[Congressional Record Volume 155, Number 92 (Thursday, June 18, 2009)]
[Senate]
[Pages S6770-S6771]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                     CONDEMNING THE USE OF VIOLENCE

  Mrs. SHAHEEN. Madam President, yesterday, along with Senators Boxer, 
Klobuchar, and 43 other Senators, I submitted S. Res. 187, a resolution 
condemning the use of violence against providers of reproductive health 
care services to women and expressing sympathy for the family, friends, 
and patients of Dr. George Tiller.
  Unfortunately, the murder of Dr. Tiller was not an isolated incident. 
Our country has a history of violence against reproductive health care 
providers. Since 1993, eight clinic workers have been murdered, and 
there have been hundreds of additional attempted murders, bombings, 
death threats, and kidnappings. Since 1977, there have been more than 
5,800 reported acts of violence against providers and clinics.
  My own State has been touched by such acts of violence. In December 
1994, a man from New Hampshire killed two workers at clinics in 
Massachusetts, including a nurse from Salem, NH. Almost 9 years ago, 
the Feminist Health Center in Concord, NH was burned in an arson 
attack. These acts of violence are not acceptable. Not only do they 
violate our laws and lead to human tragedy, but they dissuade medical 
professionals from entering a field of medicine that is critically 
important to women across the country.
  I realize that the issue of reproductive choice is divisive. I know 
there are many heartfelt feelings on both sides of this issue and on 
both sides of the aisle, even within my own caucus. However, I was 
hopeful that regardless of our differences of opinion on this sensitive 
issue, the Senate could come together and quickly pass a resolution 
that rejects the use of violence against reproductive health care 
providers. Sadly, this is not the case.
  My cosponsors and I have tried to pass this resolution by unanimous 
consent. Unfortunately, some on the other side of the aisle have 
objected. How disappointing it is that in this country and in this 
body, we can't come together to unanimously condemn the use of 
violence. My cosponsors and I were urged to eliminate references to 
women's reproductive health care to get this resolution passed through 
the Senate. We are not going to back down. This country should be able 
to come together to condemn violence against reproductive health care 
providers. It is a very sad day when the elected leaders of the 
greatest democracy on Earth cannot agree to protect those exercising 
their constitutional rights.
  I am pleased to be joined by 45 of my colleagues on this important 
resolution. We are saddened that we are not able to pass it without 
objection.
  I wish to now read this simple resolution, a resolution condemning 
the use of violence against providers of health care services to women.

       Whereas Dr. George Tiller of Wichita, Kansas was shot to 
     death at church on Sunday, May 31;
       Whereas there is a history of violence against providers of 
     reproductive health care, as health care employees have 
     suffered threats, hostility, and attacks in order to provide 
     crucial services to patients;
       Whereas the threat or use of force or physical obstruction 
     has been used to injure, intimidate, or interfere with 
     individuals seeking to obtain or provide health care 
     services; and
       Whereas acts of violence are never an acceptable means of 
     expression and always shall be condemned. Now, therefore, be 
     it Resolved, That the Senate expresses great sympathy for the 
     family, friends, and patients of Dr. George Tiller; 
     recognizes that acts of violence should never be used to 
     prevent women from receiving reproductive health care; and 
     condemns the use of violence as a means of resolving 
     differences of opinion.

  I find it hard to believe that this language condemning the murder of 
a health care provider and expressing sympathy to a family in mourning 
could be objectionable.
  I yield the floor.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from California.
  Mrs. BOXER. Thank you very much.
  Madam President, I want to say to my friend, Senator Shaheen, that 
her words were eloquent here today and that her voice adds so much 
texture to the Senate. In a very plainspoken way, as is her way, 
Senator Shaheen has told us that regardless of where we stand on this 
issue, this contentious issue of a woman's right to choose, we should 
be able to come together when there is violence of any sort from any 
quarter, right, left, or center. There is no place for violence in any 
of our debates. That is what makes this such a great country. We debate 
here. We have had difficult debates here on the issue of a woman's 
right to choose. Yes, we have. But we decide those issues in this 
Chamber, in the House, at the White House, and across the street at the 
Supreme Court. And the Supreme Court has ruled very clearly, in 1973, 
in Roe v. Wade, that it is legal--legal--for a woman in the early 
stages of her pregnancy to make this tough choice and get the health 
care she needs. And, yes, later in the pregnancy, if her health is 
threatened, if her life is threatened, yes, a doctor can help her in 
that type of a circumstance.
  Here we have many cases where violence is being used, where Web sites 
are being put up with pictures of doctors and nurses, trying to incite 
trouble, trying to incite violence, and that is not what the law 
allows.
  With the case of Dr. Tiller, he was a doctor. After this tragedy 
where he was shot and killed in church--and before that, he had his arm 
shot, but he continued his work--many, many women came forward to 
attest to how kind he was to them in their great need.
  Dr. Tiller operated within the law. There were those who tried to run 
him out of town with lawsuits, and he won all of those.
  So when a procedure is legal and a doctor is following the rules, to 
have a murder of a doctor in that circumstance is a tragedy to his 
family, to his friends, to his patients, and, yes, frankly, to America 
because it diminishes us as a society.
  I want to tell it like it is around here. Every Democrat cleared this 
resolution and said, yes, we ought to have a chance to bring it to the 
floor and be voted upon. That is all my colleague wants. She wrote a 
simple resolution. She read it to you. She wants a vote. Every Democrat 
said, yes, let's bring it to the floor. If you do not like it, you do 
not have to vote for it. If you want to change it, make an amendment to 
change it.
  But the Republicans will not clear this resolution. Now, I have to 
say to the people who may be listening to this debate, hear what I am 
saying. The Republicans will not allow a vote, will not clear a 
resolution that simply says, in the resolve clause--and I quote from 
it--we express ``great sympathy for the family, friends and patients of 
Dr. George Tiller.'' We recognize ``that acts of violence should never 
be used to prevent women from receiving reproductive health care,'' and 
we condemn ``the use of violence as a means of resolving differences of 
opinion.''
  I think my colleague, in her eloquence here, has said it all. I urge 
those people who are anonymously holding up this resolution, come to 
the floor, have the courage and the guts to look out at this Chamber 
and explain why you do not believe we should condemn acts of violence 
to prevent women from receiving their health care, and come to the 
floor and explain why you are not ready to condemn the use of violence 
as a means of resolving differences.
  This is the greatest democracy in the world. We will not be the 
greatest democracy in the world if we decide we are going to take the 
law into our own hands and kill people with whom we disagree.
  So I beg my colleagues on the other side of the aisle to rethink 
their position because, I can tell you, anyone who does not know 
Senator Shaheen--she was the Governor of a State, she is a great 
Senator already--she is not going to give up on this. We are going to 
be here day after day. We are going to ask that this be brought before 
the body. And we are going to make those who are stopping us from 
voting on this come to the floor and explain why they cannot join with 
us.
  We know abortion is a contentious issue. We appreciate that. We 
respect our colleagues' views. Frankly, I totally respect their views 
on the issue. But I do not respect someone who is anonymously holding 
up a resolution that condemns violence.
  So I am going to work with my colleague. I am very proud of her work 
on

[[Page S6771]]

this. I am proud of Senator Klobuchar's work on this. And I want to 
thank every Democrat in this Senate who said, yes, this resolution is 
worthy of debate and worthy of a vote.
  Madam President, I thank you very much and yield the floor.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from Delaware.
  Mr. CARPER. Madam President, thank you very much.

                          ____________________