William Helms: “it became an embarrassment to the decency of the American people last year that in many high places within Government…”

“it became an embarrassment to the decency of the American people last year that in many high places within Government, free speech was to be permitted only when organized homosexuals agreed to it. There was an episode on July 20, 1994, when 58 Senators voted in defense of a faithful and longtime employee of the Department of Agriculture--Dr. Karl Mertz, whose first amendment rights were callously violated after he dared to stand up against sodomy. Took a stand, on his own time, by stating his opposition to special rights for homosexuals. As a result of that Senate vote and my holding up USDA nominations and legislation, the former Secretary of Agriculture, Mike Espy, restored that employee, Dr. Karl Mertz, to his previous position. While the amendment I offered last summer only protected the first amendment rights of employees at the USDA, I said at the time that it was also imperative that all employees throughout the Federal Government be assured that they are able to exercise, without fear of reprisal, their right to question the special rights for homosexuals that have been proposed by numerous Federal agencies. And that is the intent for the legislation I am introducing today.”