[Congressional Record Volume 152, Number 135 (Friday, December 8, 2006)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E2162]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




           H.R. 6099, UNBORN CHILD PAIN AWARENESS ACT OF 2006

                                 ______
                                 

                               speech of

                          HON. JOHN D. DINGELL

                              of michigan

                    in the house of representatives

                      Wednesday, December 6, 2006

  Mr. DINGELL. Mr. Speaker, I rise in opposition to H.R. 6099, the 
Unborn Child Pain Awareness Act. I would point out that, despite the 
best efforts of some in this Chamber and from various interest groups 
to masquerade this as a pro-choice or pro-life issue, this is not about 
choice. This is quite simply an issue of who is qualified to provide 
medical information to patients: Congress or doctors? Frankly, patients 
are better served with medical information coming from a qualified 
medical professional than from a simple Polish lawyer from Southeast 
Michigan like myself.
  Let me be clear: this bill requires that doctors provide women 
seeking an abortion past the twentieth week of gestation a brochure 
produced by the Department of Health and Human Services. The bill very 
clearly requires that the brochure include text written word for word 
by Congress. The patient would then have to sign a document saying she 
received the information. That document, again, would contain specific 
text written by Congress. The very idea that Congress would require 
that specific text imparting a medical opinion be handed out to 
patients is ludicrous. We are in the business of writing laws, not of 
keeping up on the most recent articles published in medical journals. I 
would ask, Mr. Speaker, where does this game of Congress playing doctor 
end? Will we next be writing scripts or brochures advocating for one 
chemotherapy treatment over another for cancer patients? I think not. I 
believe that most of us recognize that this is well beyond our 
capability as lawmakers.
  Mr. Speaker, let's leave the decisions about medical science to the 
scholars and professionals who are qualified to make them and focus on 
our responsibilities as Members of Congress.
  I've always wondered why we don't focus more of our attention on 
preventing unwanted pregnancies. Reducing the number of abortions 
performed in this country is certainly a goal we can all agree on and 
strive for. Instead of imposing ourselves on private relationships 
between doctors and patients, I hope that my colleagues on both sides 
of the aisle will come to the table to discuss how we can further this 
mutual goal.

                          ____________________