[Congressional Record Volume 146, Number 79 (Wednesday, June 21, 2000)]
[Senate]
[Pages S5547-S5548]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                     EXPLANATION OF VOTES--S. 2549

  Mr. INHOFE. Mr. President, yesterday a delayed flight due to weather 
and the closing of flights through Chicago caused me to miss votes on 
the Murray Amendment (No. 3252), the Hatch Amendment (No. 3473) and the 
Kennedy Amendment (No. 3473) to S. 2549 the Department of Defense 
Authorization Bill. I would like to state for the record what my votes 
would have been had I been able to make those votes.


                       murray amendment no. 3252

  Had I been present, I would have voted to table the Murray amendment. 
I do not believe we should turn our military medical facilities into 
abortion clinics. The Senate rejected this amendment last year, and I 
see no reason why the Senate should change its position.
  Though military facility abortion advocates try to present the 
situation as otherwise, it is not the case that women in the military 
are deprived of the option of getting an abortion, if they chose to 
have one. They are simply not able to obtain an abortion in a military 
facility as an elective procedure.
  Furthermore, as Chairman of the Readiness Subcommittee of the Armed 
Services Committee, I know our military medical resources are spread 
too thin as things are. Not only is allowing abortions in military 
medical facilities an insult to many of the taxpayers who have paid for 
those facilities, it forces the hospitals to divert resources that 
could have been used for preserving life to do the opposite. This 
amendment does nothing but support an agenda that promotes abortion. To 
that I am opposed.


                        hatch amendment no. 3474

  I realize that many in the Senate viewed the Hatch Amendment as a 
viable alternative to the Kennedy Amendment on hate crimes.

[[Page S5548]]

  As with the Kennedy Amendment, the Hatch Amendment gives statutory 
credence to creating a special class of protections for crimes 
committed against a behavior driven lifestyle. To place sexual 
orientation on par with race, color, gender, religion, and national 
origin is simply a terrible precedent for the Senate to be setting.
  Before anyone accuses me of supporting violence directed against any 
particular person or group of persons, let me say clearly, I 
unequivocally oppose violence against anyone. Any crime of violence is 
a hate crime and should be punished to the fullest extent of the law.
  I appreciate the Senator from Utah's efforts to provide what he sees 
as an alternative to what I think we would both agree is a worse piece 
of legislation. However, had I been present, I would have opposed his 
amendment.
  While some may say that my NAY vote on the Hatch Amendment would have 
changed the outcome, the fact is this issue will be rewritten during 
conference.


                       kennedy amendment no. 3473

  I would have voted against the Kennedy amendment on hate crimes 
because I do not believe it is Constitutional, nor do I think it is 
good policy.
  As with the Hatch Amendment, to place sexual orientation on an equal 
level with race, color, gender, religion, and national origin is wrong.
  Again, I unequivocally oppose violence against anyone. Any crime of 
violence is a hate crime and must be punished to the fullest extent of 
the law.
  As a conferee on the Department of Defense Authorization bill, I will 
work vigorously to drop this language from the bill.

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