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Lesbian Army Vet Sues Feds After Wife Denied Military Benefits

LOS ANGELES (CBS) — A U.S. Army veteran has filed a lawsuit against the federal government after her wife was denied military benefits.

Tracey Cooper-Harris, an Iraq War veteran who has served in the Army for 12 years, announced the lawsuit in Los Angeles on Wednesday.

The suit alleges Cooper-Harris — who was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis in 2010 — was denied an application for additional money and benefits after she received disability benefits from the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs.

Cooper-Harris, a graduate of CSU Northridge, married her partner Maggie in 2008.

The couple's lawsuit argues that a federal law and the Department of Veterans Affairs policy that requires the disparate treatment for same-sex couples are unconstitutional.

(TM and © Copyright 2012 CBS Local Media, a division of CBS Radio Inc. and its relevant subsidiaries. CBS RADIO and EYE Logo TM and Copyright 2011 CBS Broadcasting Inc. Used under license. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)

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