House Backs Boy Scouts Charter

W A S H I N G T O N, Sept. 13 -- The House came down solidly behind the BoyScouts today with a 362-12 vote to reject a proposal to revoketheir eight-decade-old federal charter because of the scoutingorganization’s policy of excluding gays.

Republicans, who brought the legislation to the House floor toshow the lack for support for critics of the Scouts, labeled it anattack on American values.

Rep. Cass Ballenger, R-N.C., said half the members of the Housewere former scouts and would defend an organization “as Americanas apple pie and baseball.”

Extremism, or Attempt to Embarrass?

While the bill’s opponents accused its few Democratic supportersof extremism, Democrats complained that the GOP’s only intent wasto embarrass them. Fifty-one voted “present” to protest theprocedure.

David Smith of the Human Rights Campaign, a leading gay rightsorganization, said Republicans were “trying to change the subjectfrom hate crimes to Boy Scouts.” The GOP leadership is resistingDemocratic attempts to pass hate crimes legislation this year. Beyond the politics, the legislation offered by Rep. LynnWoolsey, D-Calif., spotlighted the uneasy relationship between thefederal government and the Boy Scouts since the organization’sstance toward gays became a national issue. Woolsey said she was a Girl Scout and one of her sons was a BoyScout “We’re not saying the Boy Scouts are bad; we’re saying thatintolerance is bad.” “I know the value of scouting, and that’s why I believescouting should be available to all boys, not just to some boys,”Woolsey said during Tuesday night’s debate. She was the onlyDemocrat to speak in favor of the legislation.

In contrast, a long line of Republicans rose to condemn thebill.

Debate on Values vs. ‘Political Stunt’“It’s an attack on the fundamental values of America,” saidRep. Chris Cannon, R-Utah, led by “a small group of extremists onthe minority side.”