Census: Same-sex marriages counting

by Mark Silva

Reversing course from the policy set by the Bush administration, the 2010 Census will include a count of same-sex couples who are married.

Under President George W. Bush, the Census Bureau had determined that the federal Defense of Marriage Act would preclude any federal counting of gay and lesbian couples, but under President Barack Obama the Census Bureau will take a head count -- now that six states have legalized marriage for same-sex couples.

"They will be counted, and they ought to report the way they see themselves," said Steve Jost, a Census spokesman. "In the normal process of reports coming out after the census of 2010, I think the country will have a good data set on which to discuss this phenomenon that is evolving in this country."

Same-sex couples could not get married anywhere in the United States during the last decennial headcount. But last summer, when two states sanctioned gay unions, the bureau said those legal marriages would go uncounted because the DOMA prevented the government from recognizing them.

Same-sex marriage is now condoned by six states, including Iowa and most of New England. The White House on Friday announced that its interpretation of the act will not prohibit the gathering of information.

"The president and the administration are committed to a fair and accurate count of all Americans," White House press secretary Robert Gibbs said. "We're in the midst of determining the best way to ensure that gay and lesbian couples are accurately counted."

Rep. Mike Quiqley of Illiinois, a member of the LGBT congressional caucus, had called on the Obama administration to allow the Census counting of same-sex couples. The administration, which has been crticized for delays in meeting its commitment to end the policy of "don't ask, don't tell'' in the military, this week agreed to extend government benefits to the domestic partners of federal workers.