[Congressional Record Volume 142, Number 55 (Thursday, April 25, 1996)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E640]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




      LAUDING THE REPEAL OF THE BAN ON MILITARY PERSONNEL WITH HIV

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                            HON. TOM LANTOS

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                        Thursday, April 25, 1996

  Mr. LANTOS. Mr. Speaker, I wish to commend President Clinton in 
particular and my colleagues in the Congress who agreed in the latest 
appropriations legislation for fiscal year 1996 to repeal the recent 
provision in the defense authorization bill which would have mandated 
summary discharge of military personnel with the HIV virus. That 
provision, Mr. Speaker, was an outrage, and I applaud its repeal.
  The so-called problem of HIV-infected military personnel is a 
shibboleth. No logical reason exists to single out those people serving 
in the armed forces who have HIV. People suffering from other, far more 
contagious ailments are not subjected to the same discrimination. They 
are not kicked out and forced to lose accrued benefits and promised 
health care. This ban is more a reflection of fear and bigotry than 
rational military and health policy. It is patently discriminatory and 
unfair.
  Although HIV can be contracted in a number of ways, let us not 
pretend that this ban was not directed at gay and lesbian Americans who 
contribute to our national defense. Gay and lesbian Americans have 
served our Nation in the military with great distinction for as long as 
this Nation has existed. They deserve much better than this.
  Mr. Speaker, I share the President's conviction that compassion and 
clearheaded reason must be employed in confronting the HIV virus and 
its effects. The repeal of this ban is a positive step in restoring 
reason to the discussion. I ask my colleagues to join me in applauding 
the repeal of the ban on military personnel with HIV.

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