Subject: Dornan at it again
From: [email-masked]
Date: Fri, 3 May 1996 15:12:55 -0400

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PRESS RELEASE
National Gay and Lesbian Task Force
2320 17th St. NW; Washington, DC 20009
Contact: Kerry Lobel (202) 332-6483 ext. 3307 [email-masked]
or Tracey Conaty (202) 332-6483 ext. 3303 [email-masked]
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HIV+  SERVICE MEMBERS STILL UNDER ATTACK:

NEW DORNAN BILL REQUIRES DISCHARGE 
OF SERVICE MEMBERS, REOPENS ISSUE OF GAYS IN THE MILITARY;

NGLTF  CALLS ON REPUBLICAN LEADERSHIP TO 
"STAND UP AGAINST INTOLERANCE"

Washington, DC. May 3, 1996...Service members with HIV face yet another
effort to oust them from the military.  On May 1, the House National Security
Committee refused to delete a provision by Rep. Bob Dornan (R-CA), which
would require the discharge of these service members.  By a vote of 37 to 13,
the Committee voted to maintain this new Dornan provision, despite the fact
that Congress repealed a very similar provision just last week, when it
adopted the final version of the FY 1996 Continuing Resolution.  President
Clinton signed that bill into law on April 26, the very day Rep. Dornan
reintroduced his proposal.  Timing for consideration by the full House is not
yet clear.  H.R. 3230 also includes other objectionable provisions, including
one to reinstate the previous ban on gays in the military and a ban on
abortions at overseas military hospitals.

The following statement is attributable to Helen Gonzales, NGLTF public
policy director:

 "It is time for the Republican Leadership to take a stand against right-wing
extremists that continue to scapegoat service members with HIV.  A quiet
approach may have worked to maintain the repeal provision on the FY 1996
Continuing Resolution but has not succeeded in stopping the attacks by Rep.
Dornan and his followers.

 "The Republican leaders in Congress, especially House leaders, must
demonstrate that they can stand up against intolerance and display the
attitude of fairness that most Americans share on this issue.  President
Clinton has consistently opposed the blatant bigotry of this provision, and
NGLTF applauds his leadership.  NGLTF now calls on Congressional leaders to
do the same. We urge the bipartisan group of House and Senate members, who
led the fight to repeal the previous Dornan proposal attacking service
members with HIV, to again take the lead in fighting this unjust proposal.
 They must insist that their leaders to defeat this provision, and stop other
provisions that have nothing to do with national security from becoming law."

The National Gay and Lesbian Task Force is the oldest national gay and
lesbian civil rights organization.  NGLTF has supported grassroots organizing
and pioneered in national advocacy since 1973.  Since its inception, NGLTF
has been at the forefront of virtually every major initiative for lesbian and
gay rights.  In all its efforts, NGLTF helps to strengthen the gay, lesbian,
bisexual and transgender movement at the state level while connecting these
activities to a national vision for change.

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