Bush goes and clarifies and actually strengthens the language that say the federal government cannot discriminate against homosexuals, simply because they’re homosexuals, when they apply for a security clearance.
The administration rewrote a 1997 regulation that had said sexual orientation “may not be used as a basis” for denying clearances or determining whether individuals should be eligible to access classified information unless it could make them vulnerable to coercion or exploitation.
President Bush’s updated language says security clearances cannot be denied “solely on the basis of the sexual orientation of the individual.”
(snip)
“The Bush administration is waging a covert war on loyal federal employees who happen to be gay,” said California Rep. Henry Waxman, the top Democrat on the House Government Reform Committee.
Wha? Huh? I’m sorry, but did he actually even read the new order?