[Congressional Record Volume 149, Number 72 (Wednesday, May 14, 2003)]
[House]
[Page H4020]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                     UNBORN VICTIMS OF VIOLENCE ACT

  (Mrs. BLACKBURN asked and was given permission to address the House 
for 1 minute and to revise and extend her remarks.)
  Mrs. BLACKBURN. Mr. Speaker, today I rise in support of the Unborn 
Victims of Violence Act. For too long Federal law has failed to 
recognize what is obvious to so many Americans, that when an unborn 
child is injured or killed during the commission of a crime of 
violence, there are two human victims, not just one.
  Already 26 States have enacted criminal penalties. Now Congress must 
lead a national effort to bring justice to criminals who would harm 
pregnant women and their children. To those who would perform these 
heinous acts, we should say we, as Americans, will no longer tolerate 
your callous disregard for human life and for the families that you 
devastate.
  Mr. Speaker, this bill requires the Federal law recognize an unborn 
child as a victim if he or she is harmed during a Federal crime by 
letting the assailant be charged with a second offense on behalf of the 
second victim, the unborn child, the exact charge depending on degree 
of harm done to the child.
  We should all take a moment and reflect on the profound loss and 
sorrow suffered by a family and their community when a new life is 
extinguished by an act of violence and let that thought guide this 
debate.

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