Date: Thu, 6 Aug 98 09:57:57 -0400 From: NGLTF Subject: House Defeats Helfey Amendment *********************************************** NATIONAL GAY AND LESBIAN TASK FORCE PRESS RELEASE Contact: Tracey Conaty, Communications Director 202-332-6483 ext. 3303 800-757-6476 pager tconaty@ngltf.org http://www.ngltf.org 2320 17th Street NW, Washington, DC 20009 *********************************************** HEFLEY AMENDMENT GOES DOWN TASK FORCE HAIL VOTE AS BLOW TO RELIGIOUS RIGHT WASHINGTON, DC---August 5, 1998--- The amendment to block President Clinton¹s executive order banning workplace discrimination based on sexual orientation was voted down tonight by the House of Representatives. The vote was 252 to 176. The Task Force hailed the defeat as an important blow to the religious right. "In what has been one of the most hostile climates against our community in recent memory, we are relieved that a basic sense of fairness and decency is finally prevailing," said NGLTF executive director Kerry Lobel. "This amendment was nothing but another tool to attack gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender Americans. It is our hope that defeat of the amendment will mark a return to addressing the truly important issues facing our country and a cessation of the spineless scapegoating that has become so popular of late," added Lobel. In May, Clinton signed Executive Order 13087. The order made complete and uniform non-discrimination policy in the federal civilian workforce. It clarifies that protection from discrimination should be part of the already existing policies of the federal government. It amends President Nixon¹s 1969 Executive Order which includes race, religion, color, sex, and national origin. "We hope this vote takes a some of the wind out of the sails of the right wing and this anti-gay crusade as of late. However, with the November elections still looming, it's doubtful their campaign of intolerance and mean-spiritedness will not go away as quickly as this amendment has," said Lobel. -30- _____________________________________________________________________ The National Gay and Lesbian Task Force has worked to eliminate prejudice, violence and injustice against gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgendered people at the local, state and national level since its inception in 1973. As part of a broader social justice movement for freedom, justice and equality, NGLTF is creating a world that respects and celebrates the diversity of human expression and identity where all people may fully participate in society. _________________________________________ This message was issued by the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force Media Department. If you have any questions regarding this post, please direct them to one of the contacts at the top of this message If you wish to UNSUBSCRIBE from this list, please send an email with "UNSUBSCRIBE PRESSLIST" in the subject and body of your email message to .