From: Hrccomm@aol.com Date: Fri, 2 Feb 1996 18:27:25 -0500 Subject: HRC Pushes Bill To Repeal Discriminatory HIV Provision ________________________________________________________ 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 Friday, February 2, 1996 HUMAN RIGHTS CAMPAIGN PUSHES BILL TO REPEAL DISCRIMINATORY HIV PROVISION Pledges to Continue Working To Pass It EMAIL YOUR MEMBERS OF CONGRESS THROUGH HRC'S WWW SITE! http://www.hrcusa.org Washington -- The Human Rights Campaign hailed a bipartisan bill to repeal a discriminatory measure that would kick out all armed service members who have tested positive for the AIDS virus, even if they are healthy and performing their jobs competently. "That was one of the meanest, most vindictive measures to come out of the 104th Congress, and we will do everything in our power to ensure repeal of that discriminatory measure," said Winnie Stachelberg, HRC's senior health policy advocate. The bill to overturn the HIV measure was introduced in the House late Thursday 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 next week in the Senate by Sens. William Cohen, R-Maine and Edward Kennedy, D-Mass. The repeal bill is expected to have broad bipartisan support in both houses, Stachelberg said, noting that Georgia Sen. Sam Nunn, ranking Democrat on the Senate Armed Services Committee, has called the HIV expulsion measure "punitive." The bill would repeal a provision of the $265 billion Defense Department's 1996 authorization. That provision, written by Rep. Bob Dornan, R-Calif., would discharge within six months the 1,049 HIV-positive U.S. service members and immediately cut off all health care benefits to their dependents. Half these service members are married and, on average, they have served in the military for a decade, according to the Pentagon. Nearly 20 percent of them are officers. "The Human Rights Campaign worked closely with congressional offices and the White House to craft this repeal measure," Stachelberg said. "We are pleased that President Clinton is putting the full force of the White House behind undoing this atrocious provision." Clinton has voiced strong opposition to the measure since the authorization bill passed Congress late last month. "The president doesn't believe it should be in the defense authorization bill and will look for a way to try to take it out prior to the effective date in June," White House spokesman Mike McCurry said Monday. Clinton is expected to sign the authorization bill next week. Dornan and other GOP extremists added the HIV provision to the House version of the defense authorization, but it was not in the Senate bill. When the two versions went to a House-Senate conference committee for reconciliation, House Republicans made sure this discriminatory measure became part of the final bill, Stachelberg said. "This measure would remove trained, experienced, physically healthy and productive men and women from the armed forces," Stachelberg said. "It singles out men and women with HIV and treats them differently from service members with other diseases." Currently, service members with the virus that causes AIDS may 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 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 -