THE HUMAN RIGHTS CAMPAIGN FUND 1012 14TH STREET, NW SUITE 607 (202)628-4160 FAX:(202)347-5323 WASHINGTON, DC 20009 HUMAN RIGHTS CAMPAIGN FUND PLAN OF ACTION FOR 1993-1994 "To Meet The Challenge Of Change" I. INTRODUCTION The Human Rights Campaign Fund was created at the beginning of the Reagan-Bush Administration, and over the subsequent 12 years successfully established a political and lobbying presence for the gay, lesbian and bisexual community at the federal level. HRCF served and was supported by a community that was primarily closeted and underdeveloped politically. By 1992, the lesbian, gay, and bisexual community nationwide had matured to the point of enacting civil rights laws protecting gay and lesbian citizens in eight (8) states, the District of Columbia, and over 100 cities and counties. In the national election of 1992, the community, led by HRCF, played a major role in electing a Democratic President who had pledged support for most of the issues of concern to the gay community. Throughout its inaugural decade, HRCF focused its attention at the federal level, eschewing involvement in local and state issues and elections. A plethora of other gay, lesbian and bisexual groups were created, some well before HRCF itself, and these groups were (for the most part with low budgets and no paid staff) addressing these local issues. The strategies used by HRCF to defeat anti-lesbian and gay legislation in Congress, increase support for civil rights, push for more resources for AIDS and breast cancer, and address other issues that arose during the period were also limited and consisted primarily of (1) political support for Congressional candidates; (2) lobbying members of Congress and Administration officials; and (3) implementing a system of organized, overnight mail from constituents to U.S. Representatives and Senators. In the 1992 election cycle, HRCF contributed $765,000 to federal campaigns. By mid-1992, HRCF had sent over 1 million messages from constituents to Congress and had created an in-house lobbying team of ten (10) full-time staff, plus engaged the consulting services of outside lobbyists and lawyers. HRCF had not been involved in any substantial manner in creating an empowered, educated and active constituent base. Its membership, while the largest of any gay, lesbian, and/or bisexual political organization, was only 75,000. It had contributed cash and staff to several local anti-lesbian and gay ballot campaigns, but had not assumed a pro-active, strategic role. In the past several months, the community has faced two significant political losses that compel a reaction from HRCF and the entire gay, lesbian and bisexual community and the adoption of new strategies to address these new circumstances. The first was the passage of Amendment 2 in Colorado in November 1992 and similar ballot initiatives that attempt to repeal or prevent local civil rights ordinances and statutes, and the clear threat of more anti-lesbian and gay initiatives in 1994 (there were also ballot measures in Oregon, Portsmouth NH, Cincinnati and Lewiston in 1993). The second was the Congressional rejection to "Lift the Ban." In both instances the political power of the opposition, led by the radical right and groups like the Christian Coalition, Concerned Women of America, and Focus on the Family, completely overpowered the gay, lesbian, and bisexual community and our allies. The community felt betrayed by the politicians that it and HRCF had supported, including President Clinton, and resentful that HRCF had not foreseen and prevented these losses. The needs are obvious. We need a political and lobbying operation that rivals that of the radical right. We need a responsible constituency that is ready, willing and able to take political action. We need money, brain power and political alliances from other progressive forces. We need cooperation and coordination among national and local groups. We need a massive "coming-out." We need positive images of gay and lesbian people. We need to move beyond shame and blame and as leaders, organizations and individuals assume responsibility for meeting the challenge of change. This Plan of Action begins to address these needs. It examines the existing strategies, strengthens those that are working, modifies or discards those strategies that are not working and creates new strategies. It is a work-in-progress and will improve with experience and larger input from community leaders and activists. The Plan has been created over the past three months with substantial input from HRCF members, gay and lesbian activists, straight allies, as well as board and staff members. The Plan of Action takes account of the tremendous resources that already exist in the gay, lesbian and bisexual community. In essence, the Plan recognizes and seeks to empower and motivate an ever increasing number of "out," knowledgeable and concerned constituents. The Plan places greater emphasis on political and lobbying activities by this corps of dedicated gay, lesbian, bisexual and fair-minded, straight Americans. The Campaign Fund's job will be to train, educate and motivate this corps of volunteers and keep them "in the loop" with a constant flow of information. The Plan of Action also addresses the need for HRCF to be involved in the 1994 state and local ballot initiative campaigns and recognizes that this involvement may demand a major increase in revenues and participation. The Human Rights Campaign Fund has identified three (3) major goals for the community. First, to build a large membership organization that takes us from 80,000 members to several hundreds of thousands. Second, we need to create and nurture a vital and effective grassroots infrastructure in every Congressional district in the country. And finally we must facilitate positive images of gay and lesbian Americans, primarily by encouraging more and more people to "come out." To the extent we achieve these goals, we will then be able to move Congress and the President to pass legislation to secure the safety, health and civil rights of gay and lesbian Americans. HUMAN RIGHTS CAMPAIGN FUND PLAN OF ACTION FOR 1993-1994 "To Meet The Challenge Of Change" II. ISSUES/AGENDA A. Civil Rights Bill Advance a federal Civil Rights Bill which would prohibit discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation and effectively overrule anti-lesbian and gay initiatives at the state and local level. Promotion of a Civil Rights Bill will educate our community, the media, the general public, and the U.S. Congress about the need for enforceable standards prohibiting discrimination against lesbians and gay men. Between now and July, 1994 HRCF will employ several strategies in order to draft, introduce, secure support for and hold congressional hearings on the need for a federal civil rights bill. The strategies include: building coalitions; developing promotional materials; documenting cases of discrimination; organizing national letter-writing campaigns; increasing co-sponsors to 125 House and 20 Senate; demonstrating support from religious leaders, the civil rights community including the Congressional Black Caucus, business, labor and opinion leaders through the endorsement project and otherwise; working with the White House, Office of Management and Budget, Justice Department and the Democratic National Committee to secure executive branch support; and working to ensure that the reauthorization of the US Civil Rights Commission scheduled for 1994 provides the Commission with jurisdiction over lesbian and gay civil rights matters. B. Hate Crimes Pass the Hate Crimes Sentencing Act this year which defines hate crime as "a crime in which the defendant intentionally selects a victim, or in case of property crime, the property that is the object of the crime, because of the actual or perceived race, color, religion, national origin, ethnicity, gender, or sexual orientation of any person" and directs the United States Sentencing Commission to adopt guidelines to increase, by at least three offensive levels, the sentence for all federal crimes that have been proven beyond a reasonable doubt to be hate crimes. Lay the groundwork for the reauthorization of the Hate Crimes Statistics Act; explore educational programs to expose and reduce hate crimes; and encourage Congress to adopt the exclusion of any person guilty of committing war crimes against gays, lesbians, or bisexuals as part of its war crimes policy. C. Health Care Focus will be on Health Care Reform, research on lesbian health and AIDS, and Congressional appropriations for FY '95. The Campaign Fund will track every member of Congress, build and participate in coalitions, and be a constant visible presence on the Hill. HRCF will work with the executive branch and the National Health Care Campaign to ensure that the concerns of the lesbian, gay and people with AIDS communities are reflected in the health care reform program. Public Policy Advocates (lobbyists) will have regular communications with their assigned members of Congress and coordinate Health Care Reform Lobby Days for early Spring. A Lesbian Health Policy Summit is scheduled for January. It will bring together people who are the service, research, and education providers of lesbian health to develop an action plan of what is needed from Congress and the Administration to meet the health needs of lesbians. A first ever national invitational strategy meeting/think tank on HIV prevention among gay and bisexual people will be convened and co-sponsored by HRCF and the American Association of Physicians for Human Rights (AAPFHR). In addition, HRCF is participating, along with 30 other community organizations, universities and government agencies, in the "Madison Project". It is a think tank of the nation's top HIV/AIDS researchers, activists and government representatives, to develop proposals to further speed the discovery of a cure for AIDS. D. Negative Amendments Anticipate and defend against negative amendments in Congress which seek to target lesbian, gay and HIV positive Americans for discriminatory treatment in a broad range of legislation. For example, Senator Jesse Helms frequently offers amendments to a variety of bills to exclude or negatively impact gay, lesbian and HIV positive people. Keep in close contact with Committee and personal staff to pick up rumors and information about possible amendments on upcoming legislation. Develop a set of materials on typical issues used in negative amendments that can be edited to the specific issue at hand on very short notice. Keep track of past negative amendments and which arguments were most effective. Support nominees that are under attack for being lesbian, gay, or bisexual or supporting our civil rights. Oppose nominees who have been hostile to our rights. E. Military Discrimination Keep this issue alive in Congress and the Executive Branch with the ultimate goal of ending all discriminatory practices of the U.S. Armed Forces toward lesbian, gay, and bisexual people. Make it clear this will be an issue in the '94 election. Inform Members of Congress about cases of discrimination and violence and legal challenges; coordinate letters from Congress to Administration re: regulations; coordinate series of Dear Colleagues highlighting specific cases of discrimination and violence; urge Members of Congress to intervene in individual cases; lay groundwork to implement an Appropriations strategy to limit money spent on witch hunts; prepare for another vote in the future by documenting how this version of the ban is no more acceptable than the last version.F. Non-Discrimination For Federal Employees The President has the authority to issue an Executive Order prohibiting discrimination against lesbian and gay employees in employment practices and with respect to security clearances in the Federal government. The President also can issue an order requiring federal contractors to protect lesbian and gay employees from discrimination. The Campaign Fund will conduct the needed legal research, develop a draft of the Executive Orders, assemble supporting documentation and build a coalition. HRCF will also work to develop support for Orders from Members of Congress and from the Executive Branch. HUMAN RIGHTS CAMPAIGN FUND PLAN OF ACTION FOR 1993-1994 "To Meet The Challenge Of Change" III. CONTINUING STRATEGIES/PROGRAMS A. Lobbying Professional lobbying defends and advances equal rights for lesbian and gay Americans through federal law, potentially overruling anti-lesbian and gay initiatives at the state and local level. There are eleven staff positions that have lobbying as one of their major job responsibilities. This includes the Directors and Deputy Directors of the Public Policy and Political Departments, an AIDS Research Policy Analyst, and six Public Policy Advocates. Each Public Policy Advocate has the responsibility of maintaining relations with and lobbying the congressional offices of an assigned region of the country in coordination with HRCF members in that region. Each individual lobbyist recommends a target list of approximately 20-30 Representatives in his or her region along with specific goals and plans for moving those Representatives on HRCF's legislative agenda. In addition to Members of Congress, lobbying activities occur in Executive Branch agencies, especially the White House (and the Democratic National Committee, which serves as its political arm), the Office of Management and Budget, the Department of Defense, the Department of Health and Human Services, and the Department of Justice. These agencies, and Congress, where appropriate, are lobbied on Executive Branch appointments of concern to the gay and lesbian community (including judicial nominations) and to increase the number of openly lesbian and gay appointments. B. Campaign Work - PAC Political activities are designed to elect supporters, defeat enemies and build relationships with Members of Congress in order to increase support for our issues on Capitol Hill. Since virtually all decisions made by Members of Congress are with an eye towards re-election, we aim to ensure that support for lesbian and gay issues is perceived as a political plus, not as political suicide. Chief among our campaign activities is financial support from our bipartisan political action committee (PAC). HRCF's PAC is made up of funds pooled from thousands of Campaign Fund members, money they entrust to HRCF to use on congressional races critical to the lesbian and gay community. HRCF will develop a comprehensive targeting plan for races in which we will consider involvement, as well as begin to develop individual campaign plans for a small number of races in which HRCF will be especially active. In addition, HRCF will continue to make PAC contributions as necessary to support its endorsed candidates and move the legislative agenda. Finally, HRCF will participate in the deliberations around campaign finance reform to ensure that the concerns of the lesbian and gay community are considered as Congress deliberates on this legislation. C. Speak Out HRCF's Speak Out program sends overnight, personalized mailgrams to the President, Members of Congress and other federal officials from their constituents. Speak Out mailgrams allow the lesbian and gay community and its supporters to respond quickly during legislative battles and to bolster HRCF's targeted lobbying efforts with a high volume of constituent pressure. Anti-lesbian and gay amendments, such as those frequently offered by Senator Jesse Helms, arise on Capitol Hill with very little notice. Members of Congress and their staffs rely heavily on constituent mail as a measure of support for or opposition to legislation among voters in their states or districts. Speak Out mailgrams help demonstrate support for issues on HRCF's legislative agenda, and HRCF will continue to use the Speak Out program to advocate for these issues and to help counter the flood of mail from the radical right. While Speak Out alone is not sufficient to demonstrate the growing support for the HRCF agenda, it is a critical component because the mailgrams can be targeted and timed so effectively. The Campaign Fund will continue to integrate Speak Out mailgrams with other grassroots lobbying efforts including personal letters, phone calls, and visits to Members of Congress. The lesbian and gay community faces a unique problem on Capitol Hill -- convincing Members of Congress that supporters of lesbian and gay civil rights exist not just in San Francisco, New York and Los Angeles but in their districts. Because each mailgram is from a real constituent, Speak Out helps counter one of the most politically destructive myths about the lesbian and gay community and brings real people out of the closets and into the minds of their elected representatives in Washington. D. Coalition Building HRCF will continue to build coalitions with, learn from and assist other gay and lesbian, civil rights, feminist, and progressive political organizations; the religious community; and the business, labor, corporate and legal communities. Organizations with which HRCF currently works are: National Gay and Lesbian Task Force (NGLTF), Gay and Lesbian Victory Fund, Lambda Legal Defense and Education Fund (LLDEF), National Center For Lesbian Rights (NCLR), Lesbian Health Working Group, Lesbian Health Initiative, National Organizations Responding to AIDS (NORA), National Organization For Women (NOW), American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), Progressive PAC Network (ProNeT), People For The American Way, Leadership Conference on Civil Rights (LCCR), Religious Action Center (RAC), Metropolitan Community Church (MCC), Parents, Families and Friends of Lesbians and Gays (PFLAG), Gay/Lesbian/BiSexual Federal Employees (GLOBE), Gays and Lesbians Opposing Violence (GLOV), labor unions and others. HUMAN RIGHTS CAMPAIGN FUND PLAN OF ACTION FOR 1993-1994 "To Meet The Challenge Of Change" III. CONTINUING STRATEGIES/PROGRAMS - cont. E. Communications/Public Education Disseminating information, to the gay and lesbian community and to the general public about the Campaign Fund's work and the issues facing the community, plays a significant role in HRCF's ability to affect change and secure equal rights. HRCF uses a number of strategies to accomplish this task. HRCF's Communications department sends an average of two press releases each week with important news, notice of events, and HRCF's position on various issues to the media. In addition, press releases are placed on the GLIB system where they are accessed by over 325 national gay community computer bulletin boards around the country. Communications staff responds to press inquiries every day, most seeking facts on state discrimination laws, upcoming legislation and the like. Each week, calls are placed by HRCF staff to reporters around the country to pitch stories and present HRCF's position on the news. "MOMENTUM TV" is taped every other week in Washington and currently airs in 24 cities nationwide, (three more cities have Momentum TV on a schedule waiting list). A five minute "Washington Update" is produced for the Gay Cable Network (GCN), using the time to encourage phone calls and letters to Capitol Hill on the issues of the moment. GCN programming is seen in more than 20 markets around the country. HRCF also produces MOMENTUM, a quarterly newsletter providing HRCF members information of ongoing work, recent accomplishments, and the organization's short and long term goals. The black-tie dinner program, which continues as an essential component of HRCF's development effort, is also a means to interact with more than 18,000 members each year on a more personal basis. HRCF staff, elected officials and celebrities inform attendees about the legislative, political and social issues affecting the lesbian and gay community and in turn learn about what's going on in that local community. Dinner co-chairs attend a training conference that not only teaches them how to produce a successful fundraising event but educates them about HRCF's mission and current work. They become HRCF "ambassadors", helping to build membership and political involvement within their community. An annual Leadership Conference brings together 500 of HRCF's most active members for a weekend of education and training culminating in a day of lobbying on Capitol Hill. Members of Congress and other political and social leaders in the gay and lesbian community conduct workshops about current issues. The participants include members who are active in FAN, local steering committees, Speak Out, dinner committees, Boards of Directors and Governors, and Federal Club. F. National Coming Out Day In February, 1993, National Coming Out Day (NCOD) became a non-profit educational project of the HRCF Foundation. NCOD is an annual event recognized by lesbians, gay men, bisexuals and their supporters as a day to celebrate the process of accepting and being open about their sexual orientation. Commemorating its sixth and most successful year, NCOD events occurred in 44 states and three countries, encouraging people to take their next step in the coming out process. Coming out is the most effective way lesbians and gay men can empower themselves, changing the negative stereotypes perpetuated by the radical right. This year, the NCOD program will be broadened to increase the visibility of gays and lesbians. The cornerstone of the program will be a public education campaign that will bring the positive images of lesbians and gay men to mainstream America. The key lesson learned from the military issue is that coming out breaks down the barriers of fear and ignorance and fosters an environment of acceptance and tolerance. HRCF realizes the political importance of this basic act and will be putting resources behind this program, a critical element of its strategic plan. IV. EXPANDING & NEW INITIATIVES A. Federal Advocacy Network The Federal Advocacy Network (FAN) is a constituent mobilization program, consisting of State Coordinators, Congressional District Coordinators, and Citizen Advocates organized in a pyramid structure conducive to growth. The FAN will be a pro-active base of people nationwide dedicated to ensuring equal rights for lesbians and gays. Working within a coordinated national strategy, FAN volunteers will lobby Members of Congress in their district offices, work to elect candidates and to affect the outcome of state and local ballot initiatives. The Federal Advocacy Network (FAN) program will focus on recruiting and training State Coordinators and Congressional District Coordinators (with special outreach to communities of color), and development of FAN materials. In addition to the FAN's recruitment efforts, the FAN will also facilitate coalitions with groups on an ad hoc basis, depending on the issue of concern and existing groups in specific states. The FAN program will require constant nurturing and communication. Staff will be responsible for keeping FAN volunteers well informed on relevant issues and well equipped to respond and pro-actively pressure their Representatives and Senators. B. Anti-Lesbian and Gay State Ballot Measures Ballot measures pose an unprecedented threat to the civil rights and political progress of the lesbian and gay community. Successful ballot measures deny equal rights protections to the people in the states in which they occur. They also poison the political climate and make it difficult to move forward with a national lesbian and gay civil rights bill. The Campaign Fund's Ballot Measure Project will work directly to support state campaigns by 1) conducting polling and focus group research to develop an effective message that motivates voters; 2) conducting research on the radical right so that the public can be educated about the threat it poses to the lesbian and gay community; and 3) raising the additional funds needed to provide fundraising and political consulting services to help local groups with their campaigns. In addition, the Campaign Fund will establish a clearinghouse for polling data, advertising, newspaper clips and other material emerging from these elections so that critical information is available to all the campaigns fighting ballot measures. C. Survey Research, Message Development, Creating a Positive Image HRCF will undertake survey and focus group research to develop effective messages to persuade the public to support its agenda. Specifically, the Campaign Fund will look at the following questions: 1. How do we pass a lesbian and gay civil rights bill? 2. How do we defeat anti-lesbian and gay ballot measures? 3. How should Members of Congress use our issues to win their campaigns and diffuse criticism they receive for supporting our agenda? 4. How can we present a positive image of lesbian and gay Americans to the nation as a whole? In order to accomplish this goal, the Campaign Fund will retain top-notch polling and communications firms. D. Expanded Media In helping to further HRCF's three general goals: 1) generating growth in membership; 2) building an effective national grassroots program; and 3) dispelling the stereotypes of gay and lesbian people that too often appear in the press and media; the role of communications at the Campaign Fund will greatly shift and increase. An aggressive effort will be made during the next six months to improve communications with the lesbian and gay community through use of gay and mainstream press and electronic communications tools, and more frequent newsletters to members. HRCF will distribute to the media, a regular series of talking points on legislative and electoral issues (to give information and help people know how to respond on various issues), with an action alert message to let people supportive of the lesbian and gay community know what they can do to advance HRCF's work. In addition, outreach to radio stations and meeting with editorial boards and journalists will increase. A Public Relations Working Group, composed of volunteer media and Public Relations professionals, is being formed to provide expertise, guidance and assistance. Longer range plans are also underway to increase the communications effort even more. As survey research, focus groups, and polling within the gay and lesbian and mainstream community are completed, and a message is fine-tuned, we look to include the following in our overall communications efforts: moving "Momentum TV" from public access onto commercial stations; developing a quarterly journal of political opinion and thought on issues of importance to the gay and lesbian community; and producing and distributing educational and political videos that portray the positive image and message of gay and lesbian people. HUMAN RIGHTS CAMPAIGN FUND PLAN OF ACTION FOR 1993-1994 "To Meet The Challenge Of Change" V. ORGANIZATIONAL FACTS A. Size of budget: $6,000,000 for FY '94 (April 1, 1993 - March 31, 1994) B. Staff: 40 Staff members in 6 departments (Public Policy, Political, Membership, Communications, Development and Administration). C. Governance: Board of Directors - 23 members Board of Governors - 53 members D. Local Steering Committees: Committees exist in 25 cities and consist of Directors, Governors, Dinner/Event Co-chairs, Area Canvass Supervisors (Speak-Out), Federal Club Co-chairs, and FAN Coordinators. E. Membership: 80,000