Marlon Reis (above right), the partner of U.S. Rep. Jared Polis, D-Colo., was forced to jump many bureaucratic hurdles in June to be able to take part in a congressional delegation trip to Seattle that was open to designated spouses of lawmakers. At one point, the U.S. military tried to bar Reis from getting on the plane unless he paid a reimbursement fee of $1,140.40 to the Defense Department. Eventually, the matter was cleared up and Reis was able to join his partner, the other lawmakers and their spouses, without having to pay.
