WASHINGTON -- A handful of Republican congressmen asked President George W. Bush on Tuesday to pressure Big Brothers and Big Sisters of America to abandon a policy requiring its mentoring programs not to discriminate against gays and lesbians.

Bush is an honorary co-chairman of the organization.

The nine representatives, led by Rep. Tom Tancredo, R-Colo., said the national antidiscrimination rule forces local Big Brothers and Big Sisters affiliates to accept gay and lesbian mentors, without giving parents a say.

"Many of these kids are emotionally fragile and desperate for attention and affirmation from an adult of their own gender," the congressmen wrote. "The new policy ignores the psychological research and common-sense. As a general rule of thumb, Big Brothers doesn't match up adult men with teenage girls. Obviously, that would set up a risky situation that could lead to sexual abuse."

The letter also referred to recent abuse allegations against a Big Brothers and Big Sisters mentor in Ohio.

SURVEY Should gay men and women be allowed to mentor children in the Big Brothers and Big Sisters programs? Yes. If they pass the organization's screening process and are enthusiastic about mentoring children, why not? No. They are not proper role models. Parents should have a say. Results  |  Disclaimer

Winnie Stachelberg, political director for the Human Rights Campaign, a gay and lesbian rights advocacy group, said sexual orientation does not affect a person's ability to mentor an at-risk youth and is not a factor in abuse.

"Representative Tancredo and his associates are spreading misinformation in an attempt to smear innocent members of the gay and lesbian community," Stachelberg said in a statement.

White House spokesman Scott Stanzel said the president had not received the letter and could not comment. A spokeswoman for Big Brothers and Big Sisters could not be reached.

In addition to Tancredo, the letter was signed by Republican Reps. Chris Smith of New Jersey, Joseph Pitts of Pennsylvania, Ernest Istook and John Sullivan of Oklahoma, John Hostettler of Indiana, Bob Schaffer of Colorado, Jim Ryun of Kansas and Brian Kerns of Indiana.

The letter echoed complaints in recent months from conservative pro-family and religious organizations about the mentoring policy. The 98-year-old organization had encouraged nondiscrimination policies for 25 years, but in July made the policies mandatory for all of its affiliates.

Big Brothers and Big Sisters pairs 220,000 children a year with mentors.

Tancredo, who has made a name for himself by being critical of illegal immigrants, recently demanding that an honor student featured in the Denver Post be immediately deported.

"Since Tom Tancredo is using his position as a leader of the Republican Party to advocate this kind of prejudice, I am concerned about who he will target next," said Boulder state senator Ron Tupa. "He's already gone after immigrants, and now gays and lesbians. My question is: who's next? Single moms? College students? The disabled?"

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Big Brothers and Big Sisters of America
Rep. Tom Tancredo
Human Rights Campaign