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Lawmakers Move to Extend Social Security Benefits to Same-Sex Couples
Legislation that would ensure all legally married same-sex couples have access to Social Security benefits, regardless of whether they live in a marriage-equality state, was reintroduced in Congress Tuesday. Sens. Patty Murray (D-Wash.) and Tammy Baldwin (D-Wisc.) reintroduced the Social Security and Marriage Equality (SAME) Act in the Senate and Rep. Ron Kind (D-Wisc.) reintroduced the bill in the House of Representatives. The proposed legislation would amend title II of the Social Security Act to eliminate the requirement that married same-sex couples live in a state that recognizes their marriage in order to be eligible for Social Security benefits….While numerous agencies and departments across the federal government have moved to broadly implement the Supreme Court’s Windsor decision, striking down the Defense of Marriage Act’s definition of marriage as between a man and a woman, the Social Security Administration has been limited in its implementation. Read More…
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Legislation Introduced to Ensure Equality in Social Security Benefits
….The bipartisan legislation is also cosponsored by Representatives Elizabeth Esty (D-CT), Ileana Ros-Lehtinen (R-FL), and Carlos Curbelo (R-FL) as well as 37 additional original cosponsors in the House and 4 in the Senate. In June 2013, the Supreme Court struck down Section 3 of the Defense of Marriage Act in United States v. Windsor, meaning the federal government should now recognize lawfully married same-sex couples. The Obama Administration broadly and vigorously implemented the Windsor decision, and most federal agencies began to recognize all legally married same-sex couples regardless of where they lived. However, because of certain provisions in statute, several agencies – including the Social Security Administration – have been unable to recognize same-sex couples living in states without marriage equality. These couples continue to lack access to important benefits, including Social Security spousal benefits. Read More…