Bill Summary
This resolution is a statement by the House of Representatives condemning attacks on Judge Amy Coney Barrett. It lists her qualifications and accomplishments, including serving as a law clerk in various courts and being nominated to the Supreme Court by President Donald Trump. The resolution condemns attacks on her faith, family, and character, including comments from senators and other public figures. It also expresses support for the constitutional process of confirming Judge Barrett to the Supreme Court.
Possible Impacts
1. People who share the same religious beliefs as Judge Amy Coney Barrett may feel targeted and attacked by this legislation, as it condemns any attempt to impose a religious test on individuals seeking public office. This could lead to further division and discrimination based on one's religious beliefs.
2. Members of the press and media may feel restricted or hesitant to investigate the details of Judge Amy Coney Barrett's adoption of children from Haiti, as the legislation specifically condemns any attempt to report on potentially unethical or illegal adoptions. This could limit the freedom of the press and their ability to report on important issues.
3. Individuals who have previously faced prejudice or discrimination due to their race or adoption status may feel further marginalized and attacked by the legislation, as it specifically condemns any attacks on Judge Amy Coney Barrett's decision to adopt two children from Haiti. This could perpetuate harmful stereotypes and further divide communities.
[Congressional Bills 116th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Res. 1156 Introduced in House (IH)]
<DOC>
116th CONGRESS
2d Session
H. RES. 1156
Condemning attacks on Judge Amy Coney Barrett.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
September 29, 2020
Mr. Biggs (for himself, Mr. Fleischmann, Mr. King of Iowa, Mr. Gosar,
Mr. Perry, Mr. Gohmert, Mr. Gibbs, Mr. Riggleman, Mr. Bishop of North
Carolina, Mr. Schweikert, Mr. Joyce of Pennsylvania, Mr. Budd, Mr.
Emmer, Mr. Lamborn, Mr. Davidson of Ohio, Mr. Johnson of Louisiana, and
Mr. Banks) submitted the following resolution; which was referred to
the Committee on the Judiciary
_______________________________________________________________________
RESOLUTION
Condemning attacks on Judge Amy Coney Barrett.
Whereas Amy Coney Barrett served as a law clerk in the United States Court of
Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit;
Whereas Amy Coney Barrett served as a law clerk in the Supreme Court;
Whereas Amy Coney Barrett served as a professor at Notre Dame School of Law for
15 years;
Whereas, on May 8, 2017, President Donald J. Trump nominated Amy Coney Barrett
to the United States Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit;
Whereas, on October 31, 2017, Amy Coney Barrett was confirmed by the Senate to
the United States Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit with
bipartisan support;
Whereas, on September 26, 2020, President Donald J. Trump nominated Judge Amy
Coney Barrett to the Supreme Court;
Whereas Judge Amy Coney Barrett has successfully balanced faith, family, and
professional responsibilities, including adopting two children from
Haiti;
Whereas Judge Amy Coney Barrett loves the Constitution and respects the original
intent of America's Founding Fathers in drafting the Constitution and
Bill of Rights;
Whereas, since the start of her Senate confirmation hearing in 2017, Judge Amy
Coney Barrett has faced unwarranted attacks on her constitutional right
to exercise her religious faith;
Whereas Senator Diane Feinstein attacked Judge Amy Coney Barrett's faith during
her 2017 Senate confirmation hearing by stating ``the dogma lives loudly
within you'';
Whereas Senator Mazie Hirono recently stated that Judge Amy Coney Barrett's
religious views should not be off-limits in the upcoming Supreme Court
confirmation hearings;
Whereas in a recent Committee hearing in the House of Representatives, a Member
of Congress stated that ``(Catholics) shouldn't have a monopoly on the
bench'';
Whereas a recent Reuters Politics headline about Judge Amy Coney Barrett read:
``Handmaid's Tale? U.S. Supreme Court candidate's religious community
under scrutiny.'';
Whereas a Newsweek expose on a religious group that Judge Amy Coney Barrett
belongs to was forced to print a correction because the headline of the
article falsely stated that this group inspired ``The Handmaid's Tale'';
Whereas since Judge Amy Coney Barrett became a leading contender to fill the
recently vacated seat on the Supreme Court, her family has come under
increased attacks;
Whereas a recent tweet from Ibram X. Kendi, a professor and author, attacked
Judge Amy Coney Barrett's decision to adopt two international children,
reading, ``Some White colonizers `adopted' Black children. They
`civilized' these `savage' children in the `superior' ways of White
people, while using them as props in their lifelong pictures of denial,
while cutting the biological parents of these children out of the
picture of humanity.'';
Whereas John Lee Brougher, a director of a political action committee, tweeted,
``As an adoptee, I need to know more about the circumstances of how Amy
Coney Barrett came to adopt her children, and the treatment of them
since. Transracial adoption is fraught with trauma and potential for
harm, and everything I see here is deeply concerning.'';
Whereas Ruth Ben-Ghiat, a historian, tweeted, ``. . . many authoritarians seized
children of color for adoption by White Christians. Pinochets's regime
did this with indigenous kids and Nazis took Aryan looking Poles for
German families. Trump takes migrant kids for adoption by
Evangelicals.'';
Whereas Vanessa Grigoriadis, a podcast cofounder, tweeted, ``I guess one of the
things I don't understand about Amy Comey Barrett is how a potential
Supreme Court justice can also be a loving, present mom to seven kids?
Is this like the Kardashians stuffing nannies in the closet and
pretending they've drawn their own baths for their kids'';
Whereas Dana Houle, a Democratic political consultant, tweeted, ``So, here's a
Q: Does the press even investigate details of Barrett's adoptions from
Haiti? Some adoptions from Haiti were legit. Many were sketchy as hell.
And if press learned they were unethical & maybe illegal adoptions,
would they report it? Or not bc it involves her children'';
Whereas Judge Amy Coney Barrett has faced increasingly vicious attacks on her
character; and
Whereas Diane Warren, a songwriter, tweeted, ``Amy is like a hybrid of Aunt
Lydia and a Stepford wife'': Now, therefore, be it
Resolved, That the House of Representatives--
(1) condemns any attempt to impose an unconstitutional
religious test on Judge Amy Coney Barrett or any other
individual seeking election or appointment to public office;
(2) condemns any attempt to disparage Judge Amy Coney
Barrett's constitutional right to exercise her religious faith;
(3) condemns any attack on any member of Judge Amy Coney
Barrett's family or her selfless decision to adopt two children
from Haiti; and
(4) supports the Senate's constitutional advise and consent
process on the confirmation of Judge Amy Coney Barrett to the
Supreme Court.
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