H.Res. 505

Condemning the murder of Dr. George Tiller, who was shot to death at his church on May 31, 2009

Sponsor	Rep. Slaughter, Louise McIntosh
Committee	Judiciary
Date	June 9, 2009 (111th Congress, 1st Session)
Staff Contact	Sarah Makin

H.Res. 505 is being considered under suspension of the rules, requiring a two-thirds vote for passage.  The legislation was introduced by Rep. Louise Slaughter (D-CA) on June 4, 2009.

H.Res. 505 would resolve that Congress:

• "offers its condolences to Dr. Tiller's family; and
• "commits to the American principle that tolerance must always be superior to intolerance, and that violence is never an appropriate response to a a difference in beliefs."

The resolution includes the following findings:

• "Whereas Dr. George Tiller was murdered in Wichita, Kansas, on May 31, 2009;
• "Whereas Dr. Tiller is mourned by his family, friends, congregation, community, and colleagues;
• "Whereas Dr. Tiller, 67, was killed in his place of worship, a place intended for peace and refuge that in a moment became a place for violence and murder;
• "Whereas places of worship should be sanctuaries, but have increasingly borne witness to reprehensible acts of violence, with 38 people in the United States killed in their place of worship in the past 10 years and 30 people wounded in those same incidents;
• "Whereas these acts of violence include the murder of an Illinois pastor at the pulpit in March 2009, the murder of an Ohio minister in November 2008, the murder of an usher and a guest during a children's play in a Tennessee church in July 2008, the murder of four family members in a church in Louisiana in May 2006, and the shooting of a worshipper outside a synagogue in Florida in October 2005; and
• "Whereas violence is deplorable, and never an acceptable avenue for expressing opposing viewpoints."

Some Members may be concerned that the House is considering a resolution on the murder of late-term abortionist Dr. George Tiller in his church on Sunday, May 31, 2009.  However, at the request of the Republican leadership, a resolution condemning the murder and wounding of two soldiers at a recruiting center in Georgia will also be considered.