[Congressional Record Volume 165, Number 10 (Thursday, January 17, 2019)]
[House]
[Page H703]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                            SANCTITY OF LIFE

  (Mr. SPANO asked and was given permission to address the House for 1 
minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. SPANO. Madam Speaker, this past June, our family was rocked by a 
very scary incident. We were excited and joyfully anticipating the 
birth of our very first grandchild, a boy whose name would be Silas. 
Our excitement and joy quickly turned to fear and dread when Silas was 
born lifeless, the umbilical cord tightly wound around his neck three 
times.
  I was in the waiting room when I received a text from my wife, and 
she said:

       Pray now. Silas was born, but he's not breathing. They're 
     working on him.

  I began praying, and about 15 minutes later, my wife, Amie, 
frantically ran into the waiting room in tears and said:

       He's still not breathing. Pray harder. Pray harder.

  Instinctively, I fell to my knees, and I pled, crying to God:

       Please, God, save his life. Breathe life into him.

  I realized in that moment what I have known for all my life, and that 
is that human life is valuable, precious, and fragile.
  Thanks be to God, about 10 minutes later, the doctor walked into the 
room and said:

       He's breathing, finally, and we think he's going to make 
     it.

  Two days ago, Silas turned 6 months old, and I cannot wait to see 
what God has planned for him. Silas fought for his life, and I am so 
thankful he will get to experience all that life has to offer.
  Members, every innocent child should have a chance at life. God 
forbid, we would allow that fragile, precious, valuable, innocent life 
to be taken.

                          ____________________