The Sin’s in the Senate

It has been nine months since the Senate Foreign Relations Committee voted to recommend that the full Senate approve President Clinton’s nomination of James Hormel to be ambassador to Luxembourg. So far a floor vote on the nomination has not been taken or even scheduled. The holdup has nothing to do with Hormel’s qualifications. He is a former dean of the University of Chicago Law School and, as an heir to the Hormel meatpacking fortune, a generous contributor to a variety of educational, cultural and political causes.

No, Hormel’s nomination is instead being obstructed by a handful of conservative senators solely because he is a homosexual. As such, in the words of one of his opponents, Sen. Don Nickles (R-Okla.), he promotes “immoral behavior” and should not represent the United States.

The increasingly public debate over Hormel has revealed some splits among Republicans, with New York’s Sen. Alfonse D’Amato--who is seeking reelection this year--openly criticizing his party’s leaders for refusing to allow a floor vote. Meanwhile, Majority Leader Trent Lott (R-Miss.), who opposes Hormel, has given his opinion that homosexuality is both a sin and a treatable condition, like alcoholism, kleptomania or “sex addiction.” Lott and his fellow anti-Hormel crusaders are entitled to their beliefs, and certainly they do not hesitate to express them. But Hormel is entitled to have his nomination judged by the entire Senate, not vetoed by a few senators on the basis of how they interpret certain biblical passages.

Hormel’s supporters believe they have the 60 votes needed to bring the nomination to the floor, and the votes for confirmation. A full floor vote is what the Constitution--which all 100 senators have sworn to uphold--envisages. It’s time to end this embarrassing display of bigotry and let a vote take place.