From: Date: Mon, 08 Aug 94 17:26:10 EDT NATIONAL GAY & LESBIAN TASK FORCE LEGISLATIVE ALERT AUGUST 8, 1994 Helms Attacks Gay and Lesbian Youth Action Needed Now NGLTF urges all supporters of gay, lesbian and bisexual youth to take immediate action against an amendment recently passed in the US Senate. During debate on August 1 on the Elementary and Secondary Education Act, Senators Jesse Helms (R-NC) and Bob Smith (R-NH) succeeded in passing an amendment that the Washington Post called a "cheap gay bashing vote." However, an opportunity now exists to strike the Smith/Helms amendment from the final version of the law. If made into law, the Smith/Helms amendment would put gay youth in jeopardy. It would have a chilling, devastating effect on the lives of gay and lesbian youth. Gay youth seeking counsel at school would be turned away under this measure. Your Senators must be held accountable for their votes on this issue. The Smith/Helms amendment must never reach the President's desk. What Happened The following is a synopsis of what took place in the Senate on August 1 - 2. 1. Senator Bob Smith (R-NH) introduced an amendment to the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) that would ban federal funds to be used in schools that "carry out a program or activity that has either the purpose or effect of encouraging or supporting homosexuality as a positive alternative lifestyle." The amendment would cover the distribution of instructional materials, counseling and referral of students to outside organizations. 2. Again using the Senate Floor as a stage for political gay bashing, Senator Jesse Helms (R-NC) spoke in favor of the Smith amendment and succeeded in adding a "second degree amendment" that prevents any further amendment to the Smith amendment. The Smith/Helms amendment passed in a 63-36 vote very late in the day. 3. Senator Edward Kennedy (D-MA) then offered a conflicting amendment that would prohibit the use of federal funds to promote sexual activity, whether homosexual or heterosexual. Because no federal funds are used for this purpose, the Kennedy language would have no actual impact, but could be used in conference committee as leverage to delete the Smith/Helms measure. This strategy of offering a similarly-worded but conflicting amendment is common. This free standing amendment passed 99-0, but was not covered in initial stories of the Smith/Helms amendment. 4. The following day, on August 2, in an effort to counterstrike another threatened Helms attack, a second Kennedy amendment passed. This one would prohibit federal funds for condom distribution in schools. The amendment was adopted by voice vote. 5. Finally, the Senate voted to combine all three amendments under the Smith amendment despite the conflicts between each of its three sections. The final combining amendment passed 91-9. Why it Happened The unusual proceedings on the Senate floor were an attempt by Sen. Helms to keep gay and lesbian organizations and constituents on the defensive rather than advocating for other, pro-active measures such as ENDA or health care reform. To counteract the anti-gay propaganda of Helms and his supporters, Kennedy introduced two counter amendments and then combined all three into a single conflicting amendment. In this weay, gay groups and political strategists hope to create grounds to strike the Smith/Helms anti-gay measures in a future joint Senate/House committee. Because the House of Representatives already passed a measure similar, but not identical, to the Smith/Helms amendment, the fate of all the amendments must be decided in a Senate/House joint conference committee later this fall that will work to reconcile the differences. The conference committee co-chairmen will be Sen. Kennedy and Rep. Bill Ford (D-MI). The Senate will be represented by all members of the Senate Committee on Labor and Human Resources. Representatives will be appointed from the House Committee on Education and Labor. With a 99-0 vote in favor of the Kennedy language, and a 63-36 vote in favor of Smith/Helms, Sen. Kennedy has strong standing to remove the Smith/Helms language during the conference committee. What NGLTF Has Done The National Gay and Lesbian Task is working in coalition with several progressive organizations on the best strategy to delete anti-gay amendments from ESEA. NGLTF anticipated the Helms anti-gay crusade in the spring after a mitigated victory in the House of Representatives on the same issue. On Capitol Hill, NGLTF worked to find a senator willing to draft and introduce counterattack legislation and will now concentrate on strategies to delete the Smith/Helms amendment in the conference committee. Your help is needed. Teachers and gay, lesbian and bisexual youth need your active support now! What You Can Do 63 Senators betrayed gay, lesbian and bisexual youth! Our community is outraged! Contact your senators! Write or call Senator Kennedy, Representative Ford and the other members of the conference committee! Visit your members of Congress during the August recess. Write letters to the editor. Join with teachers, students and school board members in expressing your concern. Make your senators accountable for their anti-gay votes! Don't let Smith/Helms become law! Contact your Senators t If your senators opposed the amendment, thank them for their support and ask for their pledge to strike the amendment in conference committee. t If your senators supported the amendment, express your concern and ask that they work to strike the amendment in conference committee. Suggested Talking Points: t Each school district, with the input of teachers, counselors, and parents, must have the right to support its students according to local community standards. t Youth questioning their sexual orientation are desperate for resources and assistance. Several studies suggest that gay and lesbian youth are more likely to attempt suicide -- we must not bar counselors from helping these youth! t The Smith/Helms amendment must be struck in conference committee. The lives of gay, lesbian and bisexual youth depend on it. t The use of valuable congressional floor time for political gay-bashing by Helms, Smith and others must not be tolerated. Tell your senators to stop voting for Helms! Contact NGLTF t Send letters of support from school districts or teachers to NGLTF for use in lobbying. CONTACTS CAPITOL HILL Call the U.S. Capitol Switchboard for phone numbers of your Members of Congress at: 202-224-3121. Or Write: The Honorable ___________, U.S. House of Representatives, Washington, DC 20515 The Honorable ___________, U.S. Senate, Washington, DC 20510 Definite Conference Committee Members from the Senate Christopher Dodd (CT), Tom Harkin (IA), Paul Simon (IL), Dan Coats (IN), Nancy Kassebaum (K), Edward Kennedy (MA), Barbara Mikulski (MD), Dave Durenberger (MN), Paul Wellstone (MN), Jud Gregg (NH), Jeff Bingaman (NM), Howard Metzenbaum (OH), Harris Wofford (PA), Claiborne Pell (RI), Strom Thurmond (SC), Orrin Hatch (UT), Jim Jeffords (VT), Possible Conference Committee Members from the House of Representatives Eni Faleomavaega (AS), Karan English (AZ), Xavier Becerra (CA), Randy Cunningham (CA), Matthew Martinez (CA), Howard McKeon (CA), George Miller (CA), Lynn Woolsey (CA), Dan Miller (FL), Patsy Mink (HI), Harris Fawell (IL), Tim Roemer (IN), Scotty Baesler (KY), William Ford (MI), Peter Hoekstra (MI), Dale Kildee (MI), William Clay (MO), Pat Williams (MT), Bill Barrett (NE), Robert Andrews (NJ), Donald Payne (NJ), Marge Roukema (NJ), Eliot Engle (NY), Susan Molinari (NY), Major Owens (NY), Cass Ballenger (NC), John Boehner (OH), Thomas Sawyer (OH), Ted Stickland (OH), William Goodling (PA), Ron Klink (PA), Austin Murphy (PA), Carlos Romero-Barcelo (PR), Jack Reed (RI), Richard Armey (TX), Gene Green (TX), Robert Scott (VA), Ron de Lugo (VI), Jolene Unsoeld (WA), Steve Gunderson (WI), Thomas Petri (WI), EDUCATORS. . .To form a coalition with local teachers and school board members contact your local teachers' association and your local school district office NGLTF. . . For more information, contact Tanya Domi, Legislative Director, ext. 3308 or Beth Barrett, Legislative Assistant, ext. 3215.