From: Hrccomm@aol.com Date: Thu, 15 Feb 1996 11:03:53 -0500 Subject: HRC Says Gingrich Shows Shocking Ignorance on HIV Military Policy _______________________________________________________ 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 Wednesday, February 14, 1996 HRC SAYS GINGRICH SHOWS SHOCKING IGNORANCE ON HIV MILITARY POLICY Speaker Should Reply to Magic Johnson's Letter, HRC's Zingale Says GO TO HRC'S WEBSITE TO SEND MESSAGES TO NEWT! http://www.hrcusa.org Washington -- House Speaker Newt Gingrich's remarks Wednesday regarding Earvin "Magic" Johnson, HIV and the military showed a startling ignorance of Defense Department policies, according to the Human Rights Campaign, the largest national lesbian and gay political group. "The speaker is making a big mistake if he thinks he can go one on one with Magic Johnson on this issue," said Daniel Zingale, HRC's political director. "Clearly, it is Speaker Gingrich who does not understand the realities of the U.S. military. Service members who test positive for the AIDS virus are not engaging in warfare or spending time in military field hospitals -- contrary to Gingrich's statements." Gingrich, at an appearance in Georgia on Wednesday, was asked what he thought about a letter he received last week from Johnson. Johnson, who is HIV-positive, asked Gingrich and Senate Majority Leader Bob Dole to help pass legislation that would repeal a measure to discharge all service members with the virus that causes AIDS. That measure was part of the defense authorization bill that President Clinton signed Saturday. However, Clinton has said he believes the measure to be unconstitutional and he has directed the Justice Department not to defend it in court. Gingrich said Wednesday that Johnson doesn't understand "the nature of being in the military and the danger of being in combat and what happens in a field hospital if you have people bleeding, people wounded, and you don't have a clue who has HIV." Gingrich then went on to accuse Clinton of being "totally irresponsible" for his stance on the measure in the defense bill. "Rather than attack President Clinton's position on this issue, we wish the speaker would answer Magic Johnson's request to allow Congress to vote on the bill to repeal this discriminatory measure," Zingale said. The 1996 Defense Authorization Act contains a provision, introduced by Rep. Bob Dornan, R-Calif., ordering the discharge within six months of the 1,049 HIV-positive service members currently in the armed forces. A repeal bill was introduced in the House on Feb. 1 by Reps. Peter Torkildsen, R-Mass., Jane Harman, D-Calif., Connie Morella, R-Md., and Ron Dellums, D-Calif. It is expected to be introduced in the Senate by Sens. William Cohen, R-Maine and Edward Kennedy, D-Mass. Currently, the bill has 90 co-sponsors in the House and 36 in the Senate. Service members with the virus that causes AIDS currently are allowed to serve their country as long as they can perform their duties, but they are not deployed overseas. The same policy is applied to service members who have other chronic medical conditions such as diabetes, asthma, heart disease or cancer. The Pentagon has said that about half the HIV-positive service members are married, and on average, have served for a decade. Nearly 20 percent of them are officers. The Human Rights Campaign is the largest national lesbian and gay political organization, with members throughout the country. It effectively lobbies Congress, provides campaign support and educates the public to ensure that lesbian and gay Americans can be open, honest and safe at home, at work and in the community. - 30 -