[Congressional Record Volume 140, Number 124 (Thursday, August 25, 1994)]
[House]
[Page H]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]


[Congressional Record: August 25, 1994]
From the Congressional Record Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]

 
                  VIOLATION AGAINST ABORTION PROVIDERS

  Mr. FORD. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate 
proceed to the immediate consideration of Senate Resolution 255, a 
resolution pertaining to the use of violence against abortion providers 
and activists, submitted earlier by Senator Reid, that the resolution 
be agreed to and the motion to reconsider be laid upon the table, that 
the preamble be agreed to and any statements relating to this 
legislation be placed in the Record at the appropriate place as if 
read.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
  So the resolution (S. Res. 255) was agreed to, as follows:

                              S. Res. 255

       Whereas the public debate concerning abortion elicits 
     strong emotions on all sides of the issue;
       Whereas maintaining an ongoing, rational debate is the best 
     way to ensure that the emotional issue of abortion is 
     resolved in a manner that is satisfactory to all parties 
     genuinely interested in resolving this issue;
       Whereas the best way to ensure continued debate over 
     abortion is to encourage all participants in the debate to 
     engage in peaceful dialogue and compromise;
       Whereas without an ongoing dialogue about abortion, 
     potential participants in the debate will become isolated and 
     marginalized;
       Whereas extremist individuals and groups concerned with 
     abortion have refused to engage in public dialogue and 
     substantive debate about the issue, choosing instead to 
     target and terrorize the individuals and groups that disagree 
     with their position;
       Whereas these extremist individuals and groups have 
     actively engaged in tactics that sow the seeds of hatred, 
     including soliciting written support in the form of letters 
     and petitions to carry out murderous acts of violence;
       Whereas such tactics ignite and fuel the underlying anger 
     often associated with the public debate concerning abortion;
       Whereas such tactics are shameful, abhorrent and divisive; 
     and
       Whereas the continued use of such tactics only serves to 
     spawn further acts of senseless violence against innocent 
     human beings and in no way advances the cause of the 
     individuals and groups interested in resolving the abortion 
     issue: Now, therefore, be it
       Resolved, That it is the sense of the Senate that the 
     tactics of extremist individuals and groups which are 
     designed to sow the seeds of hatred, including soliciting, 
     promoting, encouraging, or carrying out murderous acts of 
     violence against abortion providers and activists, is 
     condemned.

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