Press Release

Congresswoman Tammy Baldwin

Wisconsin’s Second District

2446 Rayburn H.O.B. 10 E. Doty St. #405 400 E. Grand Ave. #402
Washington, DC 20515 Madison, WI 53703 Beloit, WI 53511
Phone: 202-225-2906 Phone: 608-258-9800 Phone: 608-362-2800
Fax: 202-225-6942 Fax: 608-258-9808 Fax: 608-362-2838

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: Jerilyn Goodman 608-251-8737 Cell: 608-347-6557

jerilyn.goodman@mail.house.gov

February 2, 2009

Baldwin Calls on Clinton to Change State Dept. LGBT Policies

Congresswoman Tammy Baldwin (D-WI) has asked Secretary of State Hillary Clinton to address
inequities in employment practices concerning gay and lesbian State Department employees and
to take remedial action.

In a letter sent today, Baldwin, joined by Senators Russ Feingold (D-WI) and Ron Wyden (D-
OR), and Rep. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen (R-FL), wrote:

“The lack of equitable treatment could force dedicated, intelligent, and needed FSOs (Foreign
Service Officers) and officials to make an unfortunate choice between serving their country and
protecting their families. As you noted during the question and answer session of your Senate
Foreign Relations confirmation hearing, many other nations now extend training, protection, and
benefits to the partners of LGBT employees. Further, the State Department’s past inattention to
these disparities places it below parity with the best employment practices used in the private
sector, where the majority of Fortune 500 companies extend employee benefit programs to cover
the domestic partners. Without remedying these inequities, the State Department may fail to
attract and retain qualified personnel.”

Baldwin and her colleagues asked Secretary Clinton to institute, among other things, the
following changes in State Department policy regarding Foreign Service Officers (FSOs):

 Inclusion in travel orders for same-sex domestic partners of FSOs

 Access to training, including all language classes, area studies, and embassy effectiveness
classes for same-sex domestic partners of FSOs
 Emergency evacuation and medevac from post when necessary for same-sex domestic
partners of FSOs
 Access to post health units for same-sex domestic partners of FSOs
 Visa support for same-sex domestic partners accompanying FSOs to overseas postings, and
for same-sex foreign-born domestic partners accompanying FSOs to postings in Washington
or elsewhere in the U.S.
 Preferential status for employment at post comparable to that enjoyed by Eligible Family
Members (EFMs) for same-sex domestic partners of FSOs
LGBT Letter to Clinton 2-2-09 Page 2

Former U.S. Ambassador to Romania Michael Guest, a distinguished diplomat, resigned last year
from the State Department because of inequitable employment practices. Such disparities
“should not be the reason why highly qualified employees leave the State Department at a time
when their service is needed more than ever,” Baldwin wrote. More than 2,200 government
employees, members of the group Gays and Lesbians in Foreign Affairs Agencies (GLIFAA),
also sent a letter to Clinton expressing their concerns on this issue.

Citing Secretary Clinton’s pledge during her confirmation hearing to examine current policies
relating to lesbian and gay employees at the State Department, Baldwin and her colleagues
wrote: “As you work to advance America’s national security and exemplify this great country’s
values around the world, we hope you will follow through on this pledge and also work to fully
support your diverse workforce.”

A full copy of the letter to Secretary Clinton is attached.

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