From: Hrccomm@aol.com Date: Mon, 4 Dec 1995 17:52:04 -0500 Subject: "Parents, Schools, and Values" Hearings ________________________________________________________ NEWS from the Human Rights Campaign 1101 14th Street NW Washington, DC 20005 email: communications@hrcusa.org WWW: http://www.hrcusa.org ________________________________________________________ FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Monday, December 4, 1995 "PARENTS, SCHOOLS, AND VALUES" HEARINGS OVERSIGHT AND INVESTIGATIONS SUBCOMMITTEE HOUSE ECONOMIC AND EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES COMMITTEE DECEMBER 5-6, 1995 THE LOU SHELDON CONNECTION GO TO HRC'S WEBSITE TO SEE WHAT YOU CAN DO http://www.hrcusa.org December 19, 1994 - New York Times report: "In the House, Mr. Sheldon expects hearings on the subject of public school programs about homosexuality under a commitment he said he received in September from Representative Newt Gingrich, Republican of Georgia, the next Speaker." January 14, 1995 - Speaker Newt Gingrich confirms in a town hall meeting in Kennesaw, GA that the Sheldon hearings will take place. "I do think at some point this spring or summer, if we can have a one day hearing on whether or not tax-payer money is being spent to promote things that are literally grotesque, that that's a legitimate request," Gingrich said in the meeting. March 31, 1995 - Washington Blade report: "House [Economic and] Educational Opportunities Committee Chair William Goodling (R-Pa) said Wednesday he has no intention of holding the type of hearings on gay issues House Speaker Newt Gingrich (R-Ga.) said he wanted." August 31, 1995 - The Human Rights Campaign releases a fund-raising letter from the Traditional Values Coalition revealing that a hearing has been scheduled for Sept. 12 in the Oversight and Investigations Subcommittee of the House Economic and Educational Opportunities Committee, chaired by Peter Hoekstra (R-Mich.). "I was so excited when I received the call informing me of the hearing dates on the advocacy of homosexuality in public schools," wrote Lou Sheldon. "Last year in a private meeting which Andrea [Sheldon's daughter and fellow Washington lobbyist for TVC] and I had with Congressman Newt Gingrich, before he was Speaker, he promised us he would hold a hearing on the promotion of homosexuality in the public schools. This call was the fulfillment of his promise setting the date for the hearing on Tuesday, September 12, 1995...." The letter asked for monthly contributions for a $25,000 media campaign to publicize the hearings. September 5, 1995 - Chairman Hoekstra postpones the hearing after a strong public reaction to press reports about the Traditional Values Coalition fund-raising letter and Sheldon's involvement with the hearing. September 19, 1995 - Chairman Hoekstra reschedules the hearing, then titled "Parental Involvement in Social Issues in Education," for Oct. 13, which prompts his hometown paper, The Grand Rapids Press to editorialize on Sept. 22 against the hearing. The paper writes: "For the most part, U.S. Rep. Peter Hoekstra has distinguished himself by focusing on practical solutions to substantive problems. Providing a forum for political grandstanding by anti-gay zealots is a marked departure from that pattern." September 29, 1995 - Chairman Hoekstra again postpones the hearing, with no future date set. October 11, 1995 - Lou Sheldon again claims ownership of the hearing at a press conference attacking National Coming Out Day. "I spoke yesterday with the Chairman," Sheldon told reporters, referring to Rep. Hoekstra. "Those hearings have been put off because the enormous amount of information that has begun to surface concerning the funding is beyond any comprehension we ever thought," Sheldon said. Responding to a question about whether a new date has been set: "No, we don't have a date, because we are trying to be..uh..have absolute credible information." Asked whether he believes there will be a hearing: "Yes. We're working with them, and so we know it's happening." An Oct. 11 States News Service article also reported Sheldon saying "'The reason we keep postponing is because we keep finding more stuff,'" though the same story quoted committee staffer Cheri Jacaobus claiming that 'The committee does not work in concert with outside groups.'" November 2, 1995 - Lou Sheldon again claims ownership of the hearing telling a group of pastors at a Traditional Values Coalition Congressional briefing: "We were to have had these hearings a number of times and each time the chairman gets ready to set a date, a whole new bunch of evidence comes in." November 28, 1995 - Chairman Hoekstra schedules hearings for Dec. 5 and 6, featuring Sheldon ally and former Reagan/Bush official William Bennett. - 30 - ________________________________________________________