From The American Military Partner Association
WASHINGTON — On Monday, June 29, 2015, the VA confirmed they would begin extending benefits to legally married same-sex couples nationwide as a result of the historic marriage equality ruling by the Supreme Court last week. Previously, the VA had denied some benefits to same sex couples who lived in states where their marriages were not recognized. Last week's Supreme Court ruling negated the legal basis for those denials and the VA confirmed they are currently drafting guidance for their benefits offices to begin issuing benefits to those couples.
The American Military Partner Association's President, Ashley Broadway-Mack, said: "We are thrilled the VA is acting so quickly to implement the Supreme Court's ruling and are ready to do right by ALL our nation's veterans. These are important benefits our nation's veterans have earned and it was unconscionable that some were denied based solely on where they lived."
Benefits previously denied included VA disability compensation, death pensions, burial rights and even home loan guarantees. Although still working on the final guidance, the VA said they would temporarily hold pending benefits applications that might have been denied under previous guidelines and they will later be processed under the new guidelines.
The American Military Partner Association and Lambda Legal filed a lawsuit in December of 2014 on behalf of AMPA members who had been denied benefits. According to Broadway-Mack, the lawsuit should now be unnecessary as long as the new VA rules recognize all legal marriages in every state.
For more information about the American Military Partner Association and LGBT military families, please visit our home on the web at www.MilitaryPartners.org .
The American Military Partner Association, a non-profit and non-partisan organization, is the nation's largest organization for the partners, spouses, families, and allies of America's LGBT service members and veterans. Based in Washington DC, AMPA is committed to education, advocacy, and support for our modern military families."
From OutServe-SLDN:
(Washington, DC) Moments ago the Veterans Affairs Department announced that same-sex couples in states across the country will now have access to previously denied benefits following the Supreme Court's landmark Obergefell v. Hodgesdecision that granted marriage equality in all 50 states.
LGB veterans and their families will no longer be denied VA benefits including but not limited to disability pay, home loan guarantees, death pensions and burial rights based on the laws of the states where they have lived and worked, the department announced.
The Veterans Affairs Department will send out new guidance to all staff and will temporarily halt any benefit applications that would have been denied under previous guidelines.
"VA will work quickly to ensure that all offices and employees are provided guidance on implementing this important decision with respect to all programs, statutes, and regulations administered by VA," according to a statement.
Statement on this decision by Matt Thorn, Interim Executive Director
"With the Supreme Court decision efficiently answering any lingering questions and closing this "loophole" as it pertains to Title 38 of the U.S. Code, OutServe-SLDN applauds the United States Department of Veterans Affairs in providing benefits to our LGB veterans and their families to ensure that all have access to their earned VA benefits, regardless of their state of residence and sexual orientation.
"This is a critical step that will help to make sure that every lesbian, gay and bisexual U.S. veteran and their family has the same access to the benefits that they have earned in their service to our country.
"Our LGB veterans should never have been denied these benefits because of the state they live in or because of their sexual orientation. LGB veterans and their families deserve and will now have the respect, dignity and protections that they have earned. Giving these benefits was and is the right thing to do. It is the American thing to do.
"We again applaud the Veterans Affairs administration for implementing these guidelines and opening benefits swiftly and unequivocally. We look forward to continuing our working relationship with the VA to continue to bring about equality to the LGBT community within the veteran community."
