Rep. Mark Pocan (D-Wis.), an openly gay representative, made history on Capitol Hill Thursday when he announced that he'd been able to secure a congressional ID for his spouse.
The Wisconsin Gazette reported that Philip Frank, whom Pocan married in Canada in 2006, had gotten a new ID officially labeling him a congressional spouse. The title gives him access to certain areas of the Capitol and allows him to attend congressional delegations with his spouse, among other privileges.
It's largely a symbolic victory, as the spouses of gay federal employees -- including lawmakers -- still aren't afforded equal benefits thanks to the Defense of Marriage Act. But Pocan hailed it as key progress for gay lawmakers in Washington. Read more »
