From: <[email-masked]>
Date: Thu, 04 Aug 94 17:07:40 EDT

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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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                            STATEMENT
          DISCRIMINATORY AMENDMENTS
        SPONSORED BY SEN. JESSE HELMS

     The nation was shocked this week when the United States
Senate bowed to the hateful rhetoric of Sen. Jesse Helms and
adopted an amendment to the Improving America's Schools Act that
targeted gay youth, their families and their schools for
discrimination.  The Helms amendment to the education bill was a
harsh and mean-spirited attack on vulnerable young people who
need support.  But that attack was only the tip of the iceberg.

     Jesse Helms is running amok on the floor of the United
States Senate, waging a campaign of hate and discrimination. 
These divisive battles are wasting precious time and taxpayer
money that should be spent addressing the real problems facing
this country.  We call on the Senate to stand up to hate, to
stand up against discrimination -- and stop Jesse Helms. 
     
     Helms has tacked anti-gay amendments onto everything from
the agriculture appropriations bill, to the National Endowment
for the Arts Funding, to the education bill.  Now he is taking to
the floor with a slew of new attacks on the rights and dignity of
veterans and government employees.  These amendments are not
about good public policy -- they are vicious attacks on the
freedom of American citizens.

     1101 14th Street, NW  Suite 200  Washington, DC  20005      
          phone:(202)628-4160      fax:(202) 347-5323