The entire conference was pretty to the left.  Didn't they back nuclear freeze?  And as late as 1997, they put out fairly moderate language about gay people - "Always Are Children."  (Remember this was in 1997, so the US bishops were probably more moderate in their tone toward gay people than a vast majority of the country including the Clinton administration.)  It wasn't until the last 15 years or so that the conference has veered right.