Subject: HRC Presses Senate to Pass ENDA, Defeat DOMA
From: [email-masked]
Date: Mon, 9 Sep 1996 13:36:11 -0400

________________________________________________________

NEWS from the
Human Rights Campaign

1101 14th Street NW
Washington, DC 20005
email:  [email-masked]
WWW:    http://www.hrcusa.org
________________________________________________________

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Monday, Sept. 9, 1996

  HRC PRESSES SENATORS TO SUPPORT BILL TO OUTLAW ANTI-GAY JOB
                         DISCRIMINATION
                                
                 Historic Vote Set for Tuesday

         EMAIL YOUR SENATORS TODAY THROUGH HRC ONLINE
                     http://www.hrcusa.org
                     AND CALL YOUR SENATORS
               Senate Switchboard: (202) 224-3121

WASHINGTON -- The Human Rights Campaign continued to work
intently today  to shore up enough Senate votes to pass the 
Employment Non-Discrimination Act on Tuesday.

     "We are well within striking distance and I remain
confident that we have a solid chance to win this crucial vote,"
said Daniel Zingale, HRC's political director. "However, it
remains an uphill battle."

     As of Sept. 7, a  total of 43 senators had committed to vote
for ENDA, including Republicans James Jeffords of Vermont, John
Chafee of Rhode Island, Alfonse D'Amato of New York and Mark
Hatfield of Oregon. HRC was working to convince 14 other senators
who had not yet declared their intentions, according to Zingale. 

     Vice President Al Gore is expected to preside over the
Senate on Tuesday, in case he is needed to break a tie, an
unnamed Senate staffer told The Boston Globe. 

     Last week, Senate Majority Leader Trent Lott, R-Miss.,
announced that ENDA would come up for a vote as a free-standing
bill Tuesday. This is the same day that the Senate plans to
vote on the so-called Defense of Marriage Act, a bill originally
sponsored by Republican presidential nominee Bob Dole that would
deny federal recognition of same-sex marriages in the event that
a state should ever legalize such marriages. ENDA was to be
offered as an amendment to the anti-gay bill as part of an
agreement reached before Congress recessed in August.

     "To protect DOMA from an increasingly viable ENDA amendment,
Senator Lott, scheduled DOMA for a vote Tuesday with no
amendments in order," Zingale said. "Then, to dodge accusations
that he was afraid of losing an ENDA vote, he agreed to a vote on
that bill, on the same day with no  amendments.

      "We were a victim of our own success," he added. "While
killing the Defense of Marriage Act would have been an
outstanding result in our view, the introduction of ENDA as an
amendment was simply an attempt to gain something positive out of
an utterly dismal political situation."

     HRC continues to urge all senators to vote against the
marriage bill, but expects only about a dozen to do so.

     "In the end, we believe America will recognize that denying
legal recognition of our relationships is discriminatory and
unconstitutional," said Elizabeth Birch, HRC's executive
director. "We will do everything in our power to work to defeat
DOMA legislatively, and in our country's courts of law and public
opinion."

     HRC is encouraging citizens to call their U.S. senators on
Monday and Tuesday, and ask them to support the Employment
Non-Discrimination Act (S.932), and to oppose the Defense of
Marriage Act (S.1740). Senators can be called through the Capitol
Switchboard at (202) 224-3121.

     Earlier this month the Human Rights Campaign aired
television commercials in San Diego at the Republican National
Convention  asserting that "Bob Dole and Congress have better
things to do than attack gay relationships." 

     The organization ran another commercial last week in the
Washington area, entitled "Fairness," showcasing four very
different public figures -- New Jersey Gov. Christine Todd
Whitman, Coretta Scott King, former U.S. Sen. Barry Goldwater and
Kathleen Gingrich, mother of House Speaker Newt Gingrich. All
agree that gay people deserve basic job protection and support
the bill.

     "A gay person can legally be fired simply for being gay in
41 states," David M. Smith, HRC communications director, said at
a news conference Tuesday to release the ad. "The four national
figures featured in our ad are among the 85 percent of Americans
who agree that job discrimination against gay men and lesbians is
wrong."

      ENDA prohibits quotas, and does not apply to religious
organizations, small businesses  or the military. Tuesday's
Senate vote on the measure will mark the first time that Congress
has voted on a civil rights bill that would include lesbian and
gay Americans.

     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.

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