[Congressional Record Volume 165, Number 10 (Thursday, January 17, 2019)]
[House]
[Pages H708-H710]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
RIGHT TO LIFE
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under the Speaker's announced policy of
January 3, 2019, the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Bost) is recognized
for the remainder of the hour as the designee of the minority leader.
Mr. BOST. Madam Speaker, as a father and a grandfather, I know the
love that a family feels for their children, and it doesn't begin on
the day they are born. It starts when you first learn that the prayers
have been answered and that a new life is being brought into the world.
As we talk today on this particular subject, a lot of people don't
realize that there have been many things that have occurred in my life
and my family's life that make this a very personal issue.
Thirty-eight years ago, my wife was a junior in high school. I had
just left for Marine Corps boot camp. We weren't married. She
discovered that we were going to have our first child.
She had five teachers who thought that it would be a good idea,
because she was such a great student, to not ruin her life by having a
child. Those five teachers encouraged her to go and receive an
abortion. I thank God that she understood the importance of life. That
child, who would have been aborted, now serves in the United States
Marine Corps and is a major and will probably be a light colonel before
long.
{time} 1500
He also has a law practice in our hometown. He has raised four
children. He is an outstanding citizen. He serves on the county board.
He is a respected member of society. He is even studying to go into the
ministry. I am so glad of the choice that she made. Her life wasn't
ruined. She might jokingly say: Well, I have still been with you for 38
years.
But she went on and she used her time when we were in Twentynine
Palms, California, in the Marine Corps, she actually took credit hours
and sent that back to our home high school where she graduated in the
top 10 of her class. As a mother, and as a youth minister, and as a
business owner, she has shown others by example.
Really, as we move forward and we talk about this debate, there are
other concerns that I have, and that is that we in this body and in
this Nation need to realize that there are certain questions that come
up; such as, When does life begin?
Let me fast forward in our lives. Our oldest daughter, on July 26,
2002, discovered that her twins were in trouble in the womb. Well,
actually it was before that. We took her to a hospital in St. Louis. It
was just after my son's wedding, and she and her husband, who had an
older child at the time, they discovered that these two twins had what
was known as a joint communication, and they were trying desperately to
get those babies from 25 weeks to 26 weeks.
But on July 26, we lost Hallie in the womb, which then drove my
daughter Kasey into labor, and then we held
[[Page H709]]
Ellianna for 1 hour and 35 minutes as she passed. Now, we have had
legislation that quite often says at that point, that abortion should
go ahead and occur. Well, I have seen what a child looks like at 24 and
25 weeks, and that is not the time that we need to say that that is not
a life. I do believe that life begins at conception.
It is my sincere belief that America is only as strong as the
willingness to protect the weakest and most vulnerable among us. My
family participates in those opportunities to help young women who
maybe have an unwanted pregnancy, also to help people who have chosen
not to choose life, and also ministers to those who have lost children.
My daughter is in that ministry as well through a group called Tender
Mercies Foundation of Southern Illinois.
But that is why I fought in Congress to eliminate taxpayer funding of
abortions, and to preserve pro-life healthcare providers the right of
conscience.
Tomorrow, we are once again going to have the March for Life, which
is a pro-life movement that is growing stronger all the time, as it
should, as science is proving when life begins. I hope that you listen
and I hope that you get involved, and I hope that you understand that
there is a need.
Madam Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from Texas, Congressman Chip
Roy.
Mr. ROY. Madam Speaker, I appreciate the gentleman yielding. I rise
today on the eve of the March for Life as a cancer survivor, as someone
who appreciates every day that we are given from the good Lord above as
a gift.
I want to recount a story from a couple of years ago that my wife and
I shared in ``National Review Online''. What do you do when the doctor
coldly asks whether you would like to terminate your child? Two years
ago this month, this became very real to my wife and I and we wrote
about it in the article in ``National Review''.
We received a call from one of our dearest friends. She was pregnant.
She asked me if I would be the baby's godfather, but her words of joy
were tempered. She then went on to explain a series of harrowing
medical concerns, the most significant of which was that the baby might
be missing a part of his brain, a part that connects the left and right
hemispheres.
She was terrified and she couldn't ask questions quickly enough.
Forty-eight excruciating hours later, the MRI was performed and it was
inconclusive. She was told to come back again in 2 weeks for another
ultrasound.
The next week, her obstetrician, a woman doctor, silently reviewed
the file. Then she looked at our friend straight in the eye and asked
her if she wanted to terminate the pregnancy.
Now, my friend explained that the doctor had asked her the question
in the same tone that she might have used when she ordered a coffee at
Starbucks. She didn't blink an eye. She asked the question in front of
her two little boys. She asked without her husband there. She offered
no explanation or comfort. It was cold.
The doctor told her she had to decide quickly because she was
approaching the 22-week limit, which is as long as you can legally seek
an abortion in Virginia.
Our friend's response was a source of pride for us. She told us she
almost laughed and then politely responded that termination was not an
option. She walked out of that doctor's office and never returned.
In a world where everything and everyone seems to be so sensitive
about every word that is uttered, we have completely desensitized
abortion. We use politically correct words. One is pro-choice. The
pregnancy is terminated because no one wants to say that the baby was
killed. But if you are ending an innocent life on purpose, I am not
sure what other way to put it.
So how did it all turn out? Her ultrasound was completely normal at
24 weeks. Her baby was born. He is my godson. He is healthy. He came
here and he saw his godfather get sworn into Congress.
Choose life. Life is not perfect. But each life is perfect.
Madam Speaker, I include in the Record this op-ed in its entirety,
which was published on January 26, 2017, in ``National Review Online'',
coauthored by my wife, Carrah.
[From the National Review, Jan. 26, 2017]
A Mother's Love and the March That Matters
(By Chip Roy & Carrah Roy)
What do you do when the doctor coldly asks whether you'd
like to `terminate' your child?
For many people, January 2017 will be marked by the
inauguration of a president and a march on Washington the
following day. For us, every January is marked by two phone
calls we received in January 2015--and by a very different
march.
The ``Women's March on Washington'' has already been all-
consuming on social media. It was billed as an ``inclusive''
movement with the vision:
We stand together in solidarity with our partners and
children for the protection of our rights, our safety, our
health, and our families--recognizing that our vibrant and
diverse communities are the strength of our country.
Sounds so caring--until you learn that ``inclusive'' and
``diverse'' mean that if you are pro-life, you are not
welcome, and if you don't attend or join in this supposed
solidarity, you are ``anti-woman.'' Doesn't seem as
inclusive, does it?
In deed, it is wholly exclusive. In their zeal to shock and
to trumpet a convoluted notion of freedom to have their
bodies ``left alone,'' these marchers exclude the bodies of
the unborn. What about the rights of an unborn child? What
about the safety of an unborn child? What about the health of
an unborn child?
Two years ago this month, this became very real to us.
We received a call from one of our dearest friends. Then 32
and already mother to two healthy, wonderful boys, our friend
said, with an air of urgency, ``[My husband] and I wanted to
wait a little longer to ask, but something's come up and we
have to ask now. I am pregnant--and we want you to be the
baby's godfather.'' We were thrilled, but the excitement was
tempered by the strange introduction. Here's what she
explained to me.
She and her husband, having two boys already, couldn't wait
to find out whether they would add another boy to the crew or
instead start buying things that were pink. They excitedly
drove to the appointment for the baby's 20-week ultrasound to
find out. A few minutes into the sonogram, the ultrasound
tech excused herself from the room. Immediately, their hearts
sank. Something was .wrong. It was a long wait. Finally, the
radiologist came back into the room and moved the wand around
with a blank look on her face. Then, she told our friend to
get dressed and come into her office. She explained that the
baby might be missing a part of his brain, the part that
connects the left and right hemispheres.
She was terrified but couldn't ask questions fast enough.
Would the baby survive the pregnancy? Live outside the womb?
Were these minor developmental delays or major issues? She
and her husband were sent home without answers and told to
come back so they could perform an MRI of the baby's brain.
The technician thought that the baby might be lying in a
position that didn't allow the doctor to get a good view and
that the MRI could clear it up.
Forty-eight excruciating hours later, the MRI was
performed. It was inconclusive.
They did learn that the condition could range from minor
developmental delays to severe cognitive and life-threatening
issues, but they wouldn't know the specifics for their child
until the baby was born. They were told to come back again in
two weeks for another ultrasound.
None of us stopped praying those two weeks. For our friend
it was a constant conversation with God. She was scared, but
she said that she knew it would be okay. She knew the baby
would be okay. She ``just knew.'' She felt scared of the
unknown but also at peace, saying, ``God gave me this baby
for a reason.'' If the baby needed help, she would do
everything she could and God ``would help'' them. And she
would love that baby just like she loves her two boys.
She had a monthly check up with her ob-gyn the following
week. Her husband had to work, but she took their two boys
with her. They liked going to hear the baby's heartbeat and
the checkups were usually routine and quick. She went in to
the appointment expecting that her doctor would reassure her
and answer more questions than the radiologist had. The
doctor--a woman--silently reviewed the file. Then the doctor
looked our friend straight in the eye and asked her if she
wanted to terminate the pregnancy.
She called us right after that appointment, understandably
angry and terrified. Terminate? What?
She explained that the doctor had asked her the question in
the same tone she might have used when ordering coffee at
Starbucks. She didn't blink an eye. She asked it in front of
her two little boys. She asked without her husband there. She
offered no explanation or comfort. It was cold. The doctor
told her she had to decide quickly because she was
approaching 22 weeks (which is as long as you can legally
wait to have an abortion in Virginia).
Our friend's response was such a source of pride for us.
She told us ``she almost laughed and then politely responded
that `termination' was not an option.'' She walked out of
that doctor's office and never returned.
Yes, there may be some issues. She didn't have a perfect
ultrasound. But it was her
[[Page H710]]
baby who, she told us, ``was growing inside of her, kicking,
loving music, moving when the boys spoke toward her belly,
doing somersaults when she ate ice cream.''
We all realized that God put our friend in this position
for a reason. She has a strong faith. She knew she could
handle it, because God was with her. She told us that the
baby ``would know love, would feel love.'' Facing her fear of
the unknown with faith and love strengthened her as a mother
and a woman. But what if it hadn't been our friend? What if
another woman had listened to that doctor, who made it feel
so easy and acceptable to just ``terminate'' and try again
for a ``better'' outcome.
We use politically correct words . . . The pregnancy is
``terminated.'' Because no one wants to say that she killed
her baby.
In a world where everything and everyone seems to be so
sensitive, we have completely desensitized abortion. We use
politically correct words. One is ``pro-choice.'' The
pregnancy is ``terminated.'' Because no one wants to say that
she kilted her baby. But if you are ending an innocent life
on purpose, we're not sure what other way to put it.
But sadly, even today, more than 3,000 abortions are
performed every day in the United States. That is more than 1
million per year. Since Roe v. Wade inserted unelected judges
into the question of the beginning of life, more than 56
million babies have died at the hands of abortionists--56
million. Just let that sink in.
So how did it all turn out? Her ultrasound was completely
normal at 24 weeks. They just couldn't get a good read at her
20-week appointment. Her baby was born in May of 2015 and is
completely healthy. It was a boy, by the way. None of us--but
particularly his loving and courageous mother--can imagine
life without him.
This week, there will be another march on Washington: the
one that truly matters. This one is to celebrate life, and
all are welcome, including the unborn and those who love
them.
Choose Life. Life is not perfect, but each life is perfect.
Mr. BOST. Madam Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from Florida (Mr.
Waltz).
Mr. WALTZ. Madam Speaker, I stand before you today as we approach the
46th anniversary of Roe v. Wade to speak on behalf of Americans who
cannot speak for themselves.
Our Nation was founded on the notion that every American has a right
to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. As legislators, we are
bound to protect these rights, especially as they relate to our most
vulnerable population, which is why we cannot ignore the fundamental
right of an unborn child to live.
While Roe v. Wade may be the law of the land, I am here today because
I, along with many of my fellow Floridians, disagree with it. I believe
it is incumbent on this institution to debate the definition of life as
well as our authority and responsibility to protect it.
As a father, I have the privilege and have had the privilege of
watching my daughter grow from a tiny blip on a monitor, to a beautiful
baby girl, and now to a strong, courageous young woman, the young woman
that she is today; and when I look at her my heart breaks. It breaks
for the children whose lives have been and continue to be taken from
them just as they are beginning.
These children could have been future doctors, lawyers, Members of
Congress, teachers, military servicemembers, anything they wanted. But,
unfortunately, because of a court decision made nearly 46 years ago, we
will never know who those children would have become.
Madam Speaker, as a veteran, I have seen horrible things. And, yet, I
believe abortion is one of the greater tragedies of our generation. I
believe, in time, future generations will look back on this era in
American history and condemn us for the millions of children that we
have allowed to be taken. Because the truth is, each life, from the
moment it begins to exist, is a precious person, and therefore, has a
fundamental God-given right to live.
So on this anniversary of Roe v. Wade, I stand with my colleagues in
solidarity for the lives lost, and I pray for the mothers and fathers
that face very difficult circumstances surrounding new life.
Mr. BOST. Madam Speaker, I thank the gentleman from Florida for
coming to speak.
Madam Speaker, tomorrow, we are going to welcome to this city once
again the people who believe in the sanctity of life. They will walk
down Pennsylvania Avenue from The Mall and they will be well-behaved.
They will be kind. But they will be rising up and letting the people of
this United States know that we are concerned about the children in the
womb that can't speak for themselves.
Madam Speaker, over the years of my time in elected office, I have
been asked by many people from both parties: Well, what do you know?
You are not a woman, and it is a woman's choice. Well, I am telling you
that I hope that no women that I know--and I wish that would never be
the case--that they would be in a situation where they are so scared of
an unwanted pregnancy that they think that it would hurt their lives.
But my wife, my 2 daughters, my 7 granddaughters--and my hope is that
with my 11 grandchildren, I have many, many more great-grandchildren--
that they will grow up in a United States that understands the
importance of life at its conception, that science, which I believe is
now beginning to show what we have known all along, as one speaker
spoke earlier, that when that cell is formed and it starts coming
together, and then in just a few short hours or a few short days, a
heartbeat starts, and then in a few weeks we understand that that baby
grows to the point that they can feel pain.
Each one of these items are things that are brought up in legislation
of why it is that we need to explain and understand and put into law
what truly is life and where life begins.
I don't blame the courts. I blame this body over the years. I believe
God has the opportunity to say when life begins. But I think science
has taught us certain clear factors about what life is and when life
begins. My hope is that the American people will not only think about
this tomorrow during that march, but they will think about it every day
of the year; that they will think about all of the great wisdom that we
may have lost in the abortions that have been committed over the last
45 years.
Madam Speaker, I want to say a special thank you to everyone that
spoke here today and to the people I represent in Illinois' 12th
Congressional District. I want the people to know and remember what
tomorrow is about, and how important these young lives are, and why it
is important for us to do our job as laid out in the Constitution,
which is allowing life to be protected.
Madam Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
____________________