News

Far-Right Attempts Diversionary Tactic on Hefley Amendment in Final Hours

August 5, 1998

The most anti-gay Member of Congress, Rep. Bob Barr (R-GA), lead sponsor of the Defense of Marriage Act, has pulled a last-minute attempt to rescue the anti-gay forces pushing the Hefley Amendment. Barr will introduce his own version of the Hefley Amendment at the last minute, slightly rewriting Hefley to roll back ALL PROTECTIONS IN THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT for gays arguing that any protections will always lead to affirmative action.

We have issued the urgent memo below to the Capitol at this hour – YOU NEED TO PHONE YOUR REPRESENTATIVE RIGHT NOW (ask for your Representative's office) and tell them to vote NO ON HEFLEY, NO ON THE BARR AMENDMENT (#39) TO THE COMMERCE, JUSTICE APPROPRIATIONS BILL.

EVERY NATIONAL GAY AND LESBIAN GROUP IN AMERICA IS UNITED AT THIS CRITICAL MOMENT TO STOP THE MOST SWEEPING ANTI-GAY AMENDMENTS SINCE THE DEFENSE OF MARRIAGE ACT FROM PASSING THE HOUSE!

PLEASE TAKE FIVE MINUTES RIGHT NOW, ASK FOR YOUR REPRESENTATIVE'S OFFICE, AND TELL THEM TO VOTE NO ON THE HEFLEY AMENDMENT AND NO ON THE BARR AMENDMENT TO THE COMMERCE, JUSTICE APPROPRIATIONS BILL. USE THE MEMO BELOW TO EXPLAIN WHY.

We cannot win this battle with YOU, RIGHT THIS MINUTE.

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August 5, 1998

TO: GOP Members of Congress

FROM: Kevin Ivers, Director of Public Affairs

NO ON HEFLEY AMENDMENT

NO ON BARR AMENDMENT (#39)

On CNN's "Crossfire," Rep. Bob Barr (R-GA), the most staunchly anti-gay Member of Congress who is now offering his own, last-minute amendment to the Commerce, Justice, State appropriations bill, said he believes in discriminating against gays and lesbians. Passage of EITHER the Hefley Amendment or the Barr Amendment will mean that the 105th Congress agrees with Rep. Barr. That will be the message to your constituents, to your campaign supporters, to your colleagues in the House and to the staff members you employ in your own office – if you vote yes on the Hefley Amendment OR the Barr Amendment.

Reps. Hefley and Barr argue that these amendments merely ensure that gays do not receive affirmative action as a result of federal non-discrimination policies. LOG CABIN REPUBLICANS IS FIRMLY OPPOSED TO AFFIRMATIVE ACTION. We are giving our organization's highest award to Proposition 209 leader Ward Connerly at our national convention next month. THE FACTS ARE CLEAR: IT IS ALREADY ILLEGAL (42 U.S.C. 2000e) TO EXTEND ANY FORM OF TITLE VII REMEDIES ON THE BASIS OF SEXUAL ORIENTATION TO FEDERAL WORKERS. There is nothing about the President's executive order that can possibly change that.

WE ALL KNOW WHAT'S GOING ON HERE.

VOTE NO ON THE HEFLEY AMENDMENT AND THE BARR AMENDMENT (#39) TO THE CJSJ APPROPRIATIONS BILL.

There is NO middle ground.