[Congressional Record Volume 169, Number 9 (Wednesday, January 11, 2023)]
[House]
[Pages H169-H178]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
EXPRESSING THE SENSE OF CONGRESS CONDEMNING THE RECENT ATTACKS ON PRO-
LIFE FACILITIES, GROUPS, AND CHURCHES
Mr. JORDAN. Madam Speaker, pursuant to House Resolution 5, I call up
the concurrent resolution (H. Con. Res. 3) expressing the sense of
Congress condemning the recent attacks on pro-life facilities, groups,
and churches, and ask for its immediate consideration in the House.
The Clerk read the title of the concurrent resolution.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to House Resolution 5, the
concurrent resolution is considered read.
The text of the concurrent resolution is as follows:
H. Con. Res. 3
Whereas since the May 2, 2022, leak of the Supreme Court's
draft opinion in Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health
Organization, individuals professing anti-life views have
targeted, destroyed, or vandalized numerous pro-life
facilities, groups, and even churches to further their
radical cause;
Whereas, on June 24, 2022, the Supreme Court issued a final
decision in Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health Organization,
which upheld Mississippi's pro-life law and overturned Roe v.
Wade and Planned Parenthood of Southeastern Pennsylvania v.
Casey;
Whereas, following the leak of the draft Dobbs decision,
radical anti-life advocates initiated a pressure campaign
designed to influence the Supreme Court's opinion;
Whereas, following the leak and issuance of the Dobbs
decision, radical anti-life advocates have defaced,
vandalized, and caused destruction to over 100 pro-life
facilities, groups, and churches;
Whereas, on May 3, 2022, individuals vandalized the Care
Net Pregnancy Center in Frederick, Maryland, with pro-
abortion graffiti, including the messages, ``not real
clinic'', ``end forced motherhood'', and ``go to [Planned
Parenthood] instead'';
Whereas, on May 5, 2022, in Portland, Oregon, vandals
smashed numerous windows and spray-painted graffiti on the
Southeast Portland Pregnancy Resource Center;
Whereas, on May 7, 2022, activists vandalized a crisis
pregnancy center in Denton, Texas, with the radical pro-
abortion messages ``not a clinic'' and ``forced birth is
murder'';
Whereas, on May 7, 2022, in Fort Collins, Colorado,
activists painted ``my body my choice'' on the doors of a
Catholic parish;
Whereas, on May 8, 2022, Mother's Day, individuals
attempted to break into the Oregon Right to Life office in
Keizer, Oregon, reportedly igniting and throwing 2 Molotov
cocktails at the building;
Whereas, on May 8, 2022, vandals spray-painted pro-abortion
messages such as ``Abortion is a right'', ``Fake clinic'',
and ``Liars'' on the side of a pro-life pregnancy center in
Manassas, Virginia;
Whereas, on May 8, 2022, a pro-life nonprofit center in
Madison, Wisconsin, was set ablaze and vandalized with the
words, ``If abortions aren't safe, then you aren't either'';
Whereas, on May 13, 2022, activists left ``threatening
messages'' on the front of the Alpha Pregnancy Center in
Reisterstown, Maryland, including the messages, ``if
abortions aren't safe, neither are you'', ``you're anti
choice not pro life'', ``not a clinic'', and were signed
``Jane's revenge'';
Whereas, on May 18, 2022, vandals targeted a ``women's
faith-based medical clinic'' in Auburn, Alabama, defacing the
clinic's sign and staff members' vehicles;
Whereas, on May 25, 2022, in Lynnwood, Washington, anti-
life activists smashed windows and vandalized the Next Step
Pregnancy Center with the threat, ``if abortion isn't safe,
you aren't either'';
Whereas, on June 2, 2022, Jane's Revenge claimed credit for
an attack in which its members broke windows and scrawled
messages including ``God loves abortion'' and ``fake clinic''
at Agape Pregnancy Resource Center in Des Moines, Iowa;
Whereas, on June 3, 2022, the Capitol Hill Crisis Pregnancy
Center in Washington, DC, was the target of left-wing
abortion extremists who threw red paint on the door, threw
eggs at the window, and spray-painted the building with
``Jane Says Revenge'';
Whereas, on June 6, 2022, in Asheville, North Carolina,
vandals broke windows and left graffiti on the Mountain Area
Pregnancy Services building, including the messages, ``If
abortions aren't safe, neither are you'', ``no forced
birth'', and an anarchist symbol;
Whereas, on June 7, 2022, reports indicate that an
``abortion terrorist group Jane's Revenge'' firebombed the
CompassCare pro-life pregnancy center in Amherst, New York;
Whereas, on June 10, 2022, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania,
vandals smashed the windows
[[Page H170]]
and graffitied the walls of HOPE Pregnancy Center;
Whereas, on June 19, 2022, in Redford Township, Michigan,
individuals smashed the windows of the Pregnancy Counseling
Center;
Whereas, on June 22, 2022, in Jackson, Michigan, vandals
graffitied and smashed the windows of the office of Jackson
Right to Life;
Whereas, on June 25, 2022, in Lynchburg, Virginia, anti-
life activists vandalized the Blue Ridge Pregnancy Center;
Whereas, on June 25, 2022, in Paso Robles, California,
vandals broke the windows and spray-painted the walls of Tree
of Life Pregnancy Support Center;
Whereas, on June 25, 2022, radical leftist rioters breached
the Arizona State Capitol, forcing legislators to evacuate
the building;
Whereas, on June 25, 2022, in Cortez, Colorado, Heart to
Heart Pregnancy Center was defaced with pro-abortion
graffiti;
Whereas, on June 25, 2022, in Longmont, Colorado, vandals
graffitied and set fire to the Life Choices Free Pregnancy
Services;
Whereas, on June 26, 2022, in Winter Haven, Florida, anti-
life activists destroyed security cameras and spray-painted
the LifeChoice Pregnancy Center with threatening messages,
including ``Your time is up'', ``We're coming for U'', and
``Jane's revenge'';
Whereas, on July 2, 2022, in Hialeah, Florida, individuals
vandalized the Pregnancy Medical Clinics with spray-paint,
writing ``If abortions aren't safe neither are you'' on the
walls;
Whereas, on July 7, 2022, activists vandalized 2 pro-life
pregnancy centers in Worcester, Massachusetts, hours after
the State's Attorney General issued a consumer advisory
warning residents about such centers;
Whereas, between July 8 and 9, 2022, in Bethesda, Maryland,
individuals either vandalized or set fire to 3 churches,
causing physical damage to the churches and their properties,
where 1 church faces approximately $50,000 in damages because
of the vandalism;
Whereas, on July 11, 2022, activists vandalized the pro-
life Women's New Life Clinic in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, by
spray-painting anti-life messages and ``Jane's Revenge'' on
its exterior walls;
Whereas, on August 1, 2022, in St. Paul, Minnesota, vandals
broke doors and graffitied a pregnancy center, leaving
messages such as ``if abortions aren't safe, neither are
you'';
Whereas, on August 1, 2022, a Douglas County Church in
Kansas City was vandalized with messages such as ``protect
choice'';
Whereas, on August 1, 2022, in Lawrence, Kansas, two
churches were vandalized with spray painted messages such as
``vote no'', ``protect choice'', and ``no forced birth'' on
their properties;
Whereas, on August 9, 2022, in Pocatello, Idaho, the
Compassion and Hope Pregnancy Center was vandalized with
messages including, ``forced birth center'', ``God is a
woman'', and ``beware'';
Whereas, on August 15, 2022, in Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio, a
woman was accused of assault after throwing eggs and a dead
raccoon at the Northeast Ohio Women's Center;
Whereas, on August 18, 2022, anti-life extremists
vandalized a pregnancy center in western Massachusetts with
messages including ``Jane's Revenge'' and ``if abortion isn't
safe neither are you'';
Whereas, on September 16, 2022, in Southfield, Michigan,
vandals broke a window and left graffitied messages
including, ``Jane was here'' and ``if abortions aren't safe,
neither are you'' on a pregnancy counseling center;
Whereas, on October 8, 2022, security camera footage showed
anti-life activists spray-painting the sidewalk of the Church
of the Resurrection in Lansing, Michigan, with ``abort the
court'' and ``death to Christian nationalism'';
Whereas the Biden Administration has failed to take action
to respond to the radical attacks on pro-life facilities,
groups, and churches, or to protect the rights of these
organizations; and
Whereas these attacks on pro-life facilities, groups, and
churches have included vandalism, arson, incendiary graffiti,
and other damage: Now, therefore, be it
Resolved by the House of Representatives (the Senate
concurring), That Congress--
(1) condemns recent attacks of vandalism, violence, and
destruction against pro-life facilities, groups, and
churches;
(2) recognizes the sanctity of life and the important role
pro-life facilities, groups, and churches play in supporting
pregnant women, infants, and families; and
(3) calls upon the Biden Administration to use all
appropriate law enforcement authorities to uphold public
safety and to protect the rights of pro-life facilities,
groups, and churches.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The concurrent resolution shall be debatable
for 1 hour, equally divided and controlled by the majority leader and
minority leader or their respective designees.
The gentleman from Ohio (Mr. Jordan) and the gentleman from New York
(Mr. Nadler) each will control 30 minutes.
The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Ohio.
General Leave
Mr. JORDAN. Madam Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members
may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks
and to insert extraneous material on H. Con. Res. 3.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the
gentleman from Ohio?
There was no objection.
Mr. JORDAN. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Madam Speaker, the FACE Act prohibits threats of force, obstruction,
and property damage intended to interfere with reproductive healthcare
services. Let me just go over that again. It prohibits threats of
force, obstruction, and property damage intended to interfere with
reproductive healthcare services.
The Justice Department has said that this act is not just about
abortions but applies, as well, as to ``pro-life pregnancy counseling
services and other pregnancy support facilities providing reproductive
healthcare.''
So it applies across the board.
Here is the problem. On May 8, 2022, Mother's Day, activists targeted
a pro-life, nonprofit center in Madison, Wisconsin, setting it ablaze
and vandalizing it with the words, ``If abortions aren't safe then you
aren't either.''
On June 3, 2022, leftwing anti-life activists targeted the Capitol
Hill Crisis Pregnancy Center throwing red paint on the door, eggs at
the window, and spray painting the window with, ``Jane says revenge.''
On June 25, 2022, in Longmont, Colorado, vandals graffitied and set
fire--set fire--to the Life Choices free pregnancy center.
This has happened dozens and dozens and dozens of times all across
the country.
What has the Justice Department done?
To my knowledge, no one has been prosecuted on the FACE Act--not one
single person, to my knowledge.
But, oh, Madam Speaker, if you are a pro-life activist and you are
praying outside an abortion clinic, like Mark Houck, then guess what
happens to you?
The FBI kicks in your door, arrests you, puts you in handcuffs, and
does it in front of your wife and seven children. That is what happens.
Madam Speaker, we don't want violence anywhere. As Mr. Cicilline said
in his 1-minute speech, we don't want any violence anywhere. But let's
not have this double standard.
Not to mention this: Think about what happened after the Dobbs
decision was leaked, the leak draft of that opinion; we had activists
protesting at every Supreme--well, not every one because only the
conservative Justices' names were doxed, and information put out there.
We had protests at their homes. In direct violation of the statute 18
U.S.C. 1507: You are not supposed to be protesting and interfering when
a decision is pending in front of a Supreme Court Justice's home.
This was a direct violation of the statute, and, again, nothing
happened.
That situation, as we all know, got real serious. It got real serious
with the assassination attempt on Justice Kavanaugh.
So this resolution is straightforward.
What has happened literally now at hundreds of crisis pregnancy
centers and churches around the country this past year is just flat-out
wrong. This is a resolution that says that we appreciate the good work
that happens at crisis pregnancy centers where they take in women and
where they help them and help that unborn child and make sure that that
unborn child gets to experience the gift of life.
The sanctity of life is what this is all about.
I commend my colleague and friend, Mr. Johnson, from the great State
of Louisiana for this resolution and the people across the country who
volunteer and who work every day at these centers to help these ladies
who are in a tough situation.
Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. NADLER. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Madam Speaker, I rise in opposition to this woefully incomplete
resolution.
I will begin by saying that I condemn violence in all its forms,
including the threats, vandalism, and property destruction described in
H. Con. Res. 3. I would also like to reiterate my condemnation of the
attempted murder of Supreme Court Justice Brett
[[Page H171]]
Kavanaugh. That should go without saying.
I am grateful that no one appears to have been physically injured in
the vandalism incidents described in the resolution, and that law
enforcement took Justice Kavanaugh's would-be assassin into custody
before he could complete an act of violence.
In a democracy, violence is never the answer in a political dispute,
and it should be roundly condemned in all its forms.
This resolution, however, is a transparent partisan ploy that is a
woefully and unacceptably inadequate condemnation of violence. It comes
in the context of extremist MAGA Republicans' effort to enact a total
ban on abortion at both the State and Federal levels. In what appears
to be a glaring omission to H. Con. Res. 3, my Republican colleagues
refused to condemn the long, documented history of violence, murder,
and mayhem perpetrated by anti-abortion extremists against abortion
providers and their patients.
According to the National Abortion Federation, since 1977 anti-
abortion extremists have been responsible for 11 murders, 42 bombings,
196 arsons, 491 assaults, and thousands of incidents of criminal
activities directed at patients, providers, and volunteers.
Sadly, these incidents have increased dramatically in recent years.
In 2021, abortion providers faced a 600 percent increase in stalking
incidents, a 450 percent increase in clinic blockades, a 163 percent
increase in reports of hoax devices or suspicious packages, a 129
percent increase in invasions, and a 128 percent increase in assault
and battery compared to previous years.
In some cases, violence against abortion providers has had deadly
consequences. For example, in November 2015 a gunman murdered three
people and injured nine others when he opened fire with an assault-
style rifle at a Planned Parenthood health center in Colorado Springs.
In January 2021, a gunman attacked a Planned Parenthood clinic in
Knoxville, Tennessee, and later that year, the same clinic was burned
to the ground by arsonists.
Regardless of your position on abortion rights, Madam Speaker, it is
important that we condemn all acts of violence, regardless of who is
the ultimate target. I am concerned that by refusing to condemn
violence against providers, this resolution will inadvertently send a
signal to anti-abortion extremists that violence against abortion
providers is justified by the vandalism described in the resolution.
If this inadequate resolution could potentially fan the flames of
political discord, what purpose then does it serve?
The only purpose I can infer is that it is intended to placate the
extreme elements of the anti-abortion movement while this Republican
majority figures out how to pass a total nationwide ban on abortion.
{time} 1245
Let me be clear: Democrats stand with the majority of the American
public and will oppose such a radical position.
H. Con. Res. 3 is nothing more than a partisan political ploy
designed to advance an extreme anti-abortion agenda and is not a
serious effort to condemn political violence. Indeed, it may have the
opposite effect on the American public because it purposely fails to
condemn the thousands of threats, violent incidents, and attacks that
abortion providers and patients have endured for decades at the hands
of anti-abortion extremists.
Madam Speaker, I urge my colleagues to vote ``no,'' and I reserve the
balance of my time.
Mr. JORDAN. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
What purpose? It says it right in the title: ``Expressing the sense
of Congress condemning the recent attacks on pro-life facilities,
groups, and churches.''
Over 100 churches and pro-life facilities have been attacked in the
last 7 months. That is all this resolution does.
Republicans condemn violence every time it happens. We condemn it
when it happens to abortion clinics. We condemn it when it happens to
churches. We condemn it when it happens to pro-life centers. We
condemned it when it happened in the summer of 2020 all over the
country. We condemned it when it happened on January 6. We condemn it
every single time.
This is just highlighting what has happened in the last 7 months with
churches and pro-life centers around the country. It is that simple.
This should be unanimous.
Madam Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from Louisiana (Mr.
Johnson), my friend and the sponsor of this great legislation.
Mr. JOHNSON of Louisiana. Madam Speaker, I rise today to speak in
favor of my commonsense legislation, H. Con. Res. 3. I am really proud
that this bill has been included among our very first bills that will
pass in this Congress.
For Chairman Nadler, or Ranking Member Nadler now, I am happy to say,
to stand here and suggest that this does not fulfill the will of the
American people or is somehow not the right thing to do is absurd.
This resolution is very simple, and its language is clear. It
condemns the attacks that have been committed against pro-life
facilities, groups, and churches in the wake of the leak of the Dobbs
opinion and the subsequent decision. It also calls upon the Biden
administration to take action now to bring the perpetrators to justice.
Who could be opposed to that?
In recent years, there has been an alarming trend of more and more
attacks on pro-life organizations and individuals. In the wake of the
Dobbs decision, the problem became much worse. We have seen a
significant increase in targeted violence against places and people who
provide care for pregnant women and their unborn children.
Here are just a few of the more than 100 incidents that have taken
place just in the last several months:
May 5, last year, a Catholic church and school in Armada, Michigan,
was vandalized with satanic symbols and messages calling for the death
of Republicans.
May 8, the Oregon Right to Life office was firebombed.
May 26, seven high school students in New Jersey were suspended after
physically assaulting another student holding a pro-life sign.
June 26, a pro-abortion extremist was charged with attempted murder
in Los Angeles.
July 7, Sacramento, a pregnancy care center was threatened by a man
with a machete.
September 24, in Lake Odessa, Michigan, an elderly pro-life volunteer
was shot while canvassing door to door to discuss an abortion ballot
proposal.
January of this year, just several days ago, a pro-life billboard was
defaced with the words ``kill them kids'' in Portland, Oregon.
This last one that I wanted to mention is personal to me. On July 11,
pro-abortion activists vandalized the Women's New Life Clinic in Baton
Rouge, Louisiana. They spray-painted anti-life messages on the walls.
Being located right next to the abortion provider in Baton Rouge at the
time, the largest in our State, this clinic has offered hope to
countless pregnant women by counseling them on all of their options and
not pushing them to abort their unborn children, as the clinics do.
I am proud to call many of the leaders of that clinic in Baton Rouge
personal friends. We have to stand for them and stand against violence,
vandalism, personal threats, and intimidation.
Nationwide, there are over 2,700 pregnancy care centers providing
essential services in all 50 States. They serve millions of women every
year. They have over 10,000 medical professionals supporting them. They
do not deserve the treatment they have endured, and they certainly
deserve that this Congress condemn the violence committed against them.
Since there has been so little accountability for the leaked draft
Dobbs opinion and the ensuing violence and intimidation against pro-
lifers that have followed, we are making the position of Congress clear
today. We condemn violence, property damage, threats, and intimidation
tactics, and these clear violations of Federal and State laws must be
prosecuted.
We have the opportunity before us today to start to push back against
the mob that has targeted the groups and individuals that care for
women and their unborn children. Republicans are ready to act. I am so
proud that over
[[Page H172]]
100--I think nearly 130--Republicans so far have cosponsored this.
It will pass, and it should, and it will be a shame if our Democratic
colleagues do not join us in this condemnation of violence. The
question is, will they?
Madam Speaker, I urge my colleagues to vote ``yes'' on the
resolution.
Mr. NADLER. Madam Speaker, the resolution condemns violence at pro-
life clinics but not at pro-choice clinics. That says it all.
Madam Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the distinguished gentleman from
Tennessee (Mr. Cohen), a member of the Judiciary Committee.
Mr. COHEN. Madam Speaker, first, I would like to note what is
profound hypocrisy going on in this Chamber.
Last week, we heard from the Republicans about the importance of an
open process and the ability to offer amendments on all bills or
resolutions, but there were no hearings on this resolution, no markups,
and amendments are prohibited.
If they were allowed, we could have discussed, and Mr. Jordan could
have made his statement that he believes the Justice Department says
this would affect all types of facilities, but we didn't have that, so
it is not here.
Every Democrat, and I hope every Republican, rejects and condemns
political violence. We settle our disagreements at the ballot box and
through the rule of law, not by violent actions.
Republicans say this resolution is about condemning violence and
enforcement of laws, yet it only condemns those of their favorite
organizations and facilities, the pro-life crowd.
They should be aghast that they don't include the murders of the 11
people killed at abortion care providers since 1993:
Dr. George Tiller, killed entering his church in Wichita, Kansas,
shot in the back;
David Gunn, shot in the head at his clinic in Pensacola, Florida;
Just this past New Year's in Knoxville, a Planned Parenthood clinic
was destroyed by arson.
Sadly, there are too many property crimes at Planned Parenthood and
other facilities that help people with abortion needs to mention. None
are mentioned. We should condemn all murders and serious violence.
This House did not hear from Republicans condemning the violence of
January 6 when this Chamber was under attack, and we should do that in
all cases.
They are trying to undermine and obstruct the Department of Justice,
as well. This is just some of the other hypocrisy. They are having a
committee to look into the attacks on America from the FBI, the Justice
Department, and other security services. Those are law enforcement.
That is defunding Federal law enforcement, and it is wrong. We should
support all law enforcement and fund all of it and its activities.
If you want to know about the Republicans, you ask them about the
bill on the IRS. If they wanted to help the middle class, they would
have brought a resolution to direct the IRS to do more audits, or even
all of its audits, on people earning over $1 million and save the
middle class and get the money where it is. They did not.
We should listen to what they do, not what they say. I will vote
``no.''
Mr. JORDAN. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
I point out to my friend from Tennessee that it is not that I believe
the DOJ has the ability to use the FACE Act to prosecute people who
vandalize and attack crisis pregnancy centers; they have said it. The
Department of Justice says they can do that. I am just asking why they
haven't.
Madam Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from Alabama (Mr.
Carl), my good friend.
Mr. CARL. Madam Speaker, I thank my colleague from Louisiana (Mr.
Johnson) for his leadership on all of these pro-life issues.
Madam Speaker, in the wake of the Dobbs decision, pro-abortion
radicals have waged horrific attacks on our pro-life community.
Pro-life institutions are on the front line of meeting the needs of
women, youth, and, yes, men. They provide critical services and support
and have saved so many lives. Nobody should be in fear for their safety
when seeking medical care and spiritual support.
This body has an opportunity to express its unwavering support for
women and families across America and condemn this violence by voting
for this act.
I am proud to be part of this effort. Madam Speaker, I encourage my
colleagues on both sides of the aisle to vote ``yes'' on this
resolution.
Mr. NADLER. Madam Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the distinguished
gentlewoman from Texas (Ms. Jackson Lee), a member of the Judiciary
Committee.
Ms. JACKSON LEE. Madam Speaker, this is a solemn moment. I join my
fellow colleagues, the women of the Democratic Caucus, to stand here
because we stand in the name of those who have died: 11 murders, 42
bombings, 196 arsons, 491 assaults, and thousands of incidents of
criminal activity directed at our doctors, our nurses, and our
patients.
After COVID-19, America woke up to the vitality and the necessity of
our medical professionals, but I come here today to express my concern.
I wish my friend from Louisiana had worked with my side of the aisle so
that we would acknowledge that there has been loss of life of innocent
persons who simply were providing medical care.
Dr. David Gunn was shot and killed by an opponent of abortion during
a protest. A former pastor kills a doctor and clinic volunteer. George
Tiller, twice a target, is killed.
This legislation is an extreme initiative because it is not here to
acknowledge the solemnity of which we stand, first to recognize the
constitutional right of a woman, her doctor, and her faith to be able
to make a decision without fear and intimidation.
In a State like mine, we have vigilantism because it has passed
legislation for bounty hunters to come back again from the 1800s to
intimidate doctors, nurses, and patients.
This is a day that we must stand against. If we are to work together
in this solemn moment, we must recognize all the doctors, nurses, and
patients that have been intimidated.
The National Abortion Federation, in 2021, indicated that there has
been an increase in violence. The significant increases in stalking,
600 percent; blockades, 450 percent; hoax devices/suspicious packages,
163 percent; invasions, 129 percent; and assault and battery, 128
percent.
Madam Speaker, I ask my colleagues to oppose this legislation. Maybe
we can, in solemnity, work together on this serious issue.
Madam Speaker, I rise in strong opposition to H. Res. 3, a concurrent
resolution that expresses the sense of Congress condemning the recent
attacks on pro-life facilities, groups, and churches.
It is critically important that we opposed the Republican effort to
rewrite history in a way that demonizes the victims and glorifies the
aggressors.
Each American has the right to make their own healthcare decisions
according to their own beliefs values, and conscience.
Republicans hope to strip women of their constitutional right of
autonomy over their own body and their right to make their own
healthcare decisions.
In Texas, Republicans have incentivized vigilantism and stalking by
passing a law that provides civilians a cause of action against anyone
who performs or aids an abortion and provides for a $10,000 cash reward
if successful.
This resolution ignores the long-documented history of violence
against abortion providers, their staff, and their patients and
attempts to rewrite the facts.
According to Bloomberg, a survey of 390 clinics showed that assaults
on abortion providers surged 128 percent in 2021 with reports of
kicking, slapping and being pepper sprayed.
The National Abortion Federation 2021 Violence & Disruption Report,
found a massive increase in violence and disruption against abortion
providers.
The most significant increases were in stalking (600 percent),
blockades (450 percent), hoax devices/suspicious packages (163
percent), invasions (129 percent), and assault and battery (128
percent) compared to 2020.
Armed Conflict Location & Event Data Project (ACLED), a nonprofit
that tracks political violence and demonstrations, asserts that anti-
government militias and extremist groups like the Proud Boys appearance
at abortion related events spiked 160 percent in 2021, compared to the
previous year.
Further, in 2020, far-right groups appeared at only 1 percent of
demonstrations related to abortion rights; in 2022, almost one in five
events involved members of a far-right group.
[[Page H173]]
This violence, harassment, and cyberbullying against those who seek
abortions, their providers, and supporters is unconscionable.
The American public made it clear last November that they want
Congress to protect reproductive freedom.
We stand with all women, and staunchly reject the misinformation in
this bill and its attempt to cover up the attacks on basic human
dignity and constitutional rights.
I urge all my colleagues to oppose this outrageous and dangerous
resolution.
Mr. JORDAN. Madam Speaker, I yield 1\1/2\ minutes to the gentleman
from Ohio (Mr. Wenstrup).
Mr. WENSTRUP. Madam Speaker, I rise in strong support of this
resolution, which condemns the wave of attacks on pro-life groups and
facilities.
As a Nation, we are blessed to have a nationwide network of faithful,
dedicated pro-life pregnancy centers that provide care for pregnant
women and their babies.
Women deserve to be offered the full range of health support that can
help them in their time of need. Pro-life pregnancy centers do exactly
that, offering a compassionate support system for pregnant women.
Shamefully, since the Dobbs decision was rendered, these pregnancy
centers have been under attack by radical abortion activists. We have
seen horrific displays of vandalism, threats, and intimidation directed
at pro-life groups and facilities for the simple fact that they support
life and serve to help pregnant mothers in need.
No one is forced to receive care at a pregnancy center, yet we see
people committing violence on pregnancy centers. Why? Are they angry
that so many choose to not terminate the life of their own baby and let
their child live, like all of your mothers did, rather than violently
terminate the life of their own baby?
Madam Speaker, I ask Congress to stand together and strongly condemn
this violence by passing this resolution.
Mr. NADLER. Madam Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the distinguished
gentlewoman from New Jersey (Mrs. Watson Coleman).
Mrs. WATSON COLEMAN. Madam Speaker, I rise because I am appalled that
this is how my Republican colleagues have chosen to start this
majority.
It appears that actually legislating is too great a challenge for my
colleagues, who have no apparent plan to address the real issues facing
our country, including the rising tide of violent extremism.
H. Con. Res. 3 condemns violence against anti-abortion organizations.
It says nothing about the violence against abortion providers that has
gone largely unaddressed for nearly 50 years. Last year, I supported
legislation that offered real solutions to rising violence against
abortion providers.
Madam Speaker, I would be happy to work with my colleagues on fixing
H. Con. Res. 3 to actually acknowledge the rising violence, but I
cannot and will not support it in its current form, and I encourage my
colleagues to vote ``no.''
Mr. JORDAN. Madam Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from
Wisconsin (Mr. Tiffany).
Mr. TIFFANY. Madam Speaker, I rise in support of the resolution
before us here.
Last year, a draft Supreme Court opinion was leaked to the media in
one of the biggest scandals to ever hit the Nation's highest court. It
reestablished the authority of States to prohibit the killing of unborn
children, sending the Democratic Party and other leftwing extremists
off the deep end.
The liberal brush fire that ignited after the opinion was leaked
wasn't contained to just Washington. Pregnancy centers and pro-life
organizations across the country soon became the target of their rage.
{time} 1300
The chairman said it very well in his opening comments when he cited
the situation in Madison, Wisconsin: ``If abortions aren't safe then
you aren't either.'' That is what it says right here.
Following the attack, a radical pro-abortion group known as Jane's
Revenge took credit, proudly proclaiming ``this was only a warning''
and ``next time the infrastructure of the enslavers will not survive.''
Leftwing extremists have shown us time and time again--first, during
the summer of 2020 when they burned American businesses to the ground
and then by firebombing pregnancy centers in 2022--that they will
resort to violence and destruction when they do not get their way.
Unfortunately, there has been very little accountability for the
leaked draft opinion.
This resolution makes it clear that violence needs to stop.
Mr. NADLER. Madam Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the distinguished
gentlewoman from Connecticut (Ms. DeLauro), the ranking member of the
Appropriations Committee.
Ms. DeLAURO. Madam Speaker, I rise in strong opposition to the
dangerous measures that House Republicans are bringing to a vote in
this Chamber as part of their ongoing efforts to end a woman's right to
choose and inserting politics unnecessarily and wrongly into the
doctor-patient relationship, denying abortion care to women,
stigmatizing women who get abortions, and putting at risk the doctors
who simply are doing their jobs by caring for them. All while ignoring
the threats that abortion providers and patients face daily.
The American people sent a clear message during the midterms:
Politicians have no place in our personal medical decisions.
House Republicans refuse to listen. Instead of protecting and
expanding reproductive healthcare and women's rights, they are making
it their first order of business to use their power to control women's
bodies and their future.
I condemn violence in all of its forms. This resolution condemns only
some violence and very intentionally omits violence like the murder of
health professionals, against abortion providers, patients and their
families. Maybe they don't regard murder as violence.
This comes at the same time as women's rights are under attack. This
nonbinding resolution is meant to only divide and distract and will do
nothing to actually reduce violence.
I urge my colleagues to oppose these biased bills and continue to
stand up and speak out for what is right.
Mr. JORDAN. Madam Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from
Mississippi (Mr. Guest).
Mr. GUEST. Madam Speaker, I rise today in support of the resolution
condemning the recent attacks on pro-life groups, facilities, and
churches.
Last summer, in a landmark decision, the United States Supreme Court
ruled in favor of my home State of Mississippi in returning decisions
on protecting life to the States.
Unfortunately, the leak of the Dobbs decision led to instances of
extremism committed against churches, pro-life institutions, and crisis
pregnancy centers.
Sadly, my home State was not spared. Mississippi has a robust network
of crisis pregnancy centers that provide care and resources to
expectant mothers.
I, and many of my Republican colleagues, have called on the Biden
administration to address these criminal acts and hold accountable
those who committed these offenses. To date, no action has been taken.
I am hopeful that this legislation will move the administration to
act, and I am grateful that the Republican majority is standing with
those impacted by last year's extremist acts.
Mr. NADLER. Madam Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the distinguished
gentlewoman from Oregon (Ms. Bonamici).
Ms. BONAMICI. Madam Speaker, I strongly oppose violence and
destruction of property regardless of venue.
The resolution on the floor today, however, is a distraction from the
real issue regarding crisis pregnancy centers, which is that they
regularly provide inaccurate, incomplete, and injurious information to
people who are seeking guidance and fact-based healthcare.
Crisis pregnancy centers often engage in deceptive advertising to get
people in the door, and then they mislead them about the services they
provide.
A crisis pregnancy center in Texas, for example, was caught telling
people that abortions cause mental illness and implied that abortions
cause cancer
[[Page H174]]
and infertility. I heard from someone who visited a crisis pregnancy
center, and after she left she started getting calls from strangers who
were told about her visit. Another woman was shown an ultrasound
picture of her kidney and was told it was a baby.
This deception is unconscionable, which is why I will soon introduce
the Stop Anti-Abortion Disinformation Act to direct the Federal Trade
Commission to issue rules prohibiting unfair or deceptive advertising
of abortion services.
At a time when reproductive rights are under attack, it is especially
important for anyone seeking abortion care to be able to find a real
healthcare provider they can trust who will respect their bodily
autonomy and their privacy.
Mr. JORDAN. Madam Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from the
great State of Wisconsin (Mr. Grothman).
Mr. GROTHMAN. Madam Speaker, one of the scary, ongoing stories over
the last few years, more typical of an atheistic totalitarian regime
than our wonderful constitutional Republic, has been a tax on pregnancy
counseling centers.
They are hated because they try to persuade women to keep their
babies, and they articulate how precious life is in the womb, which is
considered to be dangerous speech to those who desperately want to
legalize 8-month abortions.
Some of these attacks, like those in other venues by antifa and Black
Lives Matter have become more physical in nature.
The lack of urgency by law enforcement to protect the speech of those
who want women to keep their children is dangerous. This effort to
muzzle those who express a wide variety of conservative Christian
viewpoints has become more and more common and should scare anyone who
does not want to live in a religiously hostile, large government State.
Please vote for H. Con. Res. 3.
Mr. NADLER. Madam Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the distinguished
gentlewoman from New York (Ms. Velazquez), the ranking member of the
Small Business Committee.
Ms. VELAZQUEZ. Madam Speaker, I rise today in opposition to H. Con.
Res. 3.
This resolution is further proof of my colleagues' hypocrisy and
their obsession with controlling a woman's inherent right to bodily
autonomy.
This resolution ignores the long-documented history of violence
against abortion providers, their staff, and their patients.
Violence is what Amanda Eid from Texas suffered when doctors could
not induce labor after her amniotic fluid was leaking. Her doctors were
prohibited from providing the treatment she urgently needed because of
Texas' anti-abortion laws. Amanda's life will forever be changed, and
that is the real violence.
The American people are overwhelmingly in support of protecting
reproductive freedom. Women and the American people across this Nation
have spoken loud and clear. They do not want the government interfering
with their reproductive healthcare.
On behalf of all women in my district and across this country, I
oppose this extreme resolution.
Mr. JORDAN. Madam Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from New
Jersey (Mr. Smith), a pro-life leader and good friend.
Mr. SMITH of New Jersey. Madam Speaker, two women spoke at a
pregnancy care center dinner I attended in New Jersey.
Both women were effusive in their thanks that the director had
approached them in absolute kindness and empathy as they were literally
walking from the parking lot to an abortion clinic. They changed their
minds and were helped through their pregnancies and after the birth of
their children, as well.
Later in the program, two young, teenaged girls spoke of the sanctity
of life and the good work of the pregnancy care center. In a very
dramatic moment from the podium--because they were standing side by
side--they turned to the director, thanked her, and said that had she
not reached out to their moms that day and followed up with such love
and compassion, both of them would have been dead.
Pregnancy care centers across the country have suffered a surge of
violent attacks, firebombing and vandalism by pro-abortion activists in
a coordinated effort to intimidate frontline volunteers and licensed
medical professionals providing critical support to mothers in need and
their unborn baby girls and boys.
Now more than ever the Biden administration and law enforcement needs
to enforce the law.
Mr. NADLER. Madam Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the distinguished
gentlewoman from Florida (Ms. Lois Frankel).
Ms. LOIS FRANKEL of Florida. Madam Speaker, my, my, my, here we go
again.
First off, let's all condemn the violence on the streets of our
country.
This resolution is a political ploy and a distraction from the
violence that abortion providers and patients face every day.
Bombings, murder, arson; let's condemn these, too.
Madam Speaker, women across our country are being denied lifesaving
care, and healthcare providers are being punished for doing their jobs.
Women deserve access to all forms of health services, including
abortion and the freedom to make decisions about their health and their
lives and their future without interference of politicians.
I urge my colleagues to vote ``no'' on this resolution which
sidetracks us from the real danger women and healthcare providers are
facing today: The Republican agenda.
Mr. JORDAN. Madam Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from
Tennessee (Mr. Rose).
Mr. ROSE. Madam Speaker, today I rise in support of H.Con.Res 3 and
urge my colleagues to vote in favor of its passage.
In June of last year, following the decision by the Supreme Court to
overturn Roe v. Wade, a pro-life pregnancy center that assists pregnant
women in Nashville, Tennessee, was the victim of an attempted arson
attack. Thankfully, no one was injured, and local law enforcement
opened an investigation into the situation in an effort to bring the
perpetrators to justice.
Unfortunately, that is not the case across the entire United States,
which is why it is essential that this body, the United States House of
Representatives, condemns these heinous acts of political violence.
I am proud to be an original cosponsor of this legislation and will
always and forever stand on the right side of history when it comes to
protecting the unborn.
Mr. NADLER. Madam Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the distinguished
gentlewoman from California (Ms. Chu).
Ms. CHU. Madam Speaker, I rise in opposition to the bill before us
today.
While I strongly condemn violence and vandalism in any form, the bill
before us neglects to address the real crisis facing Americans today,
which is the loss of reproductive rights for millions of Americans in
the blink of an eye since the Dobbs decision overturned Roe v. Wade
last summer.
Madam Speaker, 8 in 10 Americans support the legal right to abortion,
something that has been seen over and over again in poll after poll, in
election after election. This resolution is an attempt to muddy the
waters and distract the public from the fact that those on the other
side of the aisle support a national abortion ban, regardless of which
State you live in.
In fact, it was abortion providers who faced significant increases in
stalking, invasions, and assault and battery as a result of the Dobbs
decision.
I cannot support this resolution, which conveniently leaves out the
majority of the victims of this type of political violence. I urge my
colleagues to vote ``no.''
Mr. JORDAN. Madam Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentleman from
North Carolina (Mr. Bishop).
Mr. BISHOP of North Carolina. Madam Speaker, attacks on churches and
pro-life pregnancy centers are unconscionable and un-American.
Thugs elevate their extreme political ideology over the most basic
gift from God: Life. This phenomenon is fed from here.
We all recall Senator Schumer's threat to Supreme Court Justices that
they ``will pay the price.'' Now we see the price: firebombing pro-life
pregnancy centers and assassination attempts.
[[Page H175]]
In my own State there is rhetoric amid the broken windows, red paint,
and anarchist symbols. ``If abortions aren't safe, neither are you.''
That sentence is repeated over and over across this country. That is a
threat. This is the death cult's echo of the KKK's burning cross on the
lawn; brazen, violent intimidation. The Federal Government responded to
the KKK.
Where is the Biden Justice Department amid this violent campaign of
national scope?
Mr. President, it is time for action. Do your duty.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Members are reminded to direct their remarks
to the Chair.
Mr. NADLER. I yield 1 minute to the distinguished gentleman from
Oregon (Mr. Blumenauer).
{time} 1315
Mr. BLUMENAUER. Madam Speaker, I appreciate the gentleman's courtesy
in permitting me to speak on these resolutions. This is a poll-tested
focus group effort to change the subject.
We all know that attacking facilities or not providing healthcare to
an infant is already illegal. This is a veiled attempt at distracting
from the real consequences of the Dobbs decision.
People have had their rights taken away and can no longer receive the
care they wish. When we see doctors consulting their lawyers when
patients are dying on operating tables because they are afraid of
abortion bans, voting on this resolution is an embarrassment.
It is unconscionable that when people are living in fear, even dying
because they are denied healthcare, the House is ignoring this in favor
of a political stunt.
I stand with the American public and in opposition to this
legislation.
Mr. JORDAN. Madam Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentlewoman from
Georgia (Mrs. Greene).
Mrs. GREENE of Georgia. Madam Speaker, I rise in support of this
resolution.
Being a mother is the greatest gift in the world, and childbirth is a
true miracle of God.
In 2019, pregnancy centers served roughly 2 million women, men, and
youth. They provided services such as medical care, education,
mentoring, and material support like diapers, car seats, and clothing.
From 2016 through 2020, pro-life pregnancy centers partnered with
pregnant women at risk for abortion to save over 800,000 lives.
Approximately 75 percent of women at risk for abortion who view an
ultrasound of their baby in the womb at a pregnancy center ultimately
make the choice to continue their pregnancy.
Merrick Garland calls parents who want to protect their kids from
sexual indoctrination in schools domestic terrorists but refuses to
protect facilities that help pregnant women carry their babies from
being attacked by far-left extremists.
Since the Dobbs decision was leaked in May 2022 alone, approximately
40 churches and 60 pro-life pregnancy centers have been firebombed and
vandalized across the country by pro-murder extremists. The costs of
damages for each attack range from less than $100 to more than
$250,000. Shameful.
Some of the things they have said--they have spray-painted on a
church in Lansing, Michigan, ``abort the court'' and ``death to
Christian nationalism.'' Death for Christians that care about our
country? I don't think so.
They also caused $50,000 in damages in Bethesda, Maryland, setting
fire to three churches. It is shameful.
Jane's Revenge, which is a terrorist group, said: ``If abortion isn't
safe neither are you.''
Madam Speaker, I urge my colleagues to vote ``yes'' on this
resolution.
Mr. NADLER. Madam Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the distinguished
gentlewoman from Texas (Mrs. Fletcher).
Mrs. FLETCHER. Madam Speaker, I join my Democratic colleagues in
opposing, on the strongest terms, all forms of political violence.
That is something that this resolution fails to do. This resolution
fails to acknowledge decades of well-documented violence against
reproductive healthcare providers in this country. In failing to do so,
it fails us all.
I have seen that violence firsthand. More than 30 years ago, when I
was a teenager, I stood in defense of our local Planned Parenthood as
anti-abortion protesters tried to chain themselves to the doors to
prevent women from going in not only to get abortion care but to get
their Pap smears, their birth control, HIV tests, and other services. A
few years later, a well-known anti-abortion activist drove a van
through the same door of that same Planned Parenthood.
Like I said, I welcome the opportunity to vote on legislation that
condemns all forms of political violence, but the resolution's
purposeful omission of abortion providers and patients, and what that
suggests, is why I am voting ``no'' today, and I urge my colleagues to
do the same.
Mr. JORDAN. Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. NADLER. Madam Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the distinguished
gentlewoman from Illinois (Ms. Schakowsky).
Ms. SCHAKOWSKY. Madam Speaker, I am against all forms of violence,
including violence against any one of the majority of Americans who
support abortion rights.
The statistics are absolutely clear. Since 1977, there have been 11
murders, 42 bombings, 196 arsons, 491 assaults, and thousands more
illegal attacks on people who support abortion rights.
Let's include everyone in here when we talk about no more violence.
We have to make sure that people who are pro-life and people who
support abortion rights--and we support life--are included in opposing
violence.
Mr. JORDAN. Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. NADLER. Madam Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the distinguished
gentlewoman from California (Ms. Lee).
Ms. LEE of California. Madam Speaker, as co-chair of the Pro-Choice
Caucus, I rise in opposition to H. Con. Res. 3.
Of course, we condemn all political violence, whether it is aimed at
those we agree with or disagree with.
These acts are all unacceptable, full stop. Hate speech quickly
becomes hate violence. In a democracy, violence is particularly awful
when it is designed to silence or intimidate.
Where were my colleagues every single time a doctor, a patient, a
nurse, or a security officer was threatened, assaulted, or murdered
just for providing, accessing, and safeguarding reproductive
healthcare?
Congresswoman DeGette, Congresswoman Pressley, and I have drafted a
resolution that condemns all attacks upon healthcare facilities,
healthcare personnel, and patients.
Every act of hate-fueled violence is worthy of condemnation,
including those against Planned Parenthood clinics, abortion providers
and patients, and other care providers.
We stand with survivors of those attacks. We condemn all of them, and
our GOP colleagues should do so, as well.
Mr. JORDAN. Madam Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from
Michigan (Mr. Walberg).
Mr. WALBERG. Madam Speaker, I rise today in support of H. Con. Res.
3, which condemns the epidemic of attacks on pro-life and faith-based
organizations.
Unfortunately, Michigan's Fifth District has not escaped these
attacks. Last June, Jane's Revenge vandals graffitied and smashed the
windows of Jackson, Michigan's Right to Life and my own office. It was
a despicable act. The Jane's Revenge perpetrator, who has yet to be
caught, even accidentally graffitied a neighbor's house, as well.
Yet, this darkness presented an opportunity to show the best of our
community. Volunteers from the community came out to clean up the
broken glass and help board up the windows.
In contrast to this positivity displayed by everyday Americans, and
despite congressional efforts we have spearheaded, President Biden's
Justice Department has stayed silent on these acts of domestic
terrorism.
Today, congressional Democrats have an opportunity to right the
wrongs of this administration and join us in condemning these acts of
violence as we condemn all acts of violence, as well.
Volunteers at pregnancy centers who remain committed to their
convictions and efforts understand they have a target on their backs.
These volunteers are individuals spending their time and their money to
clothe, feed, provide
[[Page H176]]
shelter, and minister to women in crisis.
Is this the progressive America my colleagues talk about? I think
not. Does their idea of progress consist of political violence
targeting those who provide services to women and families? Are
intimidation and violence acceptable to the Biden administration and my
colleagues on the other side of the aisle? I hope not.
Madam Speaker, I strongly urge support for this resolution for the
benefit of lives, security, and decency in our country.
Mr. NADLER. Madam Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the distinguished
gentlewoman from Florida (Ms. Wasserman Schultz).
Ms. WASSERMAN SCHULTZ. Madam Speaker, it is time for our Republican
colleagues to stop playing politics with women's bodies.
With the fall of Roe, the criminalization of abortion access
nationwide with no exceptions is well underway.
Just last year in my home State of Florida, Governor DeSantis signed
a 15-week abortion ban into law that offers no exceptions for rape,
incest, or human trafficking, and more restrictive policies are coming.
Other States are even more restrictive, and the bill and resolution
before us will further erode women's reproductive rights. These
measures incentivize violence by failing to condemn a history of
violence against abortion providers and patients.
While millions of Americans will lose under these measures, its
harshest impacts land on single, working, and women of color.
A lack of access to safe abortions not only deprives a woman of the
basic right to control her own body, but it also stifles her future
economic, educational, and family planning opportunities. It basically
hands her body, life, and future over to the State.
These horrific anti-abortion measures are a revolting assault on
women's rights, and I urge my colleagues to vote ``no'' on both
measures.
Mr. JORDAN. Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. NADLER. Madam Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the distinguished
gentleman from Florida (Mr. Frost), for whom I think this is his first
speech on the floor.
Mr. FROST. Madam Speaker, we heard the word ``shameful'' a lot during
this debate, but what is really shameful is the fact that my Democratic
colleagues and I are willing to both say we condemn all violence and
also put it on paper.
With my colleagues on the other side of the aisle, all we hear is
talk. They are not willing to condemn all violence in this resolution.
It is a one-sided resolution meant to fan the flames of anti-abortion
and anti-freedom sentiment in this country.
See, my district in central Florida sees these sentiments in action
as our Governor has passed an abortion ban and looks to go even
further.
As someone whose birth mother made the brave and difficult decision
to put me up for adoption, I recognize that that decision was deeply
personal and can often mark one of the most vulnerable points in a
person's life. No one should take advantage of that, and the Federal
Government should actually protect it.
I will continue to fight for civil rights, personal freedom, and
bodily autonomy of women and childbearing adults in this country, and I
hope the rest of this Chamber will join me in voting ``no.''
Mr. JORDAN. Madam Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. NADLER. Madam Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the distinguished
gentlewoman from Colorado (Ms. DeGette).
Ms. DeGETTE. Madam Speaker, if my Republican colleagues want to
condemn the growing level of political violence in this country, let's
do it together.
That is not what this resolution does. What it does is it goes to
great lengths to condemn attacks against anti-choice groups, and it
says nothing about the growing threat of violence targeting women's
health clinics across the United States.
It doesn't condemn the numerous bullets that have been fired at
healthcare clinics throughout the country.
It doesn't condemn the bricks that have crashed through windows at
providers' offices or the assaults, kidnappings, and even the murders
of doctors and healthcare personnel.
It doesn't condemn the arsons, bombings, death threats, or any one of
the more than 7,000 acts of violence that have been reported against
these facilities.
By ignoring these acts of violence, Republicans are sending a very
dangerous message that will only embolden the extremists behind them.
Madam Speaker, I include in the Record a resolution that
Congresswomen Lee and Pressley and I have introduced to condemn all
acts of political violence, regardless of their target or intent, and I
urge my colleagues to support it instead.
Whereas workplace violence ranges from threats and verbal
abuse to physical assaults and homicide;
Whereas, for decades, health care personnel for women and
people who access reproductive health care services have been
subjected to intimidation, threats, and violence;
Whereas between 1977 and 2015--
(1) nearly 7,000 violent acts were reported against
providers at health centers for women, including bombings,
arsons, death threats, kidnappings, and assaults; and
(2) more than 190,000 acts of disruption, including bomb
threats and harassing calls, were reported;
Whereas, between 1993 and 2015, there were 11 murders,
numerous attempted murders, 42 bombings, and 186 arsons
targeted at individuals and facilities associated with care
provided at health centers for women;
Whereas between 1993 and 2015, the 11 victims of anti-
choice violence include Dr. David Gunn of Pensacola, Florida,
in 1993; Dr. John Bayard Britton and a volunteer, James
Barrett, both of Pensacola, Florida, in 1994; clinic
receptionists Shannon Lowney and Leanne Nichols, both of
Brookline, Massachusetts, in 1994; Dr. Barnett Slepian of
Buffalo, New York, in 1998; clinic securitv guard Robert
Sanderson of Birmingham, Alabama, in 1998; Dr. George Tiller
of Wichita, Kansas, in 2009; and police officer Garrett
Swasey, Ke'Arre Stewart, and Jennifer Markovsky, all of whom
were lost during a violent attack at a Planned Parenthood
clinic in Colorado Springs, Colorado, in 2015;
Whereas, in 2016, two defendants vandalized a Baltimore,
Maryland, area abortion clinic on two separate occasions,
with one defendant pleading guilty and the other convicted at
trial of Freedom of Access to Clinic Entrances (FACE) Act
violations;
Whereas, in 2017, a defendant sent several threatening
emails to abortion clinics located in Chicago, Illinois, and
Hammond, Indiana, and the defendant pled guilty to FACE Act
and other Federal offenses;
Whereas, in 2018, a defendant directed a threatening social
media post to Planned Parenthood facilities and staff and
defendant pled guilty to Federal offenses, including a FACE
Act charge;
Whereas, in 2019, a defendant was indicted for FACE Act
violations and other Federal offenses related to a 2015
shooting at a Planned Parenthood facility in Colorado
Springs, Colorado, where he shot at several civilians and
police officers, killing two civilians and one officer, while
injuring several others;
Whereas, in 2020, a defendant pled guiltv to FACE Act
related offenses in connection with a bomb threat call the
defendant made to a Jacksonville, Florida, abortion clinic;
Whereas, in 2021, a defendant pled guilty to a FACE Act
violation and other State felony offenses for throwing a
Molotov cocktail at a Fort Myers, Florida, abortion clinic;
Whereas, in 2022, a defendant was indicted for FACE Act
violations after he assaulted a Philadelphia, Pennsylvania,
area Planned Parenthood clinic escort twice on the same date,
with one assault resulting in bodily injury; and
Whereas extreme rhetoric continues to fuel a hate-filled
climate that is dangerous for individuals who provide or
access comprehensive health care services: Now, therefore, be
it
Resolved, That the House of Representatives--
(1) condemns all acts of political violence;
(2) condemns attacks on health care facilities, health care
personnel, and patients;
(3) affirms that all people have the freedom to access
reproductive health care services and medical advice without
fear of violence, intimidation, or harassment; and
(4) calls upon the Biden administration to use all
appropriate authorities to uphold public safety, to protect
health care facilities, and safeguard health care personnel
and patients.
{time} 1330
Ms. DeGETTE. Madam Speaker, the resolved part of our resolution says
this, and I think all of my colleagues should be able to join this.
Resolved, that the U.S. House of Representatives condemns all acts of
political violence; 2, condemns attacks on healthcare facilities,
healthcare personnel, and patients; and 3, affirms that all people have
the freedom to access reproductive healthcare services
[[Page H177]]
and medical advice without fear of violence, intimidation, or
harassment.
Isn't that what this is all about in this country, fear from
violence? No violence, everybody gets the healthcare services they want
and they deserve without fear of being killed.
Mr. JORDAN. Madam Speaker, I yield 1\1/2\ minutes to the gentleman
from Colorado (Mr. Buck).
Mr. BUCK. Madam Speaker, I agree with my friend from Colorado that we
should condemn all violence. We should condemn violence to unborn
children, also, but that doesn't seem to be something that is shared on
the other side of aisle.
One of the pregnancy centers that was targeted last year was Life
Choices Pregnancy Medical Center located in my home State and at the
time in my district in Colorado. On June 25 at 3:17 a.m., first
responders responded to a fire at the pregnancy center. The fire was
the result of angry protestors acting out after the Supreme Court's
Dobbs decision. Not much was salvageable from the fire, but what
remained were hateful and extreme messages graffitied on the exterior
of the building.
Kathy Roberts, the executive director of Life Choices, is here today
to commemorate passage of this resolution. I am honored to have Kathy
here and to introduce this brave and dedicated woman.
I thank Kathy for being here.
Sadly, our Nation has become all too familiar with the violent
attacks on pro-life centers. In 2022, over 100 pro-life centers were
violently attacked, and there has been minimal accountability. Instead
of Democrats accepting the Supreme Court Dobbs decision and condemning
this violence, they have egged it on, including some who told pro-
abortion protestors to rise up and commended their violence by stating
it was a way for individuals to channel their righteous anger into
meaningful action.
Our Nation is a Nation of law and order, and violence is never the
path we should pursue to create effective change.
Mr. NADLER. Madam Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the gentlewoman from
Massachusetts (Ms. Pressley).
Ms. PRESSLEY. Madam Speaker, as chair of the Abortion Rights and
Access Task Force, I rise to make plain exactly what is going on here.
This is not a debate about political violence. Political violence and
the violent rhetoric that drives it is a persistent threat; my staff,
my family, and I know that intimately. Everyone should condemn it.
Our colleagues across the aisle continue to say the quiet part out
loud in their selective contempt for political violence.
This resolution seeks to deny necessary medical care from those who
seek it. Abortion is healthcare and a fundamental human right.
Across the Nation, those seeking care are met with intimidation,
violence, and even loss of life. Imagine walking through a screaming
crowd to get to a medical appointment. Imagine being a doctor or a
nurse dedicating your life to helping others, and day after day your
workplace receives violent threats, and you fear for your life.
But that is not what the other side of the aisle is concerned about.
No, today, they are seeking to mislead the American people. They are
trying to conjure up hateful rhetoric, spreading misinformation about
crisis pregnancy centers.
Let me make it plain. Crisis pregnancy centers are no place to go for
reproductive healthcare. They are sham clinics that coerce folks
seeking to terminate a pregnancy or to access the full range of
reproductive health services.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The time of the gentlewoman has expired.
Mr. NADLER. Madam Speaker, I yield an additional 1 minute to the
gentlewoman from Massachusetts.
Ms. PRESSLEY. Madam Speaker, to those pressing these divisive anti-
choice resolutions, we see right through you.
Madam Speaker, abortion is healthcare and a fundamental human right,
and I urge my colleagues to vote ``no.''
Mr. JORDAN. Madam Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentlewoman from
Missouri (Mrs. Wagner).
Mrs. WAGNER. Madam Speaker, I thank my friend and colleague, the
chairman of the Judiciary Committee, for his strong defense of life,
for the precious unborn, and for promoting a culture of life at all
times.
I stand, Madam Speaker, in support of H. Con. Res. 3, expressing the
sense of Congress condemning the recent attacks on pro-life facilities,
groups, and churches.
There have been now nearly 100 recorded acts of violence and
intimidation against pro-life individuals and organizations by radical
pro-abortion activists since the initial leak of the draft Supreme
Court Dobbs opinion.
Following the leak and issuance of the Supreme Court's decision in
Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health Organization, anti-life fanatics have
targeted, destroyed, or vandalized, as I said, over 100 pro-life
facilities, groups, and churches to further their radical cause.
Pro-life pregnancy centers nationwide play a critical and important
role in supporting and assisting pregnant women, their children, and
their families.
Because the Biden Justice Department refuses to protect these vital
resource centers, Congress must be clear in condemning the violence
against pro-life facilities.
Madam Speaker, I urge all of my colleagues to stand against violence
and to support H. Con. Res. 3.
Mr. NADLER. Madam Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time for
closing.
Madam Speaker, if House Republicans were serious about condemning
violence surrounding the debate on abortion, the resolution would be
clear in condemning all acts of violence, lest we give tacit
acquiescence to extremist anti-abortion violence and against abortion
providers. This resolution does not do that at all.
Undoubtedly, my Republican colleagues will attempt to portray any
opposition to this partisan resolution as proof of Democrats' so-called
extreme position on abortion, but the American public is not so easily
fooled.
They will recognize this resolution for what it is, a transparent
political exercise intended to lay the groundwork for MAGA Republicans'
plans for a total nationwide ban on abortion.
Madam Speaker, I urge all Members to vote ``no,'' and I yield back
the balance of my time.
Mr. JORDAN. Madam Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time for
closing.
Madam Speaker, I just want to read what the resolution says: That
Congress condemns recent attacks, over 100 of them in the last 7
months, on pro-life pregnancy centers and churches; condemns recent
attacks of vandalism, violence, and destruction against pro-life
facilities, groups, and churches.
Second, it recognizes the sanctity of life, the important role pro-
life facilities, groups, and churches play in supporting pregnant
women, infants, and families.
Three, it calls upon the Biden administration to use all appropriate
law enforcement authorities to uphold public safety and protect the
rights of pro-life facilities, groups, and churches.
That is all it says. This is as apple pie as it gets. The hundreds of
churches and crisis pregnancy centers that have been attacked in the
last 7 months, this resolution says: Biden administration, use the FACE
Act, which you have said applies not just to pro-abortion clinics but
also to pro-life crisis pregnancy centers, use that to make sure we can
stop this stuff from happening in the future.
We condemn all violence every time it happens. Here is what is
interesting: The violence that has been cited by the other side against
abortion clinics and people associated with them, guess what? Those
individuals were prosecuted, and we support that.
What we want to know is why. With over 100 attacks, why hasn't the
Justice Department, to my knowledge, used the FACE Act to prosecute
anybody? Why?
They say there is no political nature at the Justice Department now;
there is no weaponization. Really? Because it sure looks like there is
a conflict here. Sure looks like there is a double standard here. This
resolution is as basic as it gets.
Madam Speaker, I urge support, hope this thing passes unanimously,
and I yield back the balance of my time.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. All time for debate has expired.
[[Page H178]]
Pursuant to House Resolution 5, the previous question is ordered on
the resolution.
The question is on adoption of the concurrent resolution.
The question was taken; and the Speaker pro tempore announced that
the ayes appeared to have it.
Mr. NADLER. Madam Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.
The yeas and nays were ordered.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to clause 8 of rule XX, further
proceedings on this question are postponed.
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