wfn.org | Non-discrimination Bill's Defeat

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"UNITED METHODIST DAILY NEWS" by SUSAN PEEK on Aug. 11, 1991 at 13:58 Eastern,
about FULL TEXT RELEASES FROM UNITED METHODIST NEWS SERVICE (3170 notes).

Note 3169 by UMNS on Sept. 12, 1996 at 16:40 Eastern (1863 characters).

SEARCH:   homosexual, bill, Senate, Fassett, discrimination
Produced by United Methodist News Service, official news agency of
the United Methodist Church, with offices in Nashville, Tenn., New
York, and Washington.

CONTACT:  Joretta Purdue                      455(10-28-71B){3169}
          Washington, D.C.  (202) 546-8722          Sept. 12, 1996

Non-discrimination bill's defeat
disappoints church and society head

     WASHINGTON (UMNS) -- The top executive of the United
Methodist social action and advocacy agency has expressed
disappointment at the U.S. Senate's failure to pass the Employment
Non-Discrimination Act (S. 932).
     The bill, which would have prohibited discrimination in the
workplace on the basis of sexual orientation, failed in the
Senate, 50-49, on Sept. 10.
     In a statement issued the next day, the Rev. Thom White Wolf
Fassett, general secretary of the United Methodist Board of Church
and Society, said he had worked for the bill's passage. "We were
also actively involved in presenting a religious perspective in
the crafting of the legislation," he said.
     He cited the Social Principles, the denomination's official
policy formulation, which contains a commitment to support the
rights and liberties of homosexual people. "Certain basic human
rights and civil liberties are due all persons," it states.
     Fassett also quoted the Social Principles statement: "We see
a clear issue of simple justice in protecting [homosexuals']
rightful claims where they have shared material resources,
pensions, guardian relationships, mutual powers of attorney and
other such lawful claims typically attendant to contractual
relationships which involve shared contributions, responsibilities
and liabilities, and equal protection before the law."
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