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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE March 2, 2001 |
Contact: Rep. Galen Fox Tel.: 586-8520 |
GOP: ANOTHER VICTORY FOR THE DEMOCRATIC PROCESS
Today, we feel totally vindicated because the House Judiciary voted to pass out a bill that punishes adults for sexual relations with children fourteen and fifteen years of age. We originally pulled this same bill out of committee, even though this measure had been sponsored by an opposition party member. Yesterday it was heard and many members of the community testified in favor. Today, the House Judiciary Committee, passed the bill out of committee for third reading and final passage on the floor of the House.
Since we first pulled this bill onto the floor, the majority party has been complaining and whining through their leadership and through a letter-writing campaign that we Republicans were obstructionists and anti-democratic. However, we believed strongly that the public wanted the present legal age, 14, the lowest in the nation, be raised. We persevered and we accomplished precisely what we set out to do. We wanted the opportunity to consider raising the age by hearing relevant proposals. We wanted the public to have an opportunity to speak out. We felt confident that once the issue was aired it would be approved. All this came to pass. When the bill passed out of committee, the event marked a genuine victory for the democratic process and for open government.
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