Date:         Fri, 19 Aug 1994 14:48:52 EDT
From: HRCFCOMM@aol.com

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PRESS RELEASE            PRESS RELEASE            PRESS RELEASE

               THE HUMAN RIGHTS CAMPAIGN FUND

The Nation's Largest Lesbian, Gay and Bisexual Political Group
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To contact the HUMAN RIGHTS CAMPAIGN FUND, please call us at
(202)628-4160, fax us at (202) 347-5323 or write to us at PO Box
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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
FRIDAY, AUGUST 19, 1994

          CLINTON ADMINISTRATION AGREES TO NEW APPROACH ON AIDS:
         NEW HIGH-LEVEL WORKING GROUP WILL ADDRESS DISCRIMINATION

               Top Advisers Meet with Gay Groups to Improve
            Federal Government's Effectiveness Against HIV/AIDS

     WASHINGTON -- In a White House meeting with national gay and
lesbian organizations, top Clinton Administration officials
yesterday agreed to a new approach in HIV/AIDS policymaking that
will address the problem of anti-gay discrimination as part of
combatting the epidemic.  The President's chief domestic policy
adviser and acting AIDS policy coordinator agreed to establish a
new, government-wide working group on HIV/AIDS that will include
the Department of Justice.

     "Discrimination has hampered the battle against AIDS from
the very beginning, and continues to hamper education, prevention
and research efforts today," said Daniel Zingale, public policy
director for the Human Rights Campaign Fund.  "If we hope to end
the epidemic, we must also end discrimination against those most
vulnerable to the disease.  Discrimination in health care,
education, employment and other areas is a serious impediment to
stopping AIDS."

     Zingale attended today's meeting, which was called by the
White House to discuss ways to improve the federal government's
effectiveness in fighting the disease.  Carol Rasko, chief
domestic policy adviser, and Patsy Fleming, acting AIDS
coordinator, also met with representatives of the National Black
Gay and Lesbian Leadership Forum, National Latino Lesbian and Gay
Organization (LLEGO), National Gay and Lesbian Task Force and
American Association of Physicians for Human Rights.

     "The Clinton Administration has shown a higher level of
commitment to fighting HIV/AIDS than any previous Administration.
Gay leaders delivered the message that the White House needs to
do a great deal more,"  Zingale said.  "The President himself
needs to provide leadership on this issue.  Congress and the
federal government must seriously address the discrimination that
hampers the nation's efforts to end the epidemic.  An
inter-departmental working group will make HIV/AIDS policymaking
better coordinated and more  efficient, and the participation of
the Justice Department will help bring a new focus to
discrimination."

     The gay organizations also emphasized the need for the new
AIDS policy coordinator to be in a position to influence
policymaking in the White House and Congress.  They suggested
that the AIDS policy office be located in the White House, and
that the person appointed to fill the position report directly to
the President.

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