Newspapers / Lambda (Carolina Gay and … / April 1, 1980, edition 1 / Page 14
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!'■( i ■ f i! ! I-H 14 Congressional Briefings Pending On Gay Rights Legislation The first congressional briefings on'proposed national gay civil rights legislation, HR 2074, will be held April 21. The purpose of the briefings, offi cially sponsored by Rep. Ted Weiss and Rep*Henry Waxman, is to educate members of Congress and their staffs, to demonstrate support for the bill, and to gain visibility. The congressional briefings are expected to include testimony fix)m religious, political, mental health and community leaders as well as testimony from the lesbian and gay male communities, Congressional briefings differ from hearings in that they are not an official action of Congress and do not officially relate to the process of moving the bill through subcommittee and full committee. Opposing testimony is not heard during the briefings. , - Gay Rights National Lobby member Steve Endean said that hearings in an election year were not r .realistically possible. Endean said that he urges people to contact their Representatives or staff members to encourage attendance at the briefings by writings Honorable . House of Representatives, Washington, DC 20515 or by calling their local district office. For more information, contact; Gay Mghts National Lobby 930 St,, NW, Suite 611 Washington, DC 20004 (202) ^2-4255 (cont, from p. 7) Campaign changes in immigration laws. The Commission held hearings recently in Boston on the effects of excluding homosexuals who seek to enter the country. The Carter Administration would not comment on its position regarding HR 2074, the proposed national gay rights legislation. "The Administration's legislative policy requires that prior to the adop tion of a position on specific legislation, the bill must be circulated to the affected agencies and departments for review and comment. That process is normally initiated if the Administration has been invited to testify on ☆ K e n n -e d y ^ Ted Kennedy, Senator from Massachusetts, said that the Democratic platform should support the issuance of an Executive Order prohibiting discrimination based on sexual orientation in government programs. He said the platform should also commit itself to the enactment of legisla tion protecting civil rights concerning sexual orientation. Concerning the federal gay rights bill, HR 2074^ Kennedy said that his administration would support fedeial legislation to end employment discrimination oh the basis of sexual preference, Kennedy said, "I am committed to nominating people for official posi tions who are sensitive to those groups which have been victimized by arbitrary discrimination," ☆ R e aga n ^ Ronald Reagan, former governor of California, did not respond to the NGTF inquiry letter. According to the San Francisco Chronicle (Sept. 23, 1978) Reagan declared his opposition to Proposition 6. Reagan said he had been assured by Attorney General Evelle Younger and other legal authorities that California has adequate laws now to protect children from teachers seeking to indoctrinate them into homosexual conduct. But he said, "This measure has nothing to do with those--special so- called gay rights issues in Dade county, Florida, and elsewhere. What if an overwrought youngster, disappointed by bad grades, imagined it was the teacher's fault and struck out by accusing the teacher of advocating homo sexuality?" Rea^n said, "The school board, sitting in effect as a co\irt, would have to judge the matter in public. Innocent lives could be ruined. Under present law, such matters can be investigated first to see if they have any merit," Reagan said, "I don't approve of teaching a so-called gay lifestyle in our schools."
Lambda (Carolina Gay and Lesbian Association, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill)
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April 1, 1980, edition 1
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