James A. Leach: “I rise in support of the Kolbe amendment and in opposition to the Hefley amendment to follow. Mr. Chairman, I would like…”

“I rise in support of the Kolbe amendment and in opposition to the Hefley amendment to follow. Mr. Chairman, I would like to speak principally to the reasons behind the amendment being offered today by the gentleman from Arizona (Mr. Kolbe). The history of America is the story of individual rights. It begins with a country founded on principles which had never been manifest in any society and which were not comprehensively instituted at the founding of the Republic. It has taken two centuries of struggle which have included a Civil War, a suffrage and civil rights movement to ensure the rights of minorities and women. In the context of our history, it is common sense and common decency that no one today be allowed to be prejudiced against simply because of their sexual orientation. The executive order which will shortly be under review has nothing to do with the creation of special privileges, special preferences, quotas or affirmative action in any form, nor does it endorse any so-called life-style. What it does is ensure equality and fairness to a group of individuals by bringing uniformity to already existing Federal nondiscrimination policies. Equal protection under the law is not a privilege to be enjoyed by some; it is a basic right to which every American is entitled. If anyone in this favored land is discriminated against, civil society is weakened and we are all diminished.”