The U.S. House of Representatives voted 226 to 194 Tuesday to extend health benefits to domestic partners of D.C employees. If approved by the U.S. Senate, this bill would allow gays and lesbians working for the District of Columbia to obtain health insurance, family and medical leave, and familial rights at hospitals, nursing homes, and adoption agencies for their same-sex partner. Del. Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC) commented, “For the first time [the House] has broken through the prejudice against gay men and lesbians on this floor.” Approximately one-third of Fortune 500 companies, 115 local governments, and 4,000 companies already provide domestic partner benefits.
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