[Congressional Record Volume 142, Number 57 (Tuesday, April 30, 1996)]
[House]
[Page H4164]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




   THE PRESIDENT'S VETO OF THE PARTIAL BIRTH ABORTION BAN LEGISLATION

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under a previous order of the House, the 
gentleman from Minnesota [Mr. Gutknecht] is recognized for 5 minutes.
  Mr. GUTKNECHT. Mr. Speaker, I probably will not take my 5 minutes. I 
do want to take a few minutes tonight and talk a little about a 
newspaper that came to our house that we get every month from the 
diocese of Winona.
  Hubert Humphrey, who came from Minnesota, a great Senator from the 
other party, once observed that if you love your God, you must love his 
children. I want to talk for a few minutes about the issue that was at 
the center of this month's issue of the Courier newspaper that is 
published by the diocese of Winona; that is, the partial birth abortion 
ban veto of the President by a few weeks ago.
  In some of the strongest language I think I have ever seen on the 
pages of this newspaper, they take the President and the veto and the 
entire issue of the partial birth abortion ban to task. I would like to 
read for the Record, and I will place this into the Record, a letter 
that was written by all of the Minnesota bishops to express their 
position on this issue, because, as I say, this is some of the 
strongest language I think I have ever heard them use, and I think it 
needs to be part of this debate.

  I think Americans of all faiths, Americans of all particular stripes, 
and frankly, an awful lot of Americans who would describe themselves as 
pro-choice, find themselves somewhat surprised by the veto, and are 
saying that it is time that the Congress try to muster the votes so we 
can override this veto.
  I want to read the letter that the Catholic bishops put together, 
because it is such a strongly worded letter and such a good letter.
  Let me read it:

       President Clinton's veto of the Partial Birth Abortion Ban 
     Act is no less offensive for being widely expected. We 
     denounce it. We do so not only from the resources of our 
     faith, but also as citizens who, like millions of others, 
     fear that this veto further imperils the human rights 
     principles that have guided our nation for over 200 years.
       The President claims that the Constitution forces him to 
     veto the partial birth ban because Roe v. Wade requires an 
     exception for serious adverse health consequences. But as the 
     President and everyone familiar with abortion law knows, 
     neither the Roe Court nor any other has ever ruled on the 
     constitutionality of a law against killing a child during the 
     process of being born. It is also well known that a 
     ``health'' abortion, as interpreted by the Supreme Court, 
     includes reasons having to do with a woman's marital status 
     and age, as well as for any reason relevant to a pregnant 
     woman's social or emotional ``well being.'' In other words, 
     the exception the President insists upon would only ensure 
     the continued practices of partial-birth abortions for 
     virtually any reason whatsoever.
       No claims about ``what the Constitution requires'' and no 
     rhetoric about ``safe, legal and rare'' abortions can 
     camouflage the nature of this Presidential veto. It is a 
     declaration of unconditional support for abortion--abortions 
     under any circumstances and by any means whatsoever, even 
     those bordering on infanticide.
       We strongly urge Congress to override this indefensible 
     presidential veto and to begin to bring a modicum of sanity 
     to the abortion debate in our country.

                              {time}  1930

  As I said, Mr. Speaker, this is one of the strongest letters I think 
the Minnesota Bishops have ever put together, but this is an important 
issue. I hope that all Americans will join in this debate, and I hope 
all Americans will pray for this Congress, pray for this national 
leadership so that we can bring an end to this grisly, destructive 
practice which the Congress is attempting to outlaw. If we can get the 
votes to override this veto, we can bring an end to this procedure once 
and for all in the United States.

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