IV
106TH CONGRESS
1ST SESSION
H. CON. RES. 107
Expressing the sense of Congress rejecting the conclusions of a recent article
published by the American Psychological Association that suggests that
sexual relationships between adults and children might be positive for
children.
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
MAY 12, 1999
Mr. SALMON (for himself, Mr. DELAY, Mr. PITTS, and Mr. WELDON of Flor-
ida) submitted the following concurrent resolution; which was referred to
the Committee on Education and the Workforce
CONCURRENT RESOLUTION
Expressing the sense of Congress rejecting the conclusions
of a recent article published by the American Psycho-
logical Association that suggests that sexual relationships
between adults and children might be positive for chil-
dren.
Whereas children are a precious gift and responsibility given
to parents by God;
Whereas the spiritual, physical, and mental well-being of chil-
dren is their sacred duty;
Whereas parents have the right to expect government to re-
frain from interfering with them in fulfilling their sacred
duty and to render necessary assistance;
•HCON 107 IH
Whereas the United States Supreme Court has held that par-
ents ‘‘who have this primary responsibility for children’s
well-being are entitled to the support of laws designed to
aid discharge of that responsibility’’ (Ginsberg v. New
York, 390 U.S. 629, 639 (1968));
Whereas no segment of our society is more critical to the fu-
ture of human survival and society than our children;
Whereas it is the obligation of all public policymakers not
only to support but also to defend the health and rights
of parents, families, and children;
Whereas information endangering children is being made
public and, in some instances, may be given unwarranted
or unintended credibility through release under profes-
sional titles or through professional organizations;
Whereas elected officials have a duty to inform and counter
actions they consider damaging to children, parents, fam-
ilies, and society;
Whereas Congress has made sexual molestation and exploi-
tation of children a felony;
Whereas all credible studies in this area, including those pub-
lished by the American Psychological Association, con-
demn child sexual abuse as criminal and harmful to chil-
dren;
Whereas the American Psychological Association has recently
published a severely flawed study that suggests that sex-
ual relationships between adults and children are less
harmful than believed and might even be positive for
‘‘willing’’ children;
Whereas ‘‘Paidika—the Journal of Pedophilia’’, a publication
advocating the legalization of sex with ‘‘willing’’ children,
has published an article by one of the authors of the
•HCON 107 IH
study, Robert Bauserman, Ph.D. (see ‘‘Man-Boy Sexual
Relationships in a Cross-Cultural Perspective’’, Issue 5);
and
Whereas the United States Supreme Court has recognized
that ‘‘sexually exploited children are unable to develop
healthy, affectionate relationships in later life, have sex-
ual dysfunction, and have a tendency to become sexual
abusers as adults’’ (New York v. Ferber, 458 U.S. 747,
759, n.10 (1982)): Now, therefore, be it
Resolved by the House of Representatives (the Senate
concurring), That it is the sense of Congress that—
(1) Congress condemns and denounces all sug-
gestions in the study recently published by the
American Psychological Association that indicates
sexual relationships between adults and ‘‘willing’’
children are less harmful than believed and might
even be positive for ‘‘willing’’ children;
(2) Congress urges the President to likewise re-
ject and condemn, in the strongest terms possible,
any suggestion that sexual relations between chil-
dren and adults—regardless of the child’s frame of
mind—are 
anything 
but 
abusive, 
destructive,
exploitive, reprehensible, and punishable by law; and
(3) the Congress encourages competent inves-
tigations to continue to research the effects of child
sexual abuse using the best methodology so that the