[Congressional Record Volume 148, Number 124 (Thursday, September 26, 2002)]
[House]
[Page H6696]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                              {time}  1015
         BANKRUPTCY REFORM BILL UNDERMINED BY TAINTED AMENDMENT

  (Mr. PITTS asked and was given permission to address the House for 1 
minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. PITTS. Madam Speaker, some proponents of the current bankruptcy 
reform bill have claimed they want to stop violence. Well, we already 
know that fines and judgments for violent acts cannot be discharged in 
bankruptcy, so we have been arguing that the amendment added in 
conference committee is really out to stop peaceful, nonviolent 
protestors at abortion clinics.
  Well, last week the Senator who wrote the amendment said on MNPR, and 
I quote, ``They'd pay their fine and go back and stand in front of the 
clinic again. And they'd pay their fine and go back and stand in front 
of the clinic again; and they'd pay their fine and go back and stand 
again. They were taking the law into their own hands; in a peaceful 
way, but a very serious way, that led us to write the law.''
  Well, there we have it, right from the horse's mouth. Peaceful, pro-
life protestors are the target of that amendment.
  Madam Speaker, the current bill discriminates against pro-life 
Americans for no other reason than for what they believe. That is not 
right, not in America; and as much as I want to vote for bankruptcy 
reform, I cannot support the bill with this harmful language 
restricting first amendment rights of pro-lifers.

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