group life insurance (FEGLI) program, (2) federal employees health benefits (FEHB), (3) dental and vision benefit plans, and (4) long-term care insurance coverage. Grants the head of an federal agency authority to reimburse an employee for taxes incurred the domestic partner of such employee for travel or transportation reimbursements. Modifies provisions of the Federal Employees' Compensation Act (FECA) to make domestic partners of federal employees eligible for worker compensation benefits under such Act. Adds "domestic partner" to the list of relatives subject to restrictions on federal employment of relatives and related prohibitions. Includes a biological, adopted, or foster child of a domestic partner as a "son or daughter" for purposes of federal employee family and medical leave provisions. Allows a federal employee family and medical leave to care for a domestic partner. Requires the President to prescribe regulations necessary to ensure that specified provisions relating to the following are administered in a manner consistent with the purposes of this Act: (1) the Family and Medical Leave Act of 1993; (2) travel, transportation, and related payments and benefits under the Foreign Service Act of 1980 and for civilian employees of the Department of Defense (DOD); (3) certain benefits for members of the commissioned officer corps of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA); and (4) benefits related to federal employees or annuitants and benefits necessary to carry out the purposes of this Act. Amends the Ethics in Government Act of 1978 to make provisions of that Act applicable to domestic partners of federal employees to the same extent as married employees, including provisions relating to financial disclosure, government-wide limitations on outside earned income and employment, gifts to superiors and to federal employees, bribery, acceptance of travel expenses from nonfederal sources, taxes on self-dealing, and disqualification of a justice, judge, or magistrate judge. Requires reporting by: (1) the President on the implementation of this Act, and (2) the Government Accountability Office (GAO) on the effect of this Act on premiums or other periodic charges under FEHB and the impact of extending benefits to domestic partners on federal employee retention and recruitment efforts.

This text is taken from the official record. PoliticalRepo does not editorialize.

Timeline

  1. 18 November 2011

    Introduced

    Referred to the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, and in addition to the Committees on Education and the Workforce, House Administration, and the Judiciary, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.

    Source: IntroReferral

  2. 18 November 2011

    Introduced

    Introduced in House

    Source: IntroReferral

  3. 18 November 2011

    Introduced

    Introduced in House

    Source: IntroReferral

  4. 2 December 2011

    Referred

    Referred to the Subcommittee on Courts, Commercial and Administrative Law.

    Source: Committee

  5. 29 March 2012

    Referred

    Referred to the Subcommittee on Workforce Protections.

    Source: Committee

Votes

No vote records are attached yet.

Versions

Documents

3 official files

Introduced in House (text)

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Sponsors

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Related records

Sources

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