A recent article in the New York Times reported that President Obama will sign an official document to extend certain benefits to same-sex partners of federal staff members. However, full health insurance coverage will not be granted.

This has been a hot topic in the media since President Obama’s inauguration in January. This is an especially touchy political and social issue because of its implications for same-sex partners of federal government employees. Many gay rights leaders have been critical of what they feel is Obama’s failure to live up to his campaign promises in the first few months of his presidency. He is set to later discuss exactly which benefits will be included in this new plan. We do know that it is not expected to include broad health insurance coverage, which would most likely require legislation to pass.

When he was campaigning for the presidency, Obama vowed to “fight hard” for gay rights. During his tenure as an Illinois senator, he sponsored important bits of legislation that would have provided health benefits to the same-sex partners of federal employees. The President has assured gay rights activists that he intends to do more to support their cause in the upcoming years. But is he doing enough right now?

Perhaps President Obama is following standard White House procedure and gradually easing in the process of extending full health coverage to same-sex partners? However, the Obama administration has yet to act on overturning a ban on openly gay members of the military or extending health benefits to same-sex partners. The reaction from civil rights groups on Obama’s hesitancy to fully divulge the issue has understandably been mixed.

Richard Socarides, an adviser to the Clinton administration on gay rights, recently said that “extending benefits to partners of gay federal employees is terrific, but at this point he is under enormous pressure from the gay civil rights community for having promised the moon and done nothing so far. So more important now is what he says tomorrow about the future for gay people during his presidency.”

However, Socarides’ statement was one of the more positive reactions. Several gay donors recently withdrew their sponsorship for a fund-raising event for the Democratic National Committee. While the Oval Office has not officially announced what health benefits will be provided, it remains to be seen where exactly President Obama stands on health issues and civil rights.