Date: Thu, 01 Feb 1996 11:16:56 EST
From: TCCP00D@prodigy.com (MR ANDREW B EDDY)
Subject: Re: Fwd: 1996 DOD Authori

zation Bill---------------------------------------------------------- ---
Gay, Lesbian & Bisexual Veterans of America
National Headquarters

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CONTACT: Ken Osborn
National Vice President- Public Affairs

President, Long Beach/Orange County Chapter
(310) 495-4104

Gay, Lesbian and Bisexual Veterans Outraged By Clinton's
Acceptance of Defense Bill


        Washington D.C. January 29, 1996,-- Gay, Lesbian & Bisexual
Veterans and service members across the nation are outraged over
president Clinton's signing of the Defense Authorization Bill for
1996. The legislation contains a detrimental amendment that separates
all service members who are HIV+ .

Though the president says he will work to remove this portion of the
legislation, we need only remember that he also said he would allow
gays in the military. All of us know how the result of that promise,
the untenable policy of  Don't Ask, Don't Tell.

The amendment to separate HIV+ service members is the product of
the demented mind of Republican Representative Robert Dornan of
California. Dornan is an avowed enemy of the AIDS and Homosexual
community. Dornan has even been quoted as saying that the word GAY
stood for Got AIDS Yet . The amendment places HIV+ soldiers in a
different category from other service members with diseases such
as Cancer, Diabetes, and Hepatitis by forcing their separation even
though they can still fully perform their duties.

Not only is this bill discriminatory, it is bad for the services.
Admittedly, if a service member cannot perform their duties, they
should be separated. This should be with full benefits in the form
of a medical discharge just as in any other health related case.
The commanders of service members who are HIV+ have no say in their
discharge; the legislation is very clear on this. This legislation
will rob the services of many bright and productive members who's
training and cost of replacement will run into the millions of
dollars.

Gay, Lesbian & Bisexual Veterans (GLBVA) National  condemns the
signing of this bill as another betrayal by the Whitehouse on the
issue of gays in the military. The president has stood his ground on
several of the appropriation bills, to include the Defense
Authorization bill up to this point, and should have done the same
in this case until the Dornan amendment was removed. The
President had stated that he was against this measure on several
occasions but it seems he was unwilling to back his statements with
the power of his Veto. GLBVA National only hopes that the President
will keep his word and find a way to remove this legislation before
it goes into force in June of this year.