Kitka
10-18-2006, 04:18 PM
Under federal law, federal pensions can only be denied to those convicted of espionage or treason. Or being the spouse of a dead gay congressman.
Studds's spouse 1st denied U.S. death benefits because he's gay (http://www.boston.com/news/local/massachusetts/articles/2006/10/17/studdss_spouse_1st_denied_us_death_benefits_becaus e_hes_gay/)
"Former Rep. Gerry Studds, D-Mass., who became the first openly gay member of Congress when his homosexuality was exposed during a teenage page sex scandal, died early Saturday. He was 69. In 2004 Studds married Dean Hara, 48, after gay marriage was legalized in Massachusetts.
Hara, unlike the spouses of other members of Congress who have died, won't be receiving any portion of Studds' estimated annual $114,337 pension. The 1996 federal Defense of Marriage Act blocks the federal government from recognizing the 2004 marriage between Studds and Hara."
Studds's spouse 1st denied U.S. death benefits because he's gay (http://www.boston.com/news/local/massachusetts/articles/2006/10/17/studdss_spouse_1st_denied_us_death_benefits_becaus e_hes_gay/)
"Former Rep. Gerry Studds, D-Mass., who became the first openly gay member of Congress when his homosexuality was exposed during a teenage page sex scandal, died early Saturday. He was 69. In 2004 Studds married Dean Hara, 48, after gay marriage was legalized in Massachusetts.
Hara, unlike the spouses of other members of Congress who have died, won't be receiving any portion of Studds' estimated annual $114,337 pension. The 1996 federal Defense of Marriage Act blocks the federal government from recognizing the 2004 marriage between Studds and Hara."