Joe Pitts: “some proponents of the current bankruptcy reform bill have claimed they want to stop violence. Well, we already know…”

“some proponents of the current bankruptcy reform bill have claimed they want to stop violence. Well, we already know that fines and judgments for violent acts cannot be discharged in bankruptcy, so we have been arguing that the amendment added in conference committee is really out to stop peaceful, nonviolent protestors at abortion clinics. Well, last week the Senator who wrote the amendment said on MNPR, and I quote, ``They'd pay their fine and go back and stand in front of the clinic again. And they'd pay their fine and go back and stand in front of the clinic again; and they'd pay their fine and go back and stand again. They were taking the law into their own hands; in a peaceful way, but a very serious way, that led us to write the law.'' Well, there we have it, right from the horse's mouth. Peaceful, pro-life protestors are the target of that amendment. Madam Speaker, the current bill discriminates against pro-life Americans for no other reason than for what they believe. That is not right, not in America; and as much as I want to vote for bankruptcy reform, I cannot support the bill with this harmful language restricting first amendment rights of pro-lifers.”