(B) in subparagraph (C), by inserting ‘‘(or 
domestic partner’s)’’ after ‘‘spouse’s’’ each place 
it appears; and 
(6) in subsection (g), by inserting ‘‘(or domestic 
partner or former domestic partner)’’ after ‘‘spouse or 
former spouse’’. 
(b) CLERICAL AMENDMENT.—The table of sections for 
chapter 84 is amended by striking the item relating to sec-
tion 8435 and inserting the following: 
‘‘8435. Protections for spouses, domestic partners, former spouses, and former do-
mestic partners.’’. 
SEC. 312. JUSTICES AND JUDGES. 
Section 8440a(b)(6) is amended by inserting ‘‘(or do-
mestic partners)’’ after ‘‘spouses’’. 
SEC. 313. SURVIVOR ANNUITIES: DEFINITIONS. 
Section 8441 is amended— 
(1) by redesignating paragraphs (3) and (4) as 
paragraphs (4) and (5), respectively, and by inserting 
after paragraph (2) the following: 
‘‘(3) the term ‘surviving partner’ means the sur-
viving domestic partner of an employee, Member, or 
annuitant, or of a former employee or Member, who— 
‘‘(A) was in a domestic partnership with 
such employee, Member, or annuitant, or former 
employee or Member, for at least 9 months im-
mediately before the death of such employee, 
VerDate Nov 24 2008 
21:28 Jan 29, 2010
Jkt 089200
PO 00000
Frm 00048
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6203
E:\BILLS\H2517.RH
H2517
jlentini on DSKJ8SOYB1PROD with BILLS
Member, or annuitant, or former employee or 
Member; or 
‘‘(B) satisfies such other requirement, based 
on parenthood, as the Office of Personnel Man-
agement shall by regulation prescribe based on 
the definition of a widow or widower under this 
section;’’; 
(2) in paragraph (5) (as so redesignated by 
paragraph (1))— 
(A) in subparagraph (A), by inserting ‘‘(or 
surviving partner)’’ after ‘‘widow or widower’’; 
and 
(3) by adding at the end the following: 
‘‘The Office shall prescribe regulations to provide that, for 
purposes of applying the provisions of paragraph (5)(A)(ii) 
(relating to the treatment of a stepchild) in the case of a 
domestic partnership, rules similar to those prescribed to 
carry out section 8901(5)(B) in similar circumstances shall 
apply.’’. 
SEC. 314. RIGHTS OF A WIDOW, WIDOWER, OR SURVIVING 
PARTNER. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Section 8442 is amended— 
(1) in the catchline, by striking ‘‘widow or 
widower’’ and inserting ‘‘widow, widower, or 
surviving partner’’; 
VerDate Nov 24 2008 
21:28 Jan 29, 2010
Jkt 089200
PO 00000
Frm 00049
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6203
E:\BILLS\H2517.RH
H2517
jlentini on DSKJ8SOYB1PROD with BILLS
(2) in subsection (a)— 
(A) by inserting ‘‘(or surviving partner)’’ 
after ‘‘widow or widower’’ each place it appears; 
(B) in paragraph (1)(B), by inserting ‘‘(or 
entry into a domestic partnership)’’ after ‘‘mar-
riage’’; and 
(C) in paragraph (2), by inserting ‘‘(or do-
mestic partner)’’ after ‘‘spouse’’ each place it ap-
pears; 
(3) in subsection (b), by inserting ‘‘(or surviving 
partner)’’ after ‘‘widow or widower’’ each place it ap-
pears; 
(4) in subsection (c)— 
(A) in paragraph (1), (in the matter before 
subparagraph (A)), by inserting ‘‘(or a surviving 
partner with whom in a domestic partnership)’’ 
after ‘‘widow or widower to whom married’’; and 
(B) by striking ‘‘widow or widower’’ each 
place it appears (other than where amended by 
subparagraph (A)) and inserting ‘‘widow or 
widower (or surviving partner)’’; 
(5) in subsection (d)— 
(A) by striking ‘‘widow or widower’’ each 
place it appears and inserting ‘‘widow or wid-
ower (or surviving partner)’’; 
VerDate Nov 24 2008 
21:28 Jan 29, 2010
Jkt 089200
PO 00000
Frm 00050
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6203
E:\BILLS\H2517.RH
H2517
jlentini on DSKJ8SOYB1PROD with BILLS
(B) in paragraph (1)(B), by inserting ‘‘(or 
enters into a subsequent domestic partnership)’’ 
after ‘‘remarries’’; 
(C) in paragraph (2)— 
(i) by striking ‘‘remarriage before’’ and 
inserting ‘‘remarriage (or entry into a sub-
sequent domestic partnership) before’’; 
(ii) by striking ‘‘remarriage is dis-
solved by death, divorce, or annulment,’’ 
and inserting ‘‘remarriage is dissolved by 
death, divorce, annulment (or subsequent 
domestic partnership is terminated),’’; 
(iii) in subparagraph (A), by striking 
‘‘remarriage;’’ and inserting ‘‘remarriage 
(or entry into a subsequent domestic part-
nership);’’; and 
(D) in paragraph (3)— 
(i) by inserting ‘‘or entry into a subse-
quent domestic partnership’’ after ‘‘remar-
riage’’; and 
(ii) by inserting ‘‘(or in a domestic 
partnership for at least 30 years with)’’ 
after ‘‘married for at least 30 years to’’; 
(6) in subsection (e)— 
VerDate Nov 24 2008 
21:28 Jan 29, 2010
Jkt 089200
PO 00000
Frm 00051
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6203
E:\BILLS\H2517.RH
H2517
jlentini on DSKJ8SOYB1PROD with BILLS
(A) by inserting ‘‘(or surviving partner)’’ 
after ‘‘widow or widower’’ each place it appears; 
(B) by inserting ‘‘(or in a domestic partner-
ship with)’’ after ‘‘been married to’’; and 
(C) by amending paragraph (2) to read as 
follows: 
‘‘(2) the surviving spouse (or surviving domestic 
partner) of such individual had been previously mar-
ried to (or in a domestic partnership with) the indi-
vidual that was subsequently dissolved (or termi-
nated), and the aggregate time married (or in a do-
mestic partnership) is at least 9 months.’’; 
(7) in subsection (g), by striking ‘‘widow or wid-
ower’’ and inserting ‘‘widow, widower, or surviving 
partner’’ each place it appears; and 
(8) in subsection (h)— 
(A) by striking ‘‘widow or widower’’ each 
place it appears and inserting ‘‘widow or wid-
ower (or surviving partner)’’; and 
(B) by inserting ‘‘(or former domestic part-
ner)’’ after ‘‘former spouse’’ each place it ap-
pears. 
(b) CLERICAL AMENDMENT.—The table of sections for 
chapter 84 is amended by striking the item relating to sec-
tion 8442 and inserting the following: 
‘‘8442. Rights of a widow, widower, or surviving partner.’’. 
VerDate Nov 24 2008 
21:28 Jan 29, 2010
Jkt 089200
PO 00000
Frm 00052
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6213
E:\BILLS\H2517.RH
H2517
jlentini on DSKJ8SOYB1PROD with BILLS