BOSTON, Mass.—This week, US Treasury Secretary Jacob J. Lew announced that the Internal Revenue Service would treat legally married same-sex couples as married under federal tax rules regardless of whether or not their state of residence recognizes their marriage. US Secretary of Health and Human Services Kathleen Sebelius also issued a memo that removes restrictions that had previously been placed on married same-sex couples in which one spouse was a beneficiary in private Medicare plans. MassEquality Executive Director Kasey Suffredini offered the following statement:
“This is yet another step forward in our journey to equality for all people. These rulings affirm that those who are legally married will come before their government as equals. They are the latest in a series of policy statements and rulings by the Obama Administration mandating swift, comprehensive implementation of the US Supreme Court’s ruling finding that Section 3 of the so-called ‘Defense of Marriage Act’ is unconstitutional.
“The Treasury ruling will ensure that all legally, married couples will have no ambiguity in their status when filing their federal tax returns. The Health and Human Services ruling will ensure that the same-sex spouse of someone living in a nursing home will have the option of living in that same home, a privilege previously only given to heterosexual, married couples.
“These rulings are the latest examples that our country is on an unmistakable journey toward full acceptance and embrace of marriage equality. Here in Massachusetts, we have joyously celebrated our right to marry for nearly 10 years. What we have learned is that our families are safer, healthier, and happier when they are treated with dignity and fairness. We have also learned that our greater civic communities are strengthened as well. We look forward to the day that the marriages of same-sex couples are celebrated everywhere and at every level of government.”
To read more about the same-sex marriage decision visit TRT’s coverage of it here.
MassEquality is the leading statewide grassroots advocacy organization working to ensure that everyone across Massachusetts can thrive from cradle to grave without discrimination and oppression based on sexual orientation, gender identity, or gender expression. MassEquality does this by partnering across issues, identities and communities to build a broad, inclusive and politically powerful movement that changes hearts and minds and achieves policy and electoral victories.
[From a News Release]
