Date: Tue, 18 Jun 1996 15:58:36 -0500 (CDT)
From: community <mtlambda@knuth.mtsu.edu>
Subject: CLINTON'S RECORD with RESPECT TO GAYS AND LESBIANS


==========================PLEASE CROSS POST==============================

President Clinton has done more for gay and lesbian Americans than all 
previous Presidents combined. He is the first President to be personally 
and publicly committed to the principles of equality and acceptance for 
gays and lesbians. The Clinton Administration has won breakthrough 
victories for our community and continues to fight on our side -- against 
bigotry, hatred and the politics of division.

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PROMOTING ACCEPTANCE AND FIGHTING DISCRIMINATION

*	President Clinton ordered all federal agencies to implement 
non-discrimination policies that include gays and lesbians and issued an 
executive order mandating that security clearances no longer be denied 
based on sexual orientation;

*	President Clinton endorsed the Employment Non-discrimination Act, 
a bill to outlaw discrimination in hiring, firing, and promotion based on 
sexual orientation, making him the first U.S. President ever to back 
civil rights legislation for gays and lesbians;

*	President Clinton successfully fought for the repeal of the Dornan 
amendment, which would have required the expulsion of all HIV-positive 
military service members regardless of their ability to do their jobs;

*	President Clinton signed the Hate Crimes Sentencing Enhancement Act;

*	President Clinton strongly opposed anti-gay ballot initiatives in 
several states;

*	President Clinton directed the Justice Department and the Equal 
Employment Opportunity Commission to vigorously prosecute those who 
discriminate against PWAs, leading to actions against health care 
providers and facilities that violate the Americans with Disabilities Act.


WELCOMING OUR CONTRIBUTIONS TO PUBLIC SERVICE
---------------------------------------------

*	President Clinton has appointed the most inclusive Administration 
in history -- over 100 openly gay and lesbian appointees, including 
former Assistance HUD Secretary Roberta Achtenberg and Director of the 
U.S. Patent and Trademark Office Bruce Lehman, the first open lesbian and 
gay man to be confirmed by the U.S. Senate, and Deborah Batts, the first 
openly lesbian federal judge in the nation's history;

*	President Clinton signed a law requiring that women, including 
lesbians and minorities, are included in National Institute of Health 
supported research;

*	President Clinton named the first Presidential Liason to the gay 
and lesbian community, Marsha Scott;

*	President Clinton appointed openly gay physician Scott Hitt to 
head the President's Council on HIV/AIDS, along with several other openly 
gay Council members;

*	President Clinton invited openly lesbian health advocates to 
policy formulation meetings for the first time in history.


WORKING TO SAVE LIVES AND IMPROVE HEALTH CARE
---------------------------------------------

*	President Clinton increased public health spending for HIV/AIDS 
programs by nearly 40%, including a 120% increase for Ryan White CARE 
programs and 26% rise for AIDS-related research;

*	President Clinton fought to protect Medicare from hundreds of 
billions of dollars in proposed cuts by the Congress. These cuts would 
have been devastating to 50% of PWA's relying on Medicare.

*	President Clinton convened the National Task Force on AIDS Drug 
Development, accelerated the approval of prtease inhibitors, and removed 
dozens of bureauratic obstacles to the effective and decent treatment of 
people with AIDS;

*	President CLinton established the Office of AIDS Research at the 
National Institutes of Health, created the Office of National AIDS 
Policy, and convened the first White House summit of HIV/AIDS;

*	President Clinton created the first Office of AIDS Housing at the 
Department of Housing and Urban Development to specifically address the 
issue;

*	President Clinton created a permanent Office of Women's Health 
Research, and increased funding for women's health issues, including a 
65% increase in breast cancer-related funding;

*	President Clinton's Department of Health and Human Services 
sponsored a national conference to examine the causes of and solutions to 
gay youth suicide.

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                        THE CLINTON ADMINISTRATION
                             Fighting for us!
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