Baldwin Statement on Revised Clearance Guidelines

Baldwin Statement on Revised Clearance Guidelines

"The Bush Administration's stealth effort to allow discrimination against gay and lesbian citizens in receiving national security clearance is a step backward for a nation that holds itself out as a land of equality.

A person's sexual orientation should not be considered in determining eligibility for access to classified information. Sexual orientation has no relevance to a person's reliability, trustworthiness, or ability to protect classified information.

Moreover, being a gay or lesbian American in no way suggests or creates a conflict of interest or places any doubt on that person's loyalty to the United States.

The Bush Administration's decision is a huge step backward in recognizing and valuing the contribution gay and lesbian civil servants have made to our nation's safety and security. I urge the White House to rescind the new guidelines and restore the previous policy that barred using sexual orientation as a factor in determining national security clearance."

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