[Congressional Record Volume 145, Number 94 (Tuesday, June 29, 1999)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1422]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]


     SUPPORTING H.R. 2018, THE CHILD CUSTODY PROTECTION ACT OF 1999

                                 ______
                                 

                         HON. MICHAEL F. DOYLE

                            of pennsylvania

                    in the house of representatives

                         Tuesday, June 29, 1999

  Mr. DOYLE. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 2018, the 
Child Custody Protection Act. This important legislation reaffirms the 
vital role of parents in our families, and seeks to promote and 
encourage communication between teens and their parents or guardians.
  Today in many states, it is legal for a child under the age of 18 to 
make the monumental decision to end a life by getting an abortion 
without consulting with their parents. It is unfortunate that some 
minors who find themselves confronted with an overwhelming situation 
such as an unplanned pregnancy would not consult the very people they 
should turn to for guidance and support in a time of personal crisis . 
. . their parents.
  My home state of Pennsylvania already has legal statutes which 
require knowledge of at least one of the minor's parents before 
obtaining an abortion. The Child Custody Protection Act will re-
establish the rights of parents nationwide, by requiring that a parent 
must accompany a minor child if they choose to undergo abortion 
procedure. The Child Custody Act would not interfere or take the place 
of existing state laws like those in Pennsylvania, but it would make it 
a Federal offense to transport a minor across a state line for an 
abortion, unless the child was transported by a parent. It is my hope 
that enactment of this bill will not only foster a greater level of 
communication between family members on this most serious subject, but 
will prove to be instrumental in reducing the number of abortions and 
encourage the consideration of viable options such as adoption.
  Mr. Speaker, I strongly encourage every Representative of this body 
to join with me in support of the Child Custody Act, as 130 of my 
cosponsors have, and vote for passage of this important child 
protection and parent's rights legislation.

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