IV 
108TH CONGRESS 
2D SESSION 
H. CON. RES. 457 
Expressing the sense of Congress with respect to the murders of James 
E. Chaney, Michael Schwerner, and Andrew Goodman. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
JUNE 18, 2004 
Mr. THOMPSON of Mississippi (for himself, Mr. LEWIS of Georgia, Mr. 
BISHOP of Georgia, Mr. CLAY, Mr. CLYBURN, Mr. CUMMINGS, Mr. DAVIS 
of Alabama, Mr. DAVIS of Illinois, Mr. FATTAH, Mr. FORD, Mr. JACKSON 
of Illinois, Mr. JEFFERSON, Mr. MEEKS of New York, Ms. NORTON, Mr. 
OWENS, Mr. RANGEL, Mr. RUSH, Mr. TOWNS, Ms. WATERS, Ms. WAT-
SON, and Mr. WYNN) submitted the following concurrent resolution; 
which was referred to the Committee on the Judiciary 
CONCURRENT RESOLUTION 
Expressing the sense of Congress with respect to the murders 
of James E. Chaney, Michael Schwerner, and Andrew 
Goodman. 
Whereas the right to vote was routinely denied to many Afri-
can Americans in Mississippi in 1964; 
Whereas in 1964 a broad-based coalition was formed in Mis-
sissippi to create ‘‘Freedom Summer’’, a project dedi-
cated to helping African Americans in Mississippi earn 
equal rights, especially in regard to voting;
•HCON 457 IH 
Whereas in 1964 James Chaney, Michael Schwerner, and An-
drew Goodman volunteered to work in ‘‘Freedom Sum-
mer’’, braving great personal danger; 
Whereas on June 21, 1964, James Chaney, Michael 
Schwerner, and Andrew Goodman were kidnapped and 
murdered by members of the Ku Klux Klan with the ac-
tive assistance of local authorities; 
Whereas President Lyndon B. Johnson made the search for 
the missing men a top national priority; 
Whereas the Federal Bureau of Investigation conducted an 
unprecedented investigation; 
Whereas on August 4 agents of the Federal Bureau of Inves-
tigation discovered the bodies buried beneath tons of 
earth on a dam near Philadelphia, Mississippi; 
Whereas that FBI investigation established the names of 
those who had participated in the plotting, murders, and 
coverup, leading to the arrests of 19 men on December 
4; 
Whereas the State of Mississippi and the local district attor-
ney’s office refused to bring murder charges, despite con-
fessions, a guilty plea, and overwhelming evidence; 
Whereas in the light of that refusal, the United States De-
partment of Justice charged the men with violations of 
the civil rights of James Chaney, Michael Schwerner, and 
Andrew Goodman; 
Whereas citizens throughout Mississippi and the Nation have 
called for the case to be reopened; 
Whereas ample legal precedent exists for the United States 
Department of Justice to offer its assistance by assigning
•HCON 457 IH 
a special prosecutor as was done in the Birmingham 
church bombing case; and 
Whereas these unresolved murders have haunted Neshoba, 
Mississippi, and the Nation for 40 years: Now, therefore, 
be it 
Resolved by the House of Representatives (the Senate 
concurring), That the Congress— 
(1) calls on the Department of Justice to inves-
tigate the murders of James Chaney, Michael 
Schwerner, and Andrew Goodman to determine if a 
prosecution can be brought under Federal law; 
(2) calls on Attorney General John Ashcroft, to 
make a formal offer to the Attorney General of Mis-
sissippi of the services of the Department of Justice 
to review the case file and serve as special pros-
ecutor in a new trial; and 
(3) calls on Attorney General John Ashcroft to 
report to Congress the findings of the investigation. 
Æ