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H.R. 3135 113th Congress House

Domestic Partnership Benefits and Obligations Act of 2013

Official title: To provide certain benefits to domestic partners of Federal employees.

Introduced: September 19, 2013 Introduced by: Mark Pocan Democratic · Wisconsin See on congress.gov
Government Operations and Politics Administrative law and regulatory proceduresGovernment employee pay, benefits, personnel managementMarriage and family statusOffice of Personnel Management (OPM)Sex, gender, sexual orientation discrimination
This bill died when the 113th Congress ended
It never became law before the 113th Congress (2013–2014) adjourned, and bills don't carry over to the next Congress. It would have to be reintroduced. You can still save it for reference, but it won't receive updates.
 Everywhere this bill has been 4 steps
Introduced
In committee
Reported out
Passed House
Passed Senate
To President
Became law
Jan 22, 2014
Referred to the Subcommittee on Workforce Protections.
Jan 9, 2014
Referred to the Subcommittee on the Constitution and Civil Justice.
Sep 19, 2013
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.
Sep 19, 2013
Introduced in House
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 Latest action January 22, 2014

Referred to the Subcommittee on Workforce Protections.

 Plain-English summary Congressional Research Service

Domestic Partnership Benefits and Obligations Act of 2013 - 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 and terminating 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 current and former 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 by the domestic partner of such employee for travel, transportation, or relocation expense 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.

 Related & companion bills 1
 Bill text 1 version

Source documents hosted by congress.gov.

 Committees of jurisdiction 6
 Cosponsors 90
ISRAEL, STEVE
· Sep 18, 2014
Heck, Denny
· Jun 9, 2014
Ellison, Keith
· May 21, 2014
DAVIS, SUSAN
· May 1, 2014
D
Peters, Scott H.
California · Apr 29, 2014
D
Larsen, Rick
Washington · Apr 9, 2014
Garcia, Joe
· Apr 4, 2014
Hahn, Janice
· Mar 25, 2014
TIERNEY, JOHN
· Mar 25, 2014
Blumenauer, Earl
· Mar 14, 2014
Schrader, Kurt
· Mar 14, 2014
D
Clark, Katherine M.
Massachusetts · Feb 28, 2014
D
Huffman, Jared
California · Feb 11, 2014
LOWEY, NITA
· Jan 15, 2014
Delaney, John
· Jan 14, 2014
Bustos, Cheri
· Jan 8, 2014
Loebsack, David
· Jan 8, 2014
MILLER, GEORGE
· Jan 8, 2014
O'Rourke, Beto
· Jan 8, 2014
RYAN, TIM
· Jan 8, 2014
Cárdenas, Tony
· Dec 3, 2013
FARR, SAM
· Dec 3, 2013
GUTIERREZ, LUIS
· Dec 3, 2013
HASTINGS, ALCEE
· Dec 3, 2013
LANGEVIN, JAMES
· Nov 20, 2013
PRICE, DAVID
· Nov 20, 2013
D
McCollum, Betty
Minnesota · Nov 19, 2013
Kuster, Ann
· Nov 18, 2013
D
Swalwell, Eric
California · Nov 15, 2013
D
DeLauro, Rosa L.
Connecticut · Nov 12, 2013
Higgins, Brian
· Nov 12, 2013
D
Himes, James A.
Connecticut · Nov 12, 2013
D
Schiff, Adam B.
California · Nov 12, 2013
D
Wilson, Frederica S.
Florida · Nov 12, 2013
Lowenthal, Alan
· Oct 22, 2013
Maloney, Sean
· Oct 22, 2013
D
Meeks, Gregory W.
New York · Sep 26, 2013
D
Bonamici, Suzanne
Oregon · Sep 19, 2013
BRADY, ROBERT
· Sep 19, 2013
Braley, Bruce
· Sep 19, 2013
CAPPS, LOIS
· Sep 19, 2013
Cartwright, Matt
· Sep 19, 2013
D
Chu, Judy
California · Sep 19, 2013
Cicilline, David
· Sep 19, 2013
D
Cohen, Steve
Tennessee · Sep 19, 2013
D
Connolly, Gerald E.
Virginia · Sep 19, 2013
CUMMINGS, ELIJAH
· Sep 19, 2013
D
DelBene, Suzan K.
Washington · Sep 19, 2013
DOYLE, MIKE
· Sep 19, 2013
Edwards, Donna
· Sep 19, 2013
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APA
U.S. Congress. (2026). H.R. 3135: Domestic Partnership Benefits and Obligations Act of 2013. 113th Congress. Open America. https://openamerica.io/bill/113-HR-3135/
MLA
"H.R. 3135: Domestic Partnership Benefits and Obligations Act of 2013." 113th Congress, 2026, Open America, https://openamerica.io/bill/113-HR-3135/.
Bluebook (legal)
H.R. 3135, 113th Cong. (2026), https://openamerica.io/bill/113-HR-3135/.
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[H.R. 3135: Domestic Partnership Benefits and Obligations Act of 2013](https://openamerica.io/bill/113-HR-3135/)
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