IV

105TH CONGRESS

2D SESSION H. RES. 358

Expressing the sense of the House of Representatives with respect to the

protection of reproductive health services clinics.

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

FEBRUARY 11, 1998

Mrs. LOWEY (for herself, Ms. PELOSI, Ms. BROWN of Florida, Ms. SANCHEZ,

Mrs. MORELLA, Ms. DELAURO, Mr. BOUCHER, Ms. NORTON, Ms.

DEGETTE, Mr. DEFAZIO, Mr. MENENDEZ, Mr. ADAM SMITH of Washington, Mr. HINCHEY, Mr. WAXMAN, Mr. MCDERMOTT, Mrs. MALONEY

of New York, Mr. NADLER, Mr. BROWN of California, Mr. HILLIARD,

Mr. BALDACCI, Mr. GEJDENSON, Mr. FARR of California, Mr. BARRETT

of Wisconsin, Mr. FORD, Mr. THOMPSON, Mr. DOGGETT, Ms. WOOLSEY,

Mr. HOYER, Mr. ABERCROMBIE, Mr. SCHUMER, Mr. ACKERMAN, Mr.

ALLEN, Mrs. MCCARTHY of New York, Ms. SLAUGHTER, Mr. MORAN of

Virginia, Mr. MEEHAN, Mr. DELAHUNT, Mr. PASTOR, Mr. DEUTSCH, Ms.

KILPATRICK, Mr. RANGEL, Mr. GREEN, Mr. PRICE of North Carolina,

Mr. CLAY, Ms. FURSE, Mr. STARK, Mr. SANDERS, Ms. LOFGREN, and

Mrs. KELLY) submitted the following resolution; which was referred to

the Committee on the Judiciary

RESOLUTION

Expressing the sense of the House of Representatives with

respect to the protection of reproductive health services

clinics.

Whereas there are approximately 1,000 reproductive health

services clinics in the United States;

Whereas violence directed at persons seeking to provide reproductive health services continues to increase in the
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United States, as demonstrated by the January 29, 1998,

bombing outside a reproductive health services clinic in

Birmingham, Alabama, in which 1 person was killed and

1 person was critically injured;

Whereas the death that occurred at the Birmingham clinic

was the first bombing fatality at a reproductive health

services clinic in the history of the United States;

Whereas organizations monitoring clinic violence have reported over 1,800 acts of violence at reproductive health

services clinics, including bombings, shootings, arson,

death threats, kidnapping, and assaults;

Whereas in 1997, reproductive health services clinics reported

an increase in the number of acts of violence over 1996;

Whereas in January 1997, reproductive health services clinics

in Atlanta, Georgia, and Tulsa, Oklahoma, were bombed,

resulting in several injuries;

Whereas in December 1994, 2 workers at a reproductive

health services clinic were murdered and 5 others injured

in an assault in Brookline, Massachusetts;

Whereas in July 1994, an abortion provider and his security

escort were murdered in Pensacola, Florida;

Whereas in March 1993, a doctor providing abortion services

was shot and killed in Pensacola, Florida;

Whereas Congress passed and the President signed the Freedom of Access to Clinic Entrances Act of 1994, a law establishing Federal criminal penalties and civil remedies

for certain violent, threatening, obstructive, and destructive conduct that is intended to injure, intimidate, or

interfere with persons seeking to obtain or provide reproductive health services, and for intentionally damaging or

destroying, or attempting to damage or destroy, the prop-
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erty of a clinic because the clinic provides reproductive

health services;

Whereas violence is not a mode of free speech, is not entitled

to constitutional protection, and should not be condoned

as a method of expressing an opinion; and

Whereas the President has instructed the Attorney General

to order—

(1) the United States Attorneys to create task

forces of Federal, State, and local law enforcement officials to develop plans to address security for reproductive health services clinics located within their jurisdictions; and

(2) the United States Marshals Service to ensure

coordination between reproductive health services clinics

and Federal, State, and local law enforcement officials

regarding potential threats of violence: Now, therefore,

be it

1 Resolved,

2 SECTION 1. SENSE OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.

3 It is the sense of the House of Representatives that—

4 (1) the Attorney General should fully enforce

5 the law and protect from violent attack persons

6 seeking to provide or obtain, or assist in providing

7 or obtaining, reproductive health services; and

8 (2) Congress should provide to the Attorney

9 General the resources needed to accomplish the mis-
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1 sion of the Department of Justice, including the pro2 tection of reproductive health services clinics.

3 SEC. 2. EXPRESSIVE CONDUCT.

4 Nothing in this resolution shall be construed to pro5 hibit any expressive conduct (including peaceful picketing

6 or other peaceful demonstration) protected from legal pro7 hibition by the first amendment to the Constitution of the

8 United States.

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