Date: Tue, 10 Sep 96 16:17:41 EST From: "Phil Attey" Subject: Senate Passage of Anti-Gay Marriage Bill Will Not Stand ________________________________________________________ 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 Tuesday, Sept. 10, 1996 SENATE PASSAGE OF UNCONSTITUTIONAL ANTI-GAY MARRIAGE BILL WILL NOT STAND, HRC SAYS Group Deplores Senate's Defeat of Bill To Protect Gays from Job Discrimination HRC'S ONLINE ACTION CENTER HAS FULL DETAILS AND VOTE COUNTS http://www.hrcusa.org WASHINGTON -- The Senate's passage of the anti-gay Defense of Marriage Act is nothing more than election-year gay bashing and is destined to be undone, the Human Rights Campaign asserted today. "The Human Rights Campaign is appalled over the passage of the Defense of Marriage Act," said Elizabeth Birch, executive director of HRC, the largest lesbian and gay political organization. "Denying lesbians and gay pople equal marriage rights will not stand. HRC vows to continue to fight this legislatively and in our country's courts of law and public opinion." Birch also deplored the Senate's failure to pass the Employment Non-Discrimination Act (ENDA), a bill to outlaw discrimination against gay people in the workplace. However, she said some important accomplishments were achieved nonetheless. "We are saddened by today's vote and believe that it underscores why we must stay focused and engaged this election year and elect a Congress that supports treating people equally and fairly," she said at a news conference after the two votes. "The civil rights struggle in this country has been a long journey and we will, with steadfast commitment, continue working toward the day when America's promise of life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness will be true for gay Americans as well." The vote on ENDA "represents a small but profound victory," Birch said. "The U.S. Senate, for the first time in the history of this country, debated and voted on a major piece of civil rights legislation for gay people," she said. "Though the outcome is not what we had hoped, it lays a strong foundation for work in the next Congress." The Senate voted 85 - 14 on the Defense of Marriage Act, a bill to allow states to ignore same-sex marriages performed in any other state. No state currently recognizes same-sex marriages. Shortly after passing the anti-gay marriage bill, the Senate defeated the Employment Non-Discrimination Act by a vote of 49 - 50. Currently, it is legal in 41 states to fire employees merely for being gay or lesbian. "With today's vote, the struggle for gay rights has been embraced by the longstanding civil rights struggle in this country," Birch said. "We have also established bipartisan support for treating gay people fairly. And finally, it is no longer a question of if' we will win equal rights, it is a question of when.'" Birch also called on President Clinton, "in the strongest possible terms," to veto the Defense of Marriage Act. "This bill is discriminatory, unconstitutional and nothing more than election-year gratuitous gay bashing," she said. "The Defense of Marriage Act violates a cornerstone of our nation's most basic principal of fairness, that all people are equal in the eyes of the law." 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 -