[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 148 (2002), Part 12]
[House]
[Page 16395]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




            BANKRUPTCY REFORM LEGISLATION KILLS FREE SPEECH

  (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, nothing is more important in our democracy 
than the right to free speech and peaceful assembly. No matter what 
they believe, we need to allow people to speak out. When we begin to 
hush people up because of what they believe, none of us is safe any 
longer.
  Until recently, I thought all of us agreed on this. I guess I was 
wrong. I am sorry to say that the bankruptcy reform conference report 
contains a provision that singles out one group of people for unusually 
harsh punishment simply for what they believe. Under an amendment 
pushed through by one powerful Senator, peaceful, nonviolent pro-life 
protestors will face lifelong financial ruin if they have the temerity 
to stand outside an abortion clinic and protest the death of children 
inside.
  Other groups can keep on speaking out and protesting, as they always 
have, environmental, labor, and civil rights. But if we pass this bill 
in its present form, pro-lifers will no longer have the same rights as 
other Americans have. This is not fair, and this body should take no 
part in this. It is wrong.
  I urge my colleagues to join me in opposing the bankruptcy conference 
report in its present form. We should reintroduce this bill without 
this abortion amendment and do the job right.

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