From: EWLLDEF@aol.com
Date: Wed, 8 May 1996 16:00:23 -0400
Subject: Log Cabin Statement on Federal Anti-Marriage Bill

LOG CABIN PRESS RELEASE

For Immediate Release                           Contact:  David Greer
May 8, 1996                                             (202) 347-5306

NEEDLESS ANTI-MARRIAGE LEGISLATION THREATENS GOP'S MAJORITY IN FALL

(WASHINGTON, D.C.) Federal legislation seeking to both bar recognition of
same-sex marriages and allow states to ignore same-sex marriages performed
in other states, introduced in Congress today, will needlessly hurt the
GOP majority in Congress. 

"There is nothing Democrats would like more than to tag the Republicans in
the 104th Congress as extreme," said Richard Tafel, executive director of
Log Cabin Republicans.  "The fact is that President Clinton has already
come out against marriage for gay couples.  No state recognizes gay
marriages.  And the Republicans have yet to deliver on the central
promises in the Contract with America.  Introducing this gratuitous
anti-marriage legislation will only help to ensure that the extreme,
gay-bashing image of the party will stick." 

"This issue is still being discussed at the local and state levels.  It is
the height of hyprocrisy to call for the devolution of power to the
states, and then propose this type of federal legislation," Tafel added. 
"If such a bill passes, it will once again pit states against the federal
government, something Republicans have said they were trying to get away
from." 

"The Republican leadership should get these members under control.  The
American people want balanced budgets, less government and reduced taxes.
Republicans should be fulfilling promises to the American people instead
of putting out fires started by the far right, whether by Rep. Bob Dornan
(R-CA) or Rep. Sam Barr (R-GA).  The real losers here will be Republican
moderates in close races who will have extremist, gay-bashing image hung
around their necks in the election," Tafel said. 

Log Cabin Republicans the nation's largest gay and lesbian Republican
organization with 54 chapters is 30 states and more than 10,000 members.
Log Cabin seeks to educate Republicans on issues of importance to gay and
lesbian Americans.

####

Log Cabin Republicans
Voice: 202/347-5306               E-mail:    logcabin@cais.com
FAX:   202/347-5224               Home page: http://www.cais.net/logcabin//



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