September 1.2000 ’ nTîTTTTÏÏTT^Tlnetus P Q uw m / ß U n @ Zen Congressional ’Record United St au» $f Americo PROCEEDINGS AND DEBATES OF THE 106 “ ’ CONGRESS, SECOND SESSION — 5 C en te r 2539 SE Madison Portland, Oregon 97214 503-239-4846 Fax: 503-239-5217 E-mail. Staff@Dharma-Rain Org www Dharma-Rain .Org Dharma Rain Zen Center is a Soto Zen Temple for Lay practice, bringing people together to build community and wisdom through practice DRZC offers retreats, classes, intro­ ductory workshops, and sesshins. The Zendo space is shared with groups in the Vipassana. Voi 146 WASHINGTON, WEDNESDAY, JUNE 7, 2000 No . 69 Senate RYAN WHITE CARE ACT Mr. SMITH of Oregon. Mr. President, I am delighted that last night the Senate voted to reauthorize the Ryan White CARE Act, S. 2311. I am proud to count myself as one of the cosponsors of this legislation in the Senate and strongly support its swift passage by the House. The H1V/A1DS epidemic continues to take a high toll on Americans infected with HIV and their families. HIV/AIDS has affected Oregon in many ways. Almost 5,000 Oregonians have been diagposed with AIDS— resulting in almost 3,000 deaths. In addition, those infected with HIV number up to 8,500 in Oregon. This epidemic has touched people in every part of my state— rural and urban, rich and poor, senior citizens and newborns. Although the story of each of these individuals living with HIV/AIDS is different, they all have one thing in common: They all benefit from the Ryan White CARE Act. Oregon received almost 8.5 million federal dollars last year to fund programs through the Ryan White CARE Act. Passage of the Ryan White CARE Act will allow Oregonians living with HIV to have timely access to life-prolonging medications and nec­ essary health care and support services, regardless of income level or insurance status. The Ryan White CARE Act will also improve access for HIV-positive Oregonians to clinical trials, with the potential for additional scientific breakthroughs in the treatment of HIV/AIDS. I call for the House to join the Senate in a similar quick passage of the Ryan White CARE Act that will allow hundreds of thousands of HIV-positive Americans to remain healthy, productive members of their communities, while slowing the AIDS epidemic. I would like to thank my friend Terry Bean of Portland, Ore., for talking to me about the good things the Ryan White CARE Act does for Oregonians living with HIV/AIDS. Terry is a longtime board member of the Human Rights Campaign and has been a highly valued adviser on issues affecting the gay and lesbian community in Oregon. Terry’s thoughts and wisdom on hate crimes, ENDA and fighting against all types of discrimination have provided me with an ethical marker for doing what is right on the Senate floor for Oregonians. I do feel lucky that Terry’s advice is dispensed on a golf course— though the only criticism I may have for Terry is that he lacks the political savvy to lose to a United States senator. I thank him anyway for his strong support and good advice. U.S. Sen. Gordon Smith will receive the .Equality Award during the Portland Human Rights Campaign Gala Dinner on Nov. 3. Terry Bean also will be recognized for his many accomplishments and contributions to the gay and lesbian community. For additional details, contact HRCPDXCOM@aol.com. P helps P lans P ickets A cross T own ince Just Out reported Aug. 18 that Fred Phelps’ Westboro Baptist Church plans to picket Newberg High School, one of his Web sites, GodHatesFags.com, posted an update about a pending visit to the City of Roses. Sept. 8 is going to be a busy day for these protesters. Now, Phelps and company will demonstrate at Portland State University, the Portland office of Waddell & Reed and G rant High School, the Internet site says. Protests in Seattle will follow. PSU and Waddell & Reed are being target­ ed because of the Gay Life Health Network’s Tunnel of Love.. .Greatest Hole on Earth forum held earlier this year at the university. Julie Smith, a spokeswoman for PSU, had not been notified about the upcoming protest. Waddell and Reeds management recently was notified by fax from the church. Eric Brown, a Waddell & Reed district man­ ager in Portland, independently sponsored Tun­ nel of Love, but the company’s logo inadvertent­ ly was included in an acknowledgment adver­ tisement for the event’s program. “I made a per­ sonal contribution in support of the communi­ ty,” he says. The company’s name was used without its permission, a Waddell & Reed spokesperson says. But Brown did not know about the ad before the event, the company says. Since then, producers of the safer-sex event, attended by more than 600, sent a letter of apol­ ogy to Waddell &. Reed. Brown says his compa­ ny has been extremely understanding about the mix-up. But Phelps has not. He plans to picket not only the Portland office of Waddell & Reed but also the company’s headquarters right in his own hack yard in Kansas during the coming weeks. Phelps is after PSU President Daniel Bem- stine as well. He claims tax money was used in putting on Tunnel of Love. S Pride Northwest maintains that it held fair elections and that it operates not only legally but ethically. Attorney Brad Woodworth— who was retained to review the situation—says he doesn’t believe any of the complaints against the organization have merit that would warrant concern about possible legal action. But Swan says enough is awry with Pride Northwest that the Department of Justice already has stepped in to take a look. She says an attor­ ney with the agency recently read an e-mail addressed to Just Out and subsequently called her. Soon after, the two former board members interviewed with four attorneys from the depart­ G roup M eets with ment, Swan says. They answered questions for more than two hours. C ommunity M embers and An agreement was made before the meeting D epartment of J ustice that the department only would review the embers of several sexual minority com­ information and would oversee mediation if the lawyers thought such action munities showed up at was appropriate, Swan ex­ a special meeting Aug. 23 to plained. The agency reas­ speak their minds about sured the women that their Pride Northwest, the non­ intent was not to dissolve profit organization that pro­ the organization but to duces Portland’s annual resolve the issues. pride parade and festival. A Swan says that the de­ total of 25 people attended partment is reviewing the the three-hour gathering. information and that she is The meeting was organ­ uncertain of its next step. ized when a group of com­ She says they are waiting to munity members requested hear a response. to meet with Pride North­ Cliff Jones facilitates Pride Northwest board west’s board of directors and the community meeting chair Carmella Ettinger con­ the board refused. At the firms she has been contacted by the attorney gen­ center of the controversy is the recent removal eral’s office. “We are ecstatic that a neutral party of two board members and concerns about the will be involved in reviewing the decision-mak­ organization’s financial statements. ing and financial status of Pride Northwest. ...It Organizers invited Pride Northwest board is our hope that their opinion will put an end to members to the event, they say, but only one, the lies that a few people are perpetuating." Dana Oslund, attended. The community meeting was expected to Tamara Swan maintains she was removed result in a formal request to the current Pride illegally from the board one week before the Pride 2000 event. Jana MacAuslan also is fight­ Northwest board of directors asking for their res­ ignations. But that did not happen. ing her removal from the board. “Freedom of thought and expression is the bedrock principle on which all university activ­ ity is based,” Bemstine said. “PSU supports the right of every individual to seek knowledge, exchange ideas and form opinions. We encour­ age everyone to respect the right of freedom of speech even when such speech may be offensive to one’s personal beliefs.” G rant High also likely will see picketers. The group claims the schœ l is using “governmental power to proselytize kids to sodomite shame.” Tibetan, & Zen traditions, creating a unique atmosphere and oppor­ tunities for learning about Budd­ hism and its daily application Kyogen and Gyokuko Carlson, resident teachers. . Mary Ann Smith “Patterns o f Light” Sept. 6 - Sept. 30 O pening Reception, Sept. 7, 6-8pm Outdoor Sculpture Garden Now Open Boyer Arts Gallery 1325 NE Frem ont (503) 280-8845 WORK at HOME as a Medical Transcriptionist OTHER REWARDING CAREERS - Paralegal $42,000 median income C ourt Reporting $61,950 aug. income Corrections Officer High Demand CALL 800 342.3465 . C ollege of L egal A rts P o r t l a n d , O r e g o n www.collegeoflegalarts.com Your Vancouver Realtor! Knowledgeable Enthusiastic Dedicated Negotiator Buyers & Sellers KEN SPURLOCK, GRI Multi-Million Dollar Producer WWW.JOHNLSCOTT.COM/KENNITHS Call 360-901-4944