RICHMOND, June 29 - The Committee on Pensions, Foundation and PILP voted down a commissioner's resolution requesting the Presbyterian Board of Pensions explore the feasibility of implementing a policy of "providing domestic partners in long-term committed relationships the same benefits accorded to married couples." The vote was 29 to 24, with two abstentions.
The resolution was submitted by commissioners John Rhodes, of the Presbytery of New York City, and William Dummer, of the Presbytery of Milwaukee. The rationale provided with the measure said, "These rights, which married couples in our society take for granted, are routinely denied to same-sex couples in long-term relationships."
The sponsors pointed out that the 214th Assembly (2002) reaffirmed the call of the 1978 Assembly of the United Presbyterian Church in the United States of America (UPCUSA) for members "to work for the passage of laws that prohibit discrimination . based on the sexual orientation of a person."
The committee also approved an overture asking that the Board of Pensions revise its rules for calculating salary for clergy couples sharing one position, and voted to recommend confirmation of the Rev. James L. Hudson as president of the Presbyterian Investment and Loan Program and of Robert E. Leech as president and chief executive officer of the Presbyterian Foundation. |
