[Congressional Bills 106th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Con. Res. 107 Introduced in House (IH)]







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 
   Florida) 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 Psychological Association that 
suggests that sexual relationships between adults and children might be 
                         positive for children.

Whereas children are a precious gift and responsibility given to parents by God;
Whereas the spiritual, physical, and mental well-being of children is their 
        sacred duty;
Whereas parents have the right to expect government to refrain from interfering 
        with them in fulfilling their sacred duty and to render necessary 
        assistance;
Whereas the United States Supreme Court has held that parents ``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 future 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 professional titles or through professional organizations;
Whereas elected officials have a duty to inform and counter actions they 
        consider damaging to children, parents, families, and society;
Whereas Congress has made sexual molestation and exploitation of children a 
        felony;
Whereas all credible studies in this area, including those published by the 
        American Psychological Association, condemn child sexual abuse as 
        criminal and harmful to children;
Whereas the American Psychological Association has recently published a severely 
        flawed study that suggests that sexual 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 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 sexual 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 suggestions 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 reject and 
        condemn, in the strongest terms possible, any suggestion that 
        sexual relations between children 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 investigations to 
        continue to research the effects of child sexual abuse using 
        the best methodology so that the public and public policymakers 
        may act upon accurate information.
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