[Congressional Record Volume 164, Number 11 (Thursday, January 18, 2018)]
[Senate]
[Pages S279-S280]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                PAIN-CAPABLE UNBORN CHILD PROTECTION ACT

  Mr. YOUNG. Mr. President, I rise to talk about an issue that is very 
important to Hoosiers: protecting our unborn children. Right now, 
Hoosiers from across the State of Indiana are traveling to Washington, 
DC, to take part in tomorrow's March for Life. This annual event brings 
together the unsung heroes of the life movement--those who have 
dedicated their lives to saving innocent children.
  Now, despite what is often portrayed in the media, life-affirming 
principles are supported by a majority of Americans. A poll by POLITICO 
and the Harvard T.H. Chan School for Public Health showed that 58 
percent of Americans--almost three in five Americans--oppose allowing 
Medicaid funding to be used for abortion.
  According to the Quinnipiac University polling, 60 percent of 
Americans, including 46 percent of Democrats, support Federal 
legislation limiting abortion after 20 weeks.
  I am proud to cosponsor the Pain-Capable Unborn Child Protection Act. 
This act would protect unborn children at 20 weeks postfertilization--
the point at which scientific evidence proves abortion inflicts pain.
  It is estimated that this commonsense legislation will save roughly 
12,000 to 18,000 babies annually, and it will not apply, incidentally, 
to cases of rape, incest, or when the life of the mother is at risk.
  Before being elected to the U.S. Senate, I sat on the board of 
directors of Hannah House. This is in Bloomington, IN, where I live. It 
offers women loving support during pregnancy.
  I further spent 2 years as a smalltown attorney in little Paoli, IN, 
and I offered free legal services for parents who wanted to adopt. So 
you can see why I am very passionate about helping children find loving 
homes and helping caring adults become parents. I have seen firsthand, 
through my own experiences, the importance of advocating for those who 
cannot advocate for themselves.
  The United States is one of only seven countries in the world that 
allows abortions after 20 weeks. This list includes human rights 
violators like China and North Korea. This isn't company we want to 
keep.
  During this time, when there is principled disagreement on so many

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issues--Republicans disagreeing with Democrats, conservatives 
disagreeing with progressives, surely, we can come together and take 
action that a significant majority of Americans want. So I am hopeful 
this critical legislation will receive a vote on the Senate floor very 
soon.
  Thank you.
  I yield back my time.
  I suggest the absence of a quorum.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will call the roll.
  The senior assistant legislative clerk proceeded to call the roll.
  Mrs. SHAHEEN. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the order 
for the quorum call be rescinded.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.

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