Expressing the Sense of Congress Condemning the Recent Attacks on Pro- Life Facilities, Groups, and Churches

Floor Speech

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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.''

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