Condemning the Use of Violence

Floor Speech

CONDEMNING THE USE OF VIOLENCE -- (Senate - June 18, 2009)

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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
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.

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