[Congressional Record Volume 155, Number 13 (Thursday, January 22, 2009)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E130]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




     COMMEMORATING THE 36TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE ROE V. WADE DECISION

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                           HON. RUSH D. HOLT

                             of new jersey

                    in the house of representatives

                       Thursday, January 22, 2009

  Mr. HOLT. Madam Speaker, I rise today to commemorate the 36th 
anniversary of Roe v. Wade.
  On January 22, 1973, Supreme Court Justice Harry Blackmun penned the 
historic majority opinion in the Roe v. Wade case. He wrote that 
``right of privacy, whether it be founded in the Fourteenth Amendment's 
concept of personal liberty and restrictions upon state action, as we 
feel it is, or, as the District Court determined, in the Ninth 
Amendment's reservation of rights to the people, is broad enough to 
encompass a woman's decision whether or not to terminate her 
pregnancy.'' Justice Blackmun's words confirmed the 7-2 landmark 
decision that all women have the constitutional right to choose.
  Roe v. Wade established that reproductive healthcare is a personal 
matter that should be left to individuals. The question of whether or 
not to have an abortion is not an easy one, it is one of the most 
difficult decisions that a woman can face. While a woman's doctor, 
clergy, friends, and family may have opinions, the ultimate decision 
rests solely with her. This is not a decision that should be forced 
upon a woman by any government.
  Having the right to choose is an essential right that should be 
protected, however there is much that can and should to be done to 
decrease the need for abortion. That is why I have consistently 
supported comprehensive sexual education in our schools. Our investment 
in abstinence-only education over the last 8 years has failed in giving 
our teenagers the medically accurate, life-saving information about 
birth control and sexually transmitted infections they need to make 
informed decisions. I also support overturning the ``global gag rule.'' 
President Bush enacted the ``global gag rule'' 8 years ago today to 
prohibit international family planning organizations that receive 
funding from the United States from being able to advocate for choice. 
The global gag rule also bans foreign non-governmental organizations, 
NGOs, from being able, using their own funds, to engage in free speech 
and assembly activities on a woman's right to choose, and also 
prevented health care providers from counseling the world's poorest 
women about all their legal health care options. Reversing this policy 
will improve maternal and child health in developing countries, reduce 
infant mortality, lead to better diagnosis and treatment of sexually 
transmitted diseases and reduce the incidence of unintended pregnancy 
and abortion.
  Roe v. Wade marked a drastic change in our national policy on 
reproductive rights and I urge my colleagues to commemorate the 36th 
anniversary of this ruling.

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