News

Update on the Hefley Amendment – Turning up the Heat

July 23, 1998

Log Cabin Republicans has turned up the heat on 18 Targeted House Republicans who are still undecided on the Hefley Amendment. The memo below was hand-delivered today to each of their offices, with a copy of the SIGNED DOCUMENT OBTAINED BY LOG CABIN REPUBLICANS from each of them stating that "the sexual orientation of an individual is not a consideration in the hiring, firing or promoting of employees in my Congressional office."

They were:

Rep. Lincoln Diaz-Balart (FL)
Rep John Ensign (NV)
Rep. Tillie Fowler (FL)
Rep. Jon Fox (PA)
Rep. Bob Franks (NJ)
Rep. Jim Gibbons (NV)
Rep. Bill Goodling (PA)
Rep. John Kasich (OH)
Rep. Tom Latham (IA) Rep. Joe Knollenberg (MI)
Rep. Bob Livingston (LA)
Rep. Frank LoBiondo (NJ)
Rep. John McHugh (NY)
Rep. John Mica (FL)
Rep. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen (FL)
Rep. Jim Saxton (NJ)
Rep. Bob Smith (OR)
Rep. Jim Walsh (NY)

The Commerce, State, Justice Appropriations bill is scheduled to come to the floor after VA/HUD, which is about to begin consideration (4:13pm ET Thursday, July 23). There could be a vote tonight or tomorrow on Hefley

Watch CSPAN and CALL YOUR REPRESENTATIVE!! Word has gotten back from several offices that you have been calling with increased volume over the last few daysWE CAN'T LET UP – YOUR CALLS ARE ABSOLUTELY ESSENTIAL TO DEFEATING THIS AMENDMENT!

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July 23, 1998

TO: GOP Members of Congress

FROM: Kevin Ivers, Director of Public Affairs

VOTE NO ON THE HEFLEY AMENDMENT

We have contacted your office in opposition to the Hefley Amendment to the Commerce, Justice, State Appropriations bill. The Hefley Amendment seeks to overturn across all areas of the federal government the most basic non-discrimination policies that could be crafted – JUST LIKE THE NON-DISCRIMINATION POLICY THAT YOU HAVE IN YOUR OWN OFFICE.

Any Member who has a policy which states simply that "the sexual orientation of an individual is not a consideration in the hiring, firing or promoting of employees in my Congressional office" will be completely contradicting his or her own policy by voting yes on the Hefley Amendment.

The non-discrimination policies which the Hefley Amendment seeks to overturn --LIKE YOUR OFFICE POLICY – do NOT permit affirmative action or quotas. It is currently ILLEGAL (42 U.S.C. 2000e) for any court, agency, department or enforcement body to apply Title VII protections of ANY KIND on the basis of sexual orientation – IT IS ILLEGAL. The charge that these non-discrimination policies amount to quotas is a complete falsehood and a distraction from the truth.

We know what is really going on here. There comes a time in every political leader's life when he or she must not pander to the lowest common denominator and must do what is right. This is such a time for the House of Representatives. Think of the gay supporters in your district. Think of Chairman Jim Kolbe. Think of your gay staff members. This isn't about clever parliamentary moves or hiding behind false claims of quotas and affirmative action. This vote is about them.

Any Member with a non-discrimination policy that includes sexual orientation – like YOUR POLICY – cannot justify voting for the Hefley Amendment. In our view, they are two completely irreconcilable positions.

This is going to be the vote that our membership watches more closely than any other vote in the 105th Congress. When such an important moral principle is at stake – the most basic form of non-discrimination possible – there is NO MIDDLE GROUND ON THIS ONE.