Equal Access to Social Security Act of 2006

The Equal Access to Social Security Act of 2006 (H.R. 5152) sought to expand eligibility for Social Security benefits to include individuals in "permanent partnerships" rather than only those in legal marriages. Under this proposal, domestic partners would have become eligible for the same dependent and survivor benefits currently available to spouses, including monthly payments and lump-sum death benefits. The bill aimed to provide financial security to partners who were not legally married but met specific criteria for a committed, long-term relationship.