According to an AP report, Rep. Adam Smith (D-WA) wants benefits for same-sex spouses of veterans and service members. Smith says spouses of service members should not be barred from receiving benefits because they are in same-sex marriages.
Rep. Smith, the Ranking Member of the House Armed Services Committee, is planning to introduce legislation to make the DoD and VA recognize all state (including common wealths, territories and the District of Columbia) sanctioned marriages. Same-sex marriages are now legal in Connecticut, Iowa, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New York, Vermont and the Washington DC.
The AP story reports that Smith’s bill would change the definition of spouse in the U.S. code to include same-sex marriages.
