J. Thurmond: “I rise today in support of Senator D'Amato's amendment. This language makes clear that the crime conferees should reject…”

“I rise today in support of Senator D'Amato's amendment. This language makes clear that the crime conferees should reject the provision in the House-passed crime bill which would effectively abolish the death penalty across the Nation, at the Federal and State levels. The anti-death penalty provision is title IX in the House-passed crime bill and often mislabeled by its proponents as the Racial Justice Act. This language would allow death-sentenced murderers the opportunity to avoid the death penalty by using a statistical quota system to challenge their sentence. We have defeated this legislation time and time again in the Senate when offered by those who are opposed to the death penalty. Mr. President, to those who claim that this provision is necessary to prohibit a death sentence based on considerations of race, I would point them to the 14th amendment to the Constitution. The 14th amendment, along with other protections, contains a fundamental proposition which prohibits any person from being sentenced to death on the basis of race.”