[Congressional Bills 108th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Con. Res. 457 Introduced in House (IH)]






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. Watson, 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 African Americans in 
        Mississippi in 1964;
Whereas in 1964 a broad-based coalition was formed in Mississippi to create 
        ``Freedom Summer'', a project dedicated to helping African Americans in 
        Mississippi earn equal rights, especially in regard to voting;
Whereas in 1964 James Chaney, Michael Schwerner, and Andrew Goodman volunteered 
        to work in ``Freedom Summer'', 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 
        active 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 Investigation 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 attorney's office 
        refused to bring murder charges, despite confessions, a guilty plea, and 
        overwhelming evidence;
Whereas in the light of that refusal, the United States Department 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 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 investigate 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 Mississippi of the 
        services of the Department of Justice to review the case file 
        and serve as special prosecutor in a new trial; and
            (3) calls on Attorney General John Ashcroft to report to 
        Congress the findings of the investigation.
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