H.Con.Res. 107 (ih) Expressing the sense of Congress rejecting the conclusions of a recent article published by the American Psychological Association that suggests that sexual relationships between adults and children might be positive for children. [Int...

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        H.Con. Res.107
                                         Agreed to July 30, 1999        

                       One Hundred Sixth Congress

                                 of the

                        United States of America


                          AT THE FIRST SESSION

         Begun and held at the City of Washington on Wednesday,
   the sixth day of January, one thousand nine hundred and ninety-nine


                          Concurrent Resolution

Whereas no segment of our society is more critical to the future of 
  human survival than our children;

Whereas children are a precious gift and responsibility given to 
  parents by God;

Whereas the spiritual, physical, and mental well-being of children are 
  parents' sacred duty;

Whereas parents have the right to expect Government to refrain from 
  interfering with them in fulfilling their sacred duty and to render 
  necessary assistance;

Whereas the Supreme Court has held that parents ``who have this primary 
  responsibility for children's well-being are entitled to the support 
  of laws designed to aid discharge of that responsibility'' (Ginsberg 
  v. New York, 390 U.S. 629, 639 (1968));

Whereas it is the obligation of all public policymakers not only to 
  support, but also to defend, the health and rights of parents, 
  families, and children;

Whereas information endangering children is being made public and, in 
  some instances, may be given unwarranted or unintended credibility 
  through release under professional titles or through professional 
  organizations;

Whereas elected officials have a duty to inform and counter actions 
  they consider damaging to children, parents, families, and society;

Whereas Congress has made sexual molestation and exploitation of 
  children a felony;

Whereas all credible studies in this area, including those published by 
  the American Psychological Association, condemn child sexual abuse as 
  criminal and harmful to children;

Whereas, once published and allowed to stand, scientific literature may 
  become a source for additional research;

Whereas the Psychological Bulletin has recently published a severely 
  flawed study, entitled ``A Meta-Analytic Examination of Assumed 
  Properties of Child Sexual Abuse Using College Samples'', which 
  suggests that sexual relationships between adults and children are 
  less harmful than believed and might be positive for ``willing'' 
  children (Psychological Bulletin, vol. 124, No. 1, July 1998);

Whereas, in order to clarify any inconsistencies between the two 
  conclusions the authors of the study suggest and the position of the 
  American Psychological Association that sexual relations between 
  children and adults are abusive, exploitive, and reprehensible, and 
  should never be considered or labeled as harmless or acceptable, the 
  American Psychological Association has issued a public ``Resolution 
  Opposing Child Sexual Abuse'';

Whereas the American Psychological Association should be congratulated 
  for publicly clarifying its opposition to any adult-child sexual 
  relations, which will help to deny pedophiles from citing ``A Meta-
  Analytic Examination of Assumed Properties of Child Sexual Abuse 
  Using College Samples'' in a legal defense, and for resolving to 
  evaluate the scientific articles it publishes in light of their 
  potential social, legal, and political implications;

Whereas the Supreme Court has recognized that ``sexually exploited 
  children are unable to develop healthy affectionate relationships in 
  later life, have sexual dysfunctions, and have a tendency to become 
  sexual abusers as adults'' (New York v. Ferber, 458 U.S. 747, 758, 
  n.9 (1982));

Whereas Paidika--The Journal of Pedophilia, a publication advocating 
  the legalization of sex with ``willing'' children, has published an 
  article by one of the authors of the study, Robert Bauserman, Ph.D. 
  (see ``Man-Boy Sexual Relationships in a Cross-Cultural 
  Perspective,'' vol. 2, No. 1, Summer 1989); and

Whereas pedophiles and organizations, such as the North American Man-
  Boy Love Association, that advocate laws to permit sex between adults 
  and children are exploiting the study to promote and justify child 
  sexual abuse: Now, therefore, be it

    Resolved by the House of Representatives (the Senate concurring), 
That Congress--
        (1) condemns and denounces all suggestions in the article ``A 
    Meta-Analytic Examination of Assumed Properties of Child Sexual 
    Abuse Using College Samples'' that indicate that sexual 
    relationships between adults and ``willing'' children are less 
    harmful than believed and might be positive for ``willing'' 
    children (Psychological Bulletin, vol. 124, No. 1, July 1998);
        (2) vigorously opposes any public policy or legislative 
    attempts to normalize adult-child sex or to lower the age of 
    consent;
        (3) urges the President likewise to reject and condemn, in the 
    strongest possible terms, any suggestion that sexual relations 
    between children and adults--regardless of the child's frame of 
    mind--are anything but abusive, destructive, exploitive, 
    reprehensible, and punishable by law; and
        (4) encourages competent investigations to continue to research 
    the effects of child sexual abuse using the best methodology, so 
    that the public, and public policymakers, may act upon accurate 
    information.
  Attest:

                                 Clerk of the House of Representatives.

  Attest:

                                               Secretary of the Senate.

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