[Congressional Record Volume 146, Number 125 (Tuesday, October 10, 2000)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E1728-E1729]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




 INTRODUCTION OF THE RESEARCHERS AND FARMERS FREEDOM FROM TERRORISM ACT

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                     HON. RANDY ``DUKE'' CUNNINGHAM

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                       Tuesday, October 10, 2000

  Mr. CUNNINGHAM. Mr. Speaker, today I introduce legislation that will 
strike at the heart of a campaign of terror. Few people are aware of 
the growing terrorist threat that is festering here in America. I am 
speaking of the growing threat of animal rights violence.
  All across America, animal rights terrorists have declared war on our 
nation's researchers and farmers. These terrorists claim that they are 
fighting for a noble cause. However, their violent reign of terror is 
not a noble or just cause; it is a threat to all Americans security and 
liberty. This campaign of violent, threatening, obstructive, and 
destructive conduct is aimed at researchers working towards cures for 
AIDS and cancer and family farms. The extent and interstate nature of 
this conduct place it beyond the ability of any single state or local 
jurisdiction to control. Such conduct has included blockades and 
invasions of research and farming, arson and other destruction of 
property, assaults, death threats, attempted murder, and murder. This 
violence can and should be prohibited. The right of injured parties to 
seek redress in the courts can be established without abridging the 
exercise of any rights guaranteed under the First Amendment to the 
constitution or under any other law.
  For these reasons, I am introducing legislation to protect our 
nation's researchers and farmers from terrorists campaigns in the name 
of animal rights who restore to violence, property destruction, 
attempted homicide, blockades, and other vigilante tactics. We must 
take federal action to deal with the ongoing wave of violence aimed at 
our researchers and farmers across the country.
  This legislation is titled the ``Researchers and Farmers Freedom From 
Terrorism Act of 2000.'' It is my hope that we as a Congress will take 
steps to protect the farmers which feed America's children and the 
researchers who may someday cure cancer, AIDS or any thousands of 
diseases. We must protect them from the terrorists who, through their 
extreme agenda, would deny America the fruits of the future. This 
legislation makes a strong three pronged attack on these terrorists.
  First, the bill makes violations of the Animal Enterprise Terrorism 
statutes (18 U.S.C. Sec. 43) punishable as RICO (Racketeer Influenced 
and Corrupt Organization) crimes to expand the civil and criminal 
consequences of this terrorist activity.
  Second, the bill increases penalties for Animal Terrorism by lowering 
the standard for prosecution by removing the requirement that 
prosecution prove the ``intent'' of the criminal; the bill increases 
the penalties for arson and property destruction from 1 year to 5 
years, and the bill also includes similar penalties specifically 
directed at explosive or arson crimes against animal enterprises. This 
section also expands the definition of animal enterprises to

[[Page E1729]]

include ``the offices or headquarters of any'' animal enterprise 
organizations.
  Finally, the bill establishes the National Animal Terrorism and 
Ecoterrorism Clearinghouse at the Federal Bureau of Investigation to 
help law enforcement agencies gather and exchange information on 
animals and ecoterrorists nationwide.
  I am introducing this legislation because groups such as the Animal 
Liberation Front and Earth Liberation Front are openly advocating the 
destruction of property through pipe-bombing, firebombing, sabotaging, 
and raiding of facilities that house both animals and medical research 
personnel. More dangerously, these groups advocate the harassment of 
people that have a prime goal of the betterment to mankind. These noble 
researchers are actively searching for the cures to the diseases such 
as AIDS, cancer, Multiple Sclerosis, heart disease, malaria, and 
tuberculosis.
  The ``harassment'' of these researchers has included personal and 
physical violence. These threats of poisoning and personal harm which 
have now escalated to action. In October 1999, dozens of university 
scientists were mailed letters booby-trapped with razors. Had the 
razors gone undetected, they would have caused serious injury to the 
researchers or their college student assistants. On April 5, 1999, a 
University of Minnesota lab was destroyed, causing millions of dollars 
of physical damage from destroyed computers, microscopes, and medical 
equipment. This vandalism resulted in a 2-year setback to research on 
both Alzheimer's disease and cancer cells critical to developing a 
vaccine against cancer. The most tragic circumstance, however, was the 
fact that irreplaceable scientific information that was to be sent to 
the Food and Drug Administration to begin trials of a human cancer 
vaccine was destroyed.
  Mr. Speaker, over 1,000 major acts of terrorism have occurred since 
1980, causing $42.8 million in damages. Two-thirds of this amount has 
occurred in the last five years, demonstrating a sharp rise in 
terrorist attacks. Congress can and must act now to protect our 
nation's researchers and farmers. The right to peaceful protest is 
protected by the Constitution and nothing in this legislation 
undermines that basic right. Peaceful expression of animal rights 
importance will not be barred. But violent, intimidating, and 
destructive conduct has no such protection, and will be met with severe 
penalties under this legislation.
  By stating that ``extreme action'' is the strategy of the animal 
rights activist, as opposed to ``legitimate pressure,'' on their own 
website, www.animal-rights.com, these terrorists openly acknowledge 
that they are committing actions both unlawful and threatening. 
Moreover, Alex Pacheco, the Director of People for the Ethical 
Treatment of Animals, has deemed ``arson, property destruction, 
burglary and theft as acceptable crimes (Associated Press, January 15, 
1989).''
  The ``Researchers and Farmer's Freedom and Terrorism Act'' bill 
deserves the support of all those who believe in the right to peaceful 
protest and abhor those who resort to violence. It will send a message 
that extremist actions will not be tolerated in our society, and that 
medical research personnel and research facilities deserve the full 
protection of the law against those who violate the safety of others.
  Mr. Speaker, I urge all of my colleagues to join me in supporting 
this important legislation.

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