Date: Wed, 03 Aug 94 11:44:02 -0400 Eastern
From: phil.attey@glib.org


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PRESS RELEASE            PRESS RELEASE            PRESS RELEASE
 
               THE HUMAN RIGHTS CAMPAIGN FUND                    
 
The Nation's Largest Lesbian, Gay and Bisexual Political Group   
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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 RESOPND TO E-MAIL.  
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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                 CONTACT:  Douglas Hattaway
                                             202-628-4160 office 
 
TUESDAY, AUGUST 2, 1994                      202-265-5573 home
 
              UNANIMOUS SENATE VOTE WILL PROTECT SCHOOLS FROM
             HELMS ANTI-GAY AMENDMENT ON FEDERAL EDUCATION BILL
 
     WASHINGTON -- The U.S. Senate voted unanimously late Monday
on an amendment to the Elementary and Secondary Education Act
that will protect schools targeted in an anti-gay amendment
sponsored by Sen. Jesse Helms (R-N.C.).  After approving the
Helms amendment by a vote of 63-36, the Senate voted unanimously
for an amendment offered by Sen. Ted Kennedy (D-Mass.) providing
an alternative to the Helms language.  Kennedy will use his
amendment to remove the Helms language from the final version of
the bill.
 
     The Kennedy amendment, supported by the Campaign Fund and
passed by a vote of 99-0, prohibits the direct use of federal
funds to "promote or encourage sexual activity" of any kind. 
Helms' amendment would cut off federal funds to schools
"encouraging or supporting homosexuality as a positive lifestyle
alternative" -- whether or not federal funds were directly spent
on the programs targeted by Helms.  Programs likely to be
affected include suicide prevention counseling for youth, AIDS
prevention programs and curricula providing neutral infromation
on sexuality.  
 
     "Jesse Helms wasted taxpayer money and Senate time in a
hateful campaign to discriminate against youth who need help. 
His amendment would endanger young people by denying them the
counseling and information they need to stay safe and healthy,"
said Tim McFeeley, executive director of the Campaign Fund. 
"Local schools should determine the content of their curricula,
not the federal government.  Helms is determined to single out
gay youth for discrimination in public schools, and to penalize
schools that try to meet the needs of all their students.  We are
grateful that the Kennedy amendment provides an opportunity to
keep Jesse Helms off the backs of the nation's public schools."
 
                                  - 30 -
     1101 14th Street, NW  Suite 200  Washington, DC  20005      
          phone:(202)628-4160      fax:(202) 347-5323