Oregonian Republican Gordon Smith led a good gay fight on Capital Hill yesterday. The Senator and a host of other politicos, including Tammy Baldwin and Joe Lieberman, introduced a bill which will secure domestic partner benefits for federal employees.

Oregon U.S. Sen. Gordon Smith has unveiled a bill that would extend domestic partner benefits to federal employees.

Smith, in co-introducing the Domestic Partner Benefits and Obligations Act of 2007 with Connecticut Sen. Joe Lieberman and 18 other co-sponsors, said the measure would help the federal government compete for higher-echelon workers.

"The federal government should be leading the way rather than following when it comes to providing benefits," said Smith, a Republican. "Rights and benefits must be afforded to all employees equally. This bill corrects the current inequity."

HRC's Joe Solmonese celebrated the news, of course: "[This bill] is not only a matter of equal pay for equal work, but also the best way to insure that the government has access to the top talent…"