High Gear, Page 9

From Legal Service bill

Senate

leaves out anti-gay amendment

WASHINGTON, D.C.In a move the Gay Right National Lobby termed "surprising, to say the least," the United States Senate completed work on the appropriations bill for the Legal Services Corporation without including an expected anti-gay amendment similar to the one offered in the House of Representatives by Congressman Larry McDonald.

GRNL anaylsts speculated a variety of possible reasons why the amendment was not offered, but in the final analysis, no single explanation could be put forward explaining this surprising turn of events.

For months-ever since the House of Representatives passed an amendment to their version of the appropriations bill denying lesbian and gay male citizens access to legal aid programs Congress watchers in the gay community have been waiting for the "other shoe to drop." But with the Senate's

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completion of action on the bill, the amendment mysteriously failed to materialize.

GRNL believes this development could provide some momentum to kill the antigay provision when the House and Senate meet in Conferénce Committee to resolve disagreements on the measure.

The Gay Rights National Lobby had worked hard against an anticipated Senate amendment through targeted constituent pressure, mobilization of strong supporters in the Senate, and some legislative advocacy with "undecided" Senators. Steve Endean, Executive Director of the Lobby, was quick to admit, though, that credit for the absence of the amendment didn't completely belong to the efforts of GRNL.

"I'm not sure why, in all candor, the amendment didn't come up but we're delighted," Endean said. "One factor that

may have played a role is the intensity of our support among senators who fought and bargained to keep it out."

Endean singled out Senator Lowell Weicker (R-CT), floor manager of the Legal Services legislation and a co-sponsor of the Senate gay fair employment bill, for particular praise.

"Senator Weicker could very well face. a very well face. a difficult primary challenge next year from the Right. In that context, his efforts were even more outstanding and courageous. He deserves our community's heartfelt thanks and a good deal more."

GRNL urges supporters of gay civil rights to write Senator Weicker at 313 Russell Senate, Office Building, Washington, D.C., 20510, expressing their appreciation for his continuing work for justice.

While there was not a direct "gay vote" on the measure,

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there was a move by Senator Jesse Helms (R-NCto throw out the work done on the Senate bill and return the measure to its original House version (appropriations bills originate in the House before moving on for Senate action). The effect of that move-among other things would have been to restore the anti-gay "McDonald amendment.' ment." The Helms effort, though, was turned back by a vote of 57-23.

Although all of the 57 Senators voting against the Helms effort could not be called "pro-gay" or even "pro-justice for gays," it is at the moment at least the only relevant roll call vote in the Senate affecting a gay issue. Those wishing a copy of the roll call may write to Gay Rights National Lobby, P.O. Box 1892, Washington, D.C., 20013 (Please enclose 50¢ for postage and handling.)

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