Jane Harman: “last night the other body voted to repeal the hateful and punitive provision in the Defense Authorization Act requiring…”

“last night the other body voted to repeal the hateful and punitive provision in the Defense Authorization Act requiring the immediate discharge of service men and women infected with the AIDS virus. I congratulate them. Let us hope the House supports the other body's courageous action. Mr. Speaker, requiring the discharge of HIV-positive personnel is unfair and punitive and is opposed by the Pentagon, including all the surgeons general of the military services. It is also opposed by the Veterans Administration, the Disabled American Veterans, the Veterans of Foreign Wars, the Air Force Association, former Senator Barry Goldwater and conservative columnists George Wills and Charles Krauthammer. It is both unnecessary and bad policy for the Congress to interpose its own personnel policy on the military. As General Shalikashvili has testified, "discharging service members with HIV deemed fit for duty would waste the Government's investment in the training of these individuals and be disruptive to the military programs in which they play an integral role." Let's join such prodefense Senators as Sam Nunn, John McCain and Connie Mack in repealing the requirement that HIV-positive personnel be immediately discharged.”