WirePOLITICS — Sestak faults Toomey for same-sex benefits vote

Former congressman Joe Sestak, who is seeking the 2016 Democratic nomination for U.S. Senate, criticized Republican Sen. Pat Toomey for voting against an amendment that would allow legally married same-sex spouses of military veterans to be eligible for the same Veterans Affairs and Social Security benefits that heterosexual couples already receive.

Eleven Republican senators voted for the amendment.

Sestak, who recently walked 422 miles across Pennsylvania, said that he supports veterans and the gay community.

In Congress, he was an original co-sponsor of the Respect for Marriage Act to repeal the Defense of Marriage Act, which prevents interstate and federal recognition of same-sex marriage.

Sestak also co-sponsored legislation to end “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” and prohibit the military from discriminating on the basis of sexual orientation.

Additionally, he co-sponsored legislation to provide federal civilian LGBT employees with the same partnership benefits offered to all spouses of federal employees, including retirement, life and health insurance.