Reno: Boy Scouts Can Hold Jamborees on Federal Land

W A S H I N G T O N, Sept. 2 -- The Boy Scouts can still hold their Jamboreeson federal lands even though they bar gays from being scouts orleaders, Attorney General Janet Reno says.

In a written statement Friday night, Reno moved swiftly to quashan issue that had rapidly begun to enter the presidential campaign.

She was responding to a request last month from the InteriorDepartment for guidance on how President Clinton’s executive orderJune 23 barring discrimination against homosexuals would affectInterior’s relations with the Boy Scouts of America.

Bush, GOP Upset

Within hours after Interior’s request became public Thursday,GOP presidential nominee George W. Bush and other Republicanscriticized the administration. Bush questioned whether Interior wason the verge of throwing the 90-year-old scouting organization offfederal lands, which for years have been used by many Scout troopsfor camping.

But Reno decided that Clinton’s order does not prohibit the BoyScouts from holding their Jamborees on federal land or generalfederal assistance to the group related to those gatherings.

Reno said Clinton’s executive order prohibits discrimination onthe basis of sexual orientation in federally conducted educationand training programs. But she determined that “Boy ScoutJamborees are not federally conducted education or trainingprograms,” according to the Justice Department statement.

She said the Clinton order “does not apply to privateorganizations that may use federal lands for their own trainingprograms.”

Other types of federal assistance, such as help withconservation merit badges or awards, also would be permitted solong as the Scouts, rather than the federal government, conductedthe activity, said a senior Justice official who spoke on conditionof anonymity.

Court Ruled in Scouts’ Favor

Clinton’s order, which applies to other types of discriminationas well, was issued five days before the Supreme Court ruled, 5-4,that the Scouts could constitutionally exclude homosexuals asmembers or leaders.