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Subject: Nunn, Dole Urge Caution On Military Gay Policy;Study Sought Before Clinton
Date: Mon, 16 Nov 92 05:02:45 EST
Message-ID: <46.1992Nov16.050246@AmeriCast.com>

Nunn, Dole Urge Caution On Military Gay Policy;Study Sought Be-
fore Clinton Rescinds Ban<By Tom Kenworthy=Washington Post Staff
Writer=

Congressional leaders from both political parties yesterday urged
President-elect Clinton to proceed cautiously before making good
on a campaign promise to end the U.S.  military's ban on homosex-
uality.

Both Senate Armed Services Committee Chairman Sam Nunn (D-Ga.),
whose counsel on military matters carries great weight on Capitol
Hill, and Senate Minority Leader Robert J. Dole (R-Kan.) strongly
urged that a Clinton administration embark on a thorough study of
the question before rescinding the current policy against
homosexuals in the uniformed services.

Clinton, who vowed during his presidential campaign to end the
ban by executive order, reaffirmed that pledge during a news
conference last week, but also said he would "put together a
group of people and let them advise <me about how we might best
do this."

Nunn, saying he supports the current policy, urged Clinton to do
nothing until "comprehensive hearings" are held on the issue.

"We've got to consider not only the rights of homosexuals but
also the rights of those who are not homosexual and who give up a
great deal of their privacy when <they go in the military," the
senator from Georgia said on CBS's "Face the Nation."

"I think it ought to be studied as much as necessary to make sure
that when he does implement it, we know exactly what we're doing
and the military is fully prepared for it, and you don't have,
for instance, violence against homosexuals," Nunn added.  Asked
about Nunn's comments that homosexuals might be subjected to phy-
sical danger if the ban is lifted, Clinton communications direc-
tor George Stephanopoulos said, "We want to examine all the pos-
sible consequences. . . .  That is one reason the governor said
he wants to consult with military leaders as he goes forward with
this decision."

Though Clinton could erase the ban on homosexuality through an
executive order, making the Uniform Code of Military Justice con-
form to the new policy would require congressional action.  "I'd
be surprised if he won that vote," Dole commented. He urged Clin-
ton not to spark a battle that might "blow the lid off the Capi-
tol."

Dole, speaking on NBC's "Meet the Press," said his advice to
Clinton would be "to appoint a commission and study it." Without
such a cautious approach, Dole said, Clinton is "going to get in
more trouble than he can add up right now. . . . It will cause
real problems with the military."

Senate Majority Leader George J.  Mitchell (D-Maine) said, howev-
er, that the president-elect's determination to get advice from a
wide circle of advisers on how <to implement the change would
"minimize any disruption in morale."

"His approach is just right," Mitchell said on "Meet the Press."
"He is committed to rescinding the ban."< 02:46 11-16C9999-----

Copyright 1992, The Washington Post.  This story is from the
Washington Post's Capitol Edition On-Line and is not to be ar-
chived or redistributed.

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