[Congressional Record Volume 146, Number 26 (Thursday, March 9, 2000)]
[House]
[Page H761]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
THE TRAFFICKING OF BABY BODY PARTS
(Mr. WELDON of Florida asked and was given permission to address the
House for 1 minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
Mr. WELDON of Florida. Mr. Speaker, last night ABC's 20/20 brought
something very important to the public's attention, the trafficking of
babies' body parts and organs. Even today the House Subcommittee on
Health and Environment is holding a hearing on this issue.
As a physician and a Congressman, I find this practice disturbing,
disgusting, and, of course, highly immoral; but the truth of the matter
is that this is currently going on in our country. Evidence has shown
us that private companies and even public universities buy and sell
baby organs for the sole purpose of experimentation. It has been
brought to my attention that they pay as much as $150 for skin, $990
for a brain, and $325 for a spinal cord.
To make it worse, companies are making special syringes for abortion
doctors so that they can prolong the abortion procedure itself and keep
the baby alive long enough to get more money for these parts.
This practice is illegal. It is against the law. It is outrageous,
and it boils down to human exploitation and death. I encourage my
colleagues to oppose it.
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