From: Date: Mon, 08 Aug 94 16:10:14 EDT ****************************************************************************** ACTION ALERT ACTION ALERT ACTION ALERT THE HUMAN RIGHTS CAMPAIGN FUND The Nation's Largest Lesbian, Gay and Bisexual Political Group ****************************************************************************** To contact the HUMAN RIGHTS CAMPAIGN FUND, please call us at (202)628-4160, fax us at (202) 347-5323 or write to us at PO Box 1396 Washington, DC 20013. WE CANNOT RESPOND TO E-MAIL. ****************************************************************************** The following Action Alert was sent to the 3,500 members of the Human Rights Campaign Fund's Federal Advocacy Network (FAN). For more information, or to get involved with FAN, call the Federal Advocacy Network Team at (202)628-4160. ### Dear FAN Member: Jesse Helms is running amok on the floor of the United States Senate, waging a divisive campaign of hate and discrimination against lesbian and gay Americans. Just last week, he targeted lesbian and gay youth in a mean-spirited amendment to the Senate education bill that would cut off funds to local schools with programs "encouraging or supporting homosexuality as a positive lifestyle alternative." This bill prohibits school counselors from talking a gay youth out of committing suicide -- or even referring a troubled teen to an outside group for support. It also robs local school districts of the freedom to determine how best to meet the needs of students and their families. Helms and his right-wing allies are expected to take to the Senate floor again. This time, they are targeting your right to quality health care. When the health reform bill comes to the Senate floor for a vote, Helms and his allies will move to strike sexual orientation from the bill's non-discrimination clause. This would leave lesbian and gay Americans open to blatant discrimination in health care. Lesbian and gay people can face health care discrimination in the form of substandard care or denial of medical services. No federal law prohibits health care discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation. We need your help to stop Helms. Please call your Senators now and tell them to support non-discrimination in health care. Tell them to VOTE NO on amendments to the health reform bill that would strike sexual orientation from the non-discrimination clause. Tell them: NO ONE SHOULD BE DENIED ACCESS TO QUALITY HEALTH CARE BECAUSE OF THEIR SEXUAL ORIENTATION. To contact your Senators, call the U.S. Capitol at 202-224-3121. If you don't know your Senators' names, simply ask the Capitol operator. This is a critical vote for our community. The federal government has never before recognized the problem of anti-gay discrimination in health care or any other area. We need to send the message that discrimination is wrong. Please call your Senators today! Sincerely, Daniel Zingale Public Policy Director ### 1101 14th Street, NW Suite 200 Washington, DC 20005 phone:(202)628-4160 fax:(202) 347-5323