From: Date: Mon, 08 Aug 94 17:21:37 EDT NATIONAL GAY & LESBIAN TASK FORCE LEGISLATIVE ALERT HELMS Record of Shame July 19, 1994 Helms proposed an anti-gay amendment to Agriculture appropriations that would prevent the funding of a position or the carrying out of seminars that "encourage its employees to recruit on the basis of homosexual orientation or to accept homosexuality as a legitimate lifestyle." Because the Agriculture Department has no such recruitment policy, the actual impact of the amendment would be to prevent federally-funded educational seminars on workplace tolerance. However, the rhetorical impact has been high - sending a chilling message to gay, lesbian and bisexual employees. NGLTF OPPOSED THE AMENDMENT. Adopted 92-8. Senate vote 212 (see attached voting record). July 20, 1994 Again utilizing USDA appropriations as a backdoor to bigotry, Helms proposed an amendment that would "require a public hearing prior to the removal of an Agriculture Department employee from a job position because of remarks made by the employee outside of work in opposition to departmental policies regarding homosexuals." The amendment was offered in response to the reassignment of one Agriculture EEO officer after he repeatedly made anti-gay statements in the media. The actual effect of this amendment would be to prevent Agriculture Department personnel managers from controlling the enforcement of the Department's pro-tolerance and non-discrimination policies. NGLTF OPPOSED THE AMENDMENT. Adopted 59-41. Senate vote 214 July 25, 1994 Helms proposed an amendment to Interior appropriations to further censor art financed by the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA). The Helms amendment would prohibit NEA funding for "any activity or work that involves human mutilation, invasive bodily procedures on human beings dead or alive, or the drawing or letting of blood." Sen. Dodd (D-CT) motioned to table (kill) the amendment. Although the amendment was not accepted, Helms was able to use the Senate floor to encourage censorship and threaten the NEA. NGLTF OPPOSED THE AMENDMENT AND SUPPORTED THE MOTION. Motion to table agreed 49-42 Senate vote 230 August 1, 1994 [See the enclosed "Helms Attacks Gay and Lesbian Youth" update for more details]. Helms and Sen. Bob Smith (R- NH) proposed an amendment to Elementary and Secondary Education Reauthorization (ESEA) that would prevent federal funding for schools that "implement or carry out a program or activity that has either the purpose or effect of encouraging or supporting homosexuality as a positive lifestyle." This amendment would cut off funding for schools that teach tolerance of homosexuality or provide gay-sensitive counseling. NGLTF OPPOSED THE AMENDMENT. Adopted 63-36. Senate vote 244 August 1, 1994 Helms used a procedural maneuver immediately after his anti-gay ESEA vote, to delay floor proceedings and limit press coverage of an amendment by Senator Kennedy (D-MA). That conflicting measure would provide grounds for striking the Smith/Helms amendment. The Kennedy amendment later passed 99-0, but press coverage focused primarily on the Smith/Helms vote. August 2, 1994 Helms threatened to propose an amendment to prohibit schools receiving federal funds from distributing condoms. As a counterattack, Kennedy offered an amendment to prohibit federal funds from the ESEA for the distribution of condoms in school. (In effect, a meaningless amendment because the ESEA has never been a funding source for condom distribution.) NGLTF SUPPORTED THE AMENDMENT STRATEGY. Adopted by voice vote. August 2, 1994 Kennedy proposed an amendment to combine the Smith/Helms anti-gay amendment with two other Kennedy amendments. (See the enclosed "Helms Attacks Gay and Lesbian Youth" update for full details.) NGLTF SUPPORTED THIS AMENDMENT. Adopted 91-9. Senate vote 250. August 4, 1994 Helms threatened a filibuster if members of the joint Senate/House conference committee remove the Smith/Helms amendment from the final version of the ESEA. August 4, 1994 Helms prepared to submit seven amendments likely to attack the rights of veterans, government employees and others. Aug. & Sept. 1994 We expect Helms to continue his campaign of political gay bashing through further amendments this month and next.