[Congressional Record Volume 146, Number 121 (Tuesday, October 3, 2000)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1652]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                          PERSONAL EXPLANATION

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                          HON. LYNN C. WOOLSEY

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                        Tuesday, October 3, 2000

  Ms. WOOLSEY. Mr. Speaker, due to an event in my District, I missed 
roll call votes #503-505. Had I been present, I would have voted:
  Roll Call #503--Yea.
  Roll Call #504--Yea.
  Roll Call #505--No.
  Regarding H.R. 3088, I wholeheartedly agree that victims of rape 
should be able to learn whether their assailant could have passed on 
the HIV virus to them. That's why I support addressing this issue in 
the Violence Against Women Act, and support women who have been raped 
and want to undergo an HIV test. However, H.R. 3088 could force 
innocent individuals to undergo HIV tests and have that information 
involuntarily disclosed to others. This Congress should not force the 
accused to undergo an HIV test until he has been proven guilty. Under 
this legislation, an individual who is indicted and may be able to 
prove his innocence would still be forced to undergo an HIV test. This 
bill has not been considered by the Judiciary Committee, and I believe 
that it strongly violates the principle that Americans are innocent 
until proven guilty.

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