Date: Thu, 11 Jul 96 17:28:06 EST From: "Phil Attey" Subject: Senate Hears Testimony on Anti-Marriage Bill As House Begins ________________________________________________________ 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 Thursday, July 11, 1996 SENATE HEARS TESTIMONY ON ANTI-MARRIAGE BILL AS HOUSE BEGINS DEBATE Key Senators Launch Plan to Pass Employment Non-Discrimination Act As Amendment to Anti-Gay Measure SEND MESSAGES TO YOUR MEMBERS OF CONGRESS THROUGH HRC'S WEBSITE http://www.hrcusa.org WASHINGTON -- The Senate Judiciary Committee held a hearing today on the so-called Defense of Marriage Act, while across the Capitol, the House began debate on the same bill. Both events were characterized by bitter rhetoric, with opponents of the bill decrying it as unnecessary and nothing more than election- year gay-bashing, and supporters claiming the measure is needed because Hawaii is on the verge of approving same-sex marriage. Elizabeth Birch, executive director of the Human Rights Campaign, charged proponents of the bill with wasting time on a non-existent "problem," and hotly disputed that the Hawaii case is anywhere near resolution. "A gay person can't get married in any of the 50 states today, and that's not likely to change for at least another two years," Birch said. "Yet gay people can be fired from their jobs in 41 states merely because of their sexual orientation. Congress should quit wasting time on legislation to outlaw an institution that doesn't exist and pass a bill to end discrimination that does." Sen. Edward M. Kennedy, D-Mass., announced at today's hearing his plan to introduce a bill to outlaw employment discrimination based on sexual orientation as an amendment to the Defense of Marriage Act. Kennedy released a letter, which was also signed by Sens. James Jeffords, R-Vt., and Joseph Lieberman, D-Conn., urging their colleagues to vote with them when they attach the Employment Non-Discrimination Act (ENDA) to the marriage bill. "During the remaining weeks of this Congress, the Senate should turn its attention to legislation that will enhance the lives of Americans," the senators wrote. "If America is to compete in a global economy, all Americans must be able to contribute. The price of prejudice is too high." Administration officials also told HRC that President Clinton supports the plan to attach ENDA as an amendment to the marriage bill. "The president strongly opposes discrimination against any group of Americans, including gay and lesbian individuals, and he supports legislation to outlaw such discrimination in the workplace," the administration said in a statement to Congress today. At the Senate hearing, meanwhile, Mitzi Henderson, national president of Parents, Families and Friends of Lesbians and Gays, called the bill mean-spirited, and said "it targets a group of people for discrimination and sets up a debate that misrepresents a community already under attack." "My marriage does not need to be defended," she told the committee. "My husband and I do not need your help to continue to cherish one another, and to respect our vows of more than 40 years. What my family needs is a more tolerant America." The absurdly titled Defense of Marriage Act attempts to bring the definition of marriage into the federal arena for the first time in U.S. history. While the bill purports to address the imminent legalization of same-sex marriage by the state of Hawaii, the fact is that the Hawaii case will not be resolved for at least two years. - 30 -