Subject: HIV REPEAL AGREEMENT APPLAUDED
From: [email-masked]
Date: Thu, 25 Apr 1996 14:19:06 -0400

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PRESS RELEASE
National Gay and Lesbian Task Force
2320 17th St. NW; Washington, DC 20009
Contact: Robert Bray (415) 552-6448 [email-masked]
or Tracey Conaty (202) 332-6483 [email-masked]
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NGLTF APPLAUDS CONFEREES ON HIV REPEAL

COMMON SENSE PREVAILS OVER HOMOPHOBIA

Washington, DC, April 25, 1996...Though homophobic zealot Rep. Bob Dornan (R
- CA) vows to persist in his efforts to maintain a provision that calls for a
discharge from the military of all personnel with HIV, yesterday White House
and Republican negotiators announced an agreement to repeal the provision.

 The provision, which was attached to a Department of Defense Authorization
Act and signed by the President in February, generated harsh criticism from
communities across the country, including HIV/AIDS advocates and members of
the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender communities.  
 
 Following is the statement of the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force
(NGLTF), the nation's oldest gay and lesbian civil rights organization.  The
statement is attributable to Melinda Paras, NGLTF executive director.

 "Reason and common sense have finally prevailed. This provision made no
sense from a financial, medical, or ethical perspective.  It was blatantly
AIDSphobic and homophobic.  We know Bob Dornan will persist in his
unrelenting crusade against people with AIDS and gay and lesbian people.  But
we also know that no one in good conscience could continue to support such a
mean-spirited and inflammatory provision.  We call on the Congressional
leadership to stop Rep. Dornan from reintroducing this measure and expect a
strong rebuke from them if such intolerance and hatred from Rep. Dornan
continue."
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