Date: Tue, 21 May 1996 17:16:54 -0800
From: Doug.Case@sdsu.edu (Doug Case)
Subject: White House Statements on Supreme Court Decision; Marriage Bill

The White House Briefing Room
May 20, 1996

PRESS BRIEFING BY MIKE MCCURRY

                           THE WHITE HOUSE
                   Office of the Press Secretary

                           PRESS BRIEFING
                           BY MIKE MCCURRY

                          The Briefing Room

Q    The U.S. Supreme Court this morning ruled that in
the Colorado -- case that you can't single out one group of people,
gays, and remove them from equal protection under the law.  I'm
wondering if that decision might change where Clinton stands now and
his willingness to sign the defense of marriage act.

             MR. MCCURRY:  The President believes the day's decision
was appropriate.  The Colorado law denied a group of citizens the
right to participate effectively in the political process in
Colorado, and the President believes that's bad public policy.  It's
also inconsistent with our common values and principles that make our
nation strong, and it does not change his view on that other
particular piece of legislation.

             Q    What is, exactly, his view of that piece of
legislation which you've never --

             MR. MCCURRY:  We haven't changed our current posture.
We are analyzing that legislation.

             Q    But he doesn't have --

             MR. MCCURRY:  And it hasn't passed yet.

             Q    -- a view on it yet?

             MR. MCCURRY:  We have not expressed a view on that
legislation.

             Q    Can I follow up on that?

             MR. MCCURRY:  Yes.

             Q    Can we stay on that subject for a second?  How does
that square with the President's opposition then to same-sex
marriage?

             MR. MCCURRY:  That's a different issue.  That's an issue
that goes to the President's personal beliefs about marriage and what
marriage should be as an institution in our family life.  This is a
very particular opinion by the Court which our legal counsel is still
looking at that addresses the rights of individual groups of
Americans to have redress in our political system.

             Q    Well, I understand that, but this group of
Americans has decided that they have the right to have a same-sex
marriage.  I mean, I don't understand how then the President --

             MR. MCCURRY:  The issue before the Court in the decision
today was what rights they have in Colorado to have access to the
legislative process, and that was what the Court looked at and
examined and ruled on, as you can see from the majority opinion.
 . . .

Q    When and if Senator Dole keeps talking about
liberal decisions by Clinton-appointed judges, will you, in light of
today's Supreme Court pro-gay rights decision, point to that as an
example of Republican-appointed conservative judges making liberal
decisions?

             MR. MCCURRY:  No.  Probably not -- I should say,
probably not.

. . .

 Q    On same-sex marriage, when do you expect to have a
position on the legislation?  It doesn't seem to be a particularly
complex kind of issue.

             MR. MCCURRY:  When one is developed and when one is
looked at.  It's also not clear what the prognosis for the
legislation is and what form it will take as it's being considered on
the Hill.