Foreign service employees overwhelmingly favor extending benefits to same-sex couples.

Earlier this month during a town hall meeting with State Department employees, Secretary Hillary Clinton expressed “real concern” that same-sex partners in the foreign service aren’t offered the benefits that are provided to heterosexual couples. A new poll conducted by the American Foreign Service Association (AFSA) found that a significant majority of the department’s employees agree. When asked if AFSA should “advocate for official recognition and benefits for same-sex domestic partners of Foreign Service members,” 71 percent said yes while only 17 percent opposed.