[Congressional Record Volume 166, Number 9 (Wednesday, January 15, 2020)]
[House]
[Pages H281-H287]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
THE 47TH ANNUAL MARCH FOR LIFE
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under the Speaker's announced policy of
January 3, 2019, the gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Smith) is
recognized for 60 minutes as the designee of the minority leader.
Mr. SMITH of New Jersey. Mr. Speaker, next week tens of thousands of
women and men from around the country will March For Life, making clear
to the country and to the world that women and unborn babies deserve
the utmost respect, love, and protection from the violence of abortion.
Sadly, Mr. Speaker, since 1973 over 61 million unborn babies have
been killed by either dismemberment, a procedure where the child is
decapitated and torn apart arms, legs, and torso or by chemical
poisoning. The loss of children's lives in America is staggering, a
death toll that equates with the entire population of Italy.
Mr. Speaker, I yield to the distinguished gentleman from Indiana,
Congressman Jim Banks, who has been a leader in defending the
innocent and most vulnerable.
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Mr. BANKS. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding and for
his tireless efforts on behalf of the unborn.
Mr. Speaker, although the ruling in Roe v. Wade significantly altered
the fabric of our Nation, Hoosiers will never stop marching in defense
of the fundamental right to life.
In my corner of the State of Indiana in the northeast corner of the
State, we have one of the most active and robust pro-life organizations
in the country, the Allen County Right To Life.
Mr. Speaker, the Allen County Right To Life works every day to
advance the cause of life at our State house in Indianapolis and the
courts and in our own community. I am excited to share today that they
will soon be incorporating the counties of Adams, DeKalb, LaGrange,
Noble, Steuben, and Wells Counties to join forces under the name Right
to Life of Northeast Indiana.
Indiana is now considered the sixth pro-life State in the country.
The remarkable progress in Indiana over these last 4 decades would not
have been possible without the steadfast support of this organization
and pro-life champions like Cathie Humbarger.
Mr. Speaker, each year the Allen County Right To Life leads an annual
bus trip to Washington for the National March for Life, and this year
they will be descending on our Nation's capitol with a record-breaking
650 pro-life students and advocates from northeast Indiana, and I could
not be prouder.
Mr. Speaker, this incredible organization is also expecting a record-
breaking 2,500 Hoosiers at the 2020 Northeast Indiana March for Life in
Fort Wayne this coming Saturday. And I will be marching alongside those
2,500 Hoosiers back home in Fort Wayne to honor those of whom never had
the chance to march for themselves.
I believe that all life is sacred, and I ask that all Americans
wherever you are in the country to join me in marching to reaffirm this
principle.
Mr. SMITH of New Jersey. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for his
eloquent comments and reminding us of the great progress being made at
the State level where so many laws and policies have been enacted, and
we are trying to do that on the Federal level.
Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentlewoman from Alabama, Martha Roby, a
member of the Appropriations Committee and the Judiciary Committee.
{time} 1815
Mrs. ROBY. Mr. Speaker, I thank Representative Smith for leading this
Special Order.
The topic that we are here to discuss tonight is one of the utmost
importance. Of course, next week, we approach the 47th anniversary of
the infamous Roe v. Wade decision. With this single ruling by the
Supreme Court, abortion was legalized across the country.
While many abortion activists celebrate this time as a victory for
so-called women's health, it represents a somber occasion for those of
us who advocate for life.
It is no secret that I am unapologetically pro-life. I believe life
begins at conception, and I am opposed to abortion at any stage.
While not everyone in this body shares my convictions about life or
on certain policies surrounding the rights of unborn children, our pro-
life agenda has momentum, and it is strong.
Next week, thousands of Americans will gather in our Nation's Capital
to participate in this year's March for Life. This is an annual event
where the pro-life community joins together to advocate for the
protection of unborn children.
I know that some pro-life supporters will be traveling from Alabama's
Second District, almost 900 miles, to defend the unborn.
Mr. Speaker, I want to take this opportunity to send a message to the
thousands of marchers who are gathering to show their support for the
pro-life movement: Thank you. Thank you for your dedication to this
most worthy cause, and know that you are not alone in this fight. As
you continue to stand up for those who cannot stand up for themselves,
remember that my pro-life colleagues and I stand with you.
I promise to use this platform here in Congress, and beyond, to be a
vocal advocate for the unborn. I will not stop fighting until our laws
and policies protect life at every stage, and I hope you won't either.
Mr. SMITH of New Jersey. Mr. Speaker, I thank Congresswoman Roby for
her very powerful statement and her leadership here in the U.S. House.
Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from Maryland (Mr. Harris), my
distinguished friend and colleague, the co-chairman of the
Congressional Pro-Life Caucus. Dr. Andy Harris is a board-certified
anesthesiologist who has served so ably at Johns Hopkins and elsewhere.
Mr. HARRIS. Mr. Speaker, I thank Mr. Smith, the co-chair of the Pro-
Life Caucus, for the work he has done over the decades to protect
unborn life.
Next week, I am going to have a birthday, but 61 million Americans
aren't. Now, let that thought sink in for a second because that is the
population of California and Florida together. That is the number of
Americans who didn't get a chance to be born since Roe v. Wade was
passed.
I have spent over 30 years as an anesthesiologist on the labor and
delivery suite. I was in charge of the labor and delivery anesthesia at
Hopkins for decades, seeing the birth of literally thousands of babies,
not even beginning to comprehend the magnitude of the 61 million lives
that never had that opportunity to be born.
Next week, we are going to have the March for Life. Mr. Speaker, I
urge all Americans who are watching to tune in to one of those channels
that shows that March for Life because what you will be struck by are
the number of young people who have not believed the lie about
abortion, the lie that it is a blob of tissue, that it is not a human
life, that somehow that human life does not have the right to life.
I believe there are a lot of young people who march because this is
the generation that knows that it was legal for them to be aborted. I
think they appreciate the fact that they weren't.
Like Mrs. Roby, I am on the Appropriations Committee, and I am glad
to have fought to get Planned Parenthood defunded by tax dollars
because Planned Parenthood is the largest abortion provider in the
United States. That means it is responsible for the taking of tens of
millions of lives over the years. Not only that but they actually
promote using American tax dollars to provide abortions overseas as
well.
I am proud of our President because our President reestablished what
we call the Mexico City policy, which is very simple, Mr. Speaker. It
says that American tax dollars, hardworking American taxpayer dollars,
should not be spent on providing abortions in foreign countries.
Oh, my gosh. It is bad enough that we still fund Planned Parenthood
here in this country, but, my gosh, spending tax dollars to pay for
abortions in foreign countries? Thank goodness our President stands
firmly pro-life, some people suggest the most pro-life President we
have ever had, and at such a good time to be the most pro-life
President.
As the death toll climbs to over 60 million, it is rapidly
approaching the time to say enough is enough. This is the largest and
most important human rights issue we face. This country has faced human
rights issues before. We have to face this challenge, and we have to
turn back the legalization of the killing of millions of Americans
before they are even born.
Mr. SMITH of New Jersey. Mr. Speaker, I thank Dr. Harris so very much
for his comments.
Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from South Carolina (Mr.
Norman), a distinguished Member. He is also the sponsor of the Ensuring
Accurate and Complete Data Reporting Act.
Mr. NORMAN. Mr. Speaker, I thank Chairman Smith for his hard work and
for what he does on a daily basis to protect the lives of the unborn.
Mr. Speaker, I solemnly stand before you today on the 47th
anniversary of Roe v. Wade, a decision that has corrupted the very
foundation of our unalienable right to life as citizens of this great
country.
Life is a precious gift from our creator, from conception to natural
death. I have been dedicated to protecting the rights of the unborn
since the day I was sworn into Congress. It is a fight that I vow to
continue until the last day that I serve in this body.
As a proud grandfather of 17 beautiful grandchildren, the sanctity of
life
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is cherished and personal. Let me give an example.
Just a few months ago, September 25, our 17th grandchild was born 3
months premature. His name is Warren, and we were unsure if he would
survive. But it is by the grace of God, the love and support of family
and friends, and the heroic work of the great doctors and nurses that
Warren is still with us today.
After more than 100 days in the neonatal intensive care unit, Warren
was finally able to leave the hospital last week. Each moment we spend
with him is a true miracle that I will never take for granted.
Warren was, to give an example, 1 pound, 15 ounces when he was born.
You could see the elements of his personality from the very beginning.
He was a fighter.
It is a daily reminder that the lives of millions of other children,
the same size as Warren when he was born, have been allowed to be cut
short due to the ruling of Roe v. Wade. It is truly unfathomable to
think that the rule of law in this great country permits the
intentional killing of the most vulnerable population.
While most Americans agree it is morally wrong to end an unborn human
life by abortion, it is also morally wrong to take taxpayer dollars to
promote abortion at home or abroad, as has been stated. Yet in their
recently released annual report, Planned Parenthood boasts spending
$617 million on the mass murder of over 345,000 children in this
country in just 1 year. That is roughly 947 premeditated killings each
day by the billion-dollar abortion business.
These statistics are not only alarming but, quite frankly, they are
grotesque. They are among the many reasons why I will not only continue
to support commonsense pro-life legislation, such as the bipartisan
Born-Alive Abortion Survivors Protection Act, but will also march in
solidarity with millions of Americans nationwide and hundreds of South
Carolinians from the district I serve in honor of those who weren't
given that chance that so many of us have been given.
On this dark anniversary, let us unite and rededicate ourselves to
protecting the unborn.
Mr. SMITH of New Jersey. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for
sharing that beautiful story of his grandchild. What a tenacious
spirit, and our prayers are with him as he prospers and thrives.
Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Babin), my good
friend and colleague.
Mr. BABIN. Mr. Speaker, I thank very, very much my friend and
colleague from New Jersey, Chris Smith, for having this Special Order,
which is so very important. There is no greater champion for life than
our colleague Chris Smith.
Mr. Speaker, I also thank every one of my colleagues who are
surrounding me tonight or are here speaking for those who are
voiceless.
I rise solemnly today, Mr. Speaker, in memory of the Supreme Court's
tragic decision in Roe v. Wade 47 years ago, this appalling decision.
Since that time, more than 60 million innocent human beings have been
killed in the name of abortion and convenience.
Throughout our history, Americans have been the very first to protect
the defenseless around the world repeatedly through the centuries, yet
here at home, we have allowed our very most vulnerable to come under
vicious attack.
As the father of five children and the grandfather of 16 beautiful
grandchildren, I have no more important duty personally than to protect
the lives of all Americans.
As Members of Congress, we have that same duty to protect all
Americans, especially the ones who have no voice.
I have been very proud to support the steps taken by President Trump
and his administration, who is the most pro-life President in the
history of this country, in his fight to save innocent lives from
abortion. We are so very grateful for his bold executive efforts to
protect the lives of the unborn, which have been so very, very
effective.
As thousands of Americans gather once again here in Washington, D.C.,
next week to stand up for life, let us be renewed in our purpose to end
abortion.
Mr. SMITH of New Jersey. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman very much
for his comments tonight.
Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from Tennessee (Mr. Green).
Mr. GREEN of Tennessee. Mr. Speaker, for almost half a century, we
have watched our Nation dehumanize an entire group of people based on
their age with the Roe decision allowing the killing of 60 million
unborn children. This is the largest human rights violation of our
time.
As Martin Luther King, Jr., said: ``There is no graded scale of
essential worth'' among people.
This truth is something the evil organization Planned Parenthood
deliberately chooses not to see, ending lives and selling baby parts
for the sake of science. As America's largest abortion provider, it
performs over 320,000 every single year, all in the name of freedom.
But there is quite obviously absolutely no such thing as a right or
freedom to end someone else's life.
As Ronald Reagan said, isn't it interesting that all who support
abortion have already been born?
{time} 1830
We must defend the equal right to life for everyone. If we can't do
that, what are we even doing here?
Mr. SMITH of New Jersey. Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from
Indiana (Mr. Baird), a Bronze Star winner and a Purple Heart recipient.
I thank him for his service and thank him for his witness for life.
Mr. BAIRD. Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague for having this Special
Order.
Mr. Speaker, I rise today to reflect on the 47th anniversary of the
Roe v. Wade Supreme Court decision which has had a devastating effect
on protecting the sanctity of life and advancing the rights of the
unborn.
This ill-fated decision has had drastic, negative consequences and
has expanded the abhorrent practice of abortion across this country.
But despite the devastating effects Roe v. Wade has had on the
sanctity of life, I am inspired to see so many of my fellow Members of
Congress join me in continuing the fight for the unborn. Whether it be
by signing the discharge petition to bring the Born-Alive Abortion
Survivors Protection Act to the floor for a vote, or by cosponsoring
legislation to prohibit the use of taxpayer funding in abortions, my
House colleagues and I will continue to fight to protect life.
Just a couple of weeks ago, I was proud to join 206 of my
congressional colleagues in signing an amicus brief filed with the U.S.
Supreme Court concerning the Louisiana case of June Medical Services v.
Gee.
I look forward to seeing the court review this case and others in
hopes that they may issue a decision that reflects the will of the
majority of Americans to protect the unborn.
Mr. SMITH of New Jersey. Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from
Ohio (Mr. Chabot), my good friend and colleague. The gentleman was the
prime author of the law to save born-alive children, a law that we are
looking now to strengthen with 199 cosponsors which is Representative
Ann Wagner's bill. I thank the gentleman for his leadership.
Mr. CHABOT. Mr. Speaker, I want to thank Chris Smith for his
leadership and his commitment to advancing pro-life legislation for
literally decades now. He has been a leader for many of us, and we have
watched and followed in his footsteps in many ways.
A previous speaker, Andy Harris, mentioned that his birthday is
next week, and I share something with him because my birthday happens
to be next week as well. Not only is it next week, but it is on January
22, which is the very day that the horrific Roe v. Wade decision was
issued.
For decades now, I literally, on my birthday, with all of the joy
that you have with your family or with friends and colleagues in
celebrating your birthday, I can't help but think of those millions and
millions of little, innocent, unborn babies that were not born, that
have never experienced life because of a tragic decision that was made
that they had no part in making, but their life was ended before they
were able to share the blessing that life is.
That is why we need to overturn that horrific Roe v. Wade decision.
Many of us have been working for years and
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years now to do that, or to do everything we can up to that point
until, ultimately, the court makes that decision.
We have a responsibility, I believe, to protect the most vulnerable
among us, and that is innocent, unborn babies. It was one of the
principal reasons that I wanted to come to Congress. It was one of the
principal reasons that I wanted to be on the Judiciary Committee.
I was blessed to be chosen by one of the legends in the pro-life
community, probably the father of the pro-life movement here in the
House, and that was the late Henry Hyde who chaired the Judiciary
Committee.
Next to Henry, Chris Smith certainly is the leader since Henry. But
as the gentleman mentioned, as a member of the Judiciary Committee, it
took me a number of years and I was able to work my way up to the chair
of that committee and did successfully pass the Born-Alive Infants
Protection Act which saved babies that they were literally finding in
soiled utility closets.
We had nurses who had formerly worked in abortion clinics and they
came and told terrible stories of what had happened. That is now no
longer the law, but we need to go beyond that.
After that, we went on to pass probably what is the most significant
pro-life legislation since Roe v. Wade and that is the ban on partial-
birth abortion, which I offered along with many other Members.
We fought for 8 years--Steve King and so many other folks--and went
all the way to the U.S. Supreme Court twice.
I remember when that decision came down. I was in the Judiciary
Committee when we all heard about it and we were so excited. We don't
know exactly how many babies--we think tens of thousands every year--
that that has saved, but we are still losing so many other innocent,
unborn lives here in this Nation. There have been 61 million since Roe
v. Wade that we know of.
I want to thank all of my colleagues who are here this evening and
spending their time to do something, I think, which is probably one of
the most worthy things we can do with our time here in the House, and
that is to try to protect those who cannot protect themselves.
I thank everyone that is here.
Mr. SMITH of New Jersey. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for his
leadership.
Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from Georgia (Mr. Hice).
Mr. HICE of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague, Chris Smith,
for leading this Special Order as we memorialize countless lives that
have been lost in the last 47 years to the Roe v. Wade decision.
The gentleman and all of my colleagues here are champions for life,
and I want to thank them for their commitment and their resolve to
address this issue.
The March for Life is a unique event in American culture. It is the
only march where 100 percent of the participants are marching on behalf
of someone else; marching on behalf of the most vulnerable among us,
as has already been mentioned, those who have not yet had the
opportunity to take their first breath of life.
This Special Order annually commemorating the March for Life stands
as a memorial to those lives who have been lost to abortion. And it is
time for this Chamber to mark that dreadful decision of the Supreme
Court and to mourn the results of that decision.
This is a time for us to carefully consider the choices of our Nation
and the realization that those choices have dire consequences.
This is our time to learn from those past decisions and to, with
fresh determination, do all we can to make sure that we don't repeat
the mistakes of the past.
It is for that reason that I introduced H. Res. 50, which would
memorialize the unborn by lowering the flag of the United States to
half-staff on the 22nd of every January. It would be known as a day of
tears, memorializing the ocean of tears that have been lost and shed
for the millions, countless children who have never had a chance to
live.
Mr. Speaker, I believe every human life is sacred. I believe that
life begins at conception, and if we don't stand on behalf of the
unborn, who will? That is the question.
So it is on their behalf that each of us here, we will never waiver,
we will never quit. We will continue fighting with everything we have
for life. No matter how long the battle is, no matter how intense it
may become, we will not cease our effort until every child is given the
gift of life that only God gives.
Mr. SMITH of New Jersey. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman so much
and thank him for reminding the Members, as well as those who might be
watching on C-SPAN, of the selflessness of the pro-life movement.
The people who will be marching are doing it for others, and,
increasingly, at every march, there are more women who are postabortive
who now speak out on behalf of their lost child. And they admonish and
encourage others not to make that same terrible, irreversible mistake.
I yield to the gentleman from Nebraska (Mr. Fortenberry), my good
friend and colleague.
Mr. FORTENBERRY. Mr. Speaker, I thank Congressman Smith for yielding.
First of all, let me acknowledge the gentleman's tireless work on
behalf of human rights, justice, and human dignity. The gentleman is
authentically the conscience of this Congress, and I am so grateful for
his leadership and deep friendship.
Mr. Speaker, as you walk down this aisle as I just did, if you will
notice this beautiful rostrum in this well where we speak, along the
sides of the rostrum here are a couple of words. They express the
deepest, noble sentiments of what it means to be an American: union,
justice and peace. But there is another word that is often overlooked
and it is right here. It says: ``Tolerance.''
We are living in a very interesting age. We are living, in a certain
sense, in a divided age. We seem to be struggling with our narrative as
a nation, particularly politically. But something beautiful is
happening.
There is a new momentum among this new generation that is coming up
that is wrestling with these deeper questions as to how you build a
more just nation; how you include people who have been left out. How do
you struggle for peace? How do you find authentic freedom, liberty?
Tolerance creates the space for protection of that sacred space of
conscience, of deliberation that we have in this body that is built
upon a fundamental foundation of life: the protection of the ideals of
life.
We cannot say that we are going to include everybody and celebrate
diversity except for them, the littlest ones, the smallest ones, the
most vulnerable ones, the unborn child and the mothers that carried
them in their womb. We have to do better.
The young people cannot reconcile this paradox. They can't. That is
why tens of thousands of them are going to come here next week--and a
number of them are from my home State of Nebraska, and I am very proud
of them--and they are going to do the American thing. They are going to
exercise their civil rights for the noblest of sentiments; namely,
tolerance for the most innocent, for the most vulnerable.
They are going to say to us who are older, who have to shepherd this
Nation: Please, please open your hearts and minds. We have to do
better. We must do better.
No matter how deep the problem, no matter how severe the
circumstance, we should be loving enough, caring enough, big enough,
and we certainly have resources enough to be a community that cares and
loves and helps no matter how difficult the circumstances.
Mr. SMITH of New Jersey. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman very much
for his very eloquent remarks and for his clarity as well. He has
always been such a clear speaker, and I thank him so much.
Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from Kansas (Mr. Marshall), and
I would like to point out to the Chair that we have so many doctors,
M.D.s, who are speaking on behalf of unborn children and their moms. I
want to thank the gentleman, Dr. Marshall, for that as well.
Mr. MARSHALL. Mr. Speaker, tonight, we mourn the 47th anniversary of
Roe v. Wade. Today, we mourn the loss of over 50 million American
lives.
Mr. Speaker, my good friend and colleague from New Jersey, and my
colleagues here tonight all know that I dedicated my professional life
to delivering babies. Every day, every other
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day for 30 years, I had the honor to deliver a baby. Sometimes it was
one. I delivered as many as 12 babies in a day.
But a subject I have never talked about up here, a subject that few
Americans talk about, is infertility and recurrent miscarriages.
Hundreds of thousands of women have these problems, and for whatever
reason, when I took care of women with miscarriages, women who so
desperately wanted to have a baby--it might be her third, her fourth,
her fifth miscarriage--and who were unable to have a baby, it was at
moments like that that I thought about Roe v. Wade.
It never made sense to me. This morning, I read from the Book of
Ecclesiastes trying to make some sense of life up here. Still, here I
am, 50-some years of age, and I haven't found the answer. How can I
live in a country where in one hospital I am fighting to help a woman
keep a baby, and 100 miles away, the largest abortion clinic in the
country is taking life away?
How can we live in that type of a country? Tonight I pledge, I
recommit my support and my efforts to protect life.
Mr. SMITH of New Jersey. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman so much
for his words.
Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from Louisiana (Mr. Johnson).
Mr. JOHNSON of Louisiana. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for
yielding a moment.
Mr. Speaker, here we are again, marking this tragic anniversary as we
do every year. The reason we have such sorrow and such a burden is
because it is such an unspeakable sorrow what has happened to nearly 60
million innocent, unborn children in this country.
Our Nation's birth certificate is the Declaration of Independence,
and it states succinctly what has been known as the American creed, and
we know it by heart: ``We hold these truths to be self-evident, that
all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their creator with
certain unalienable rights, that among these are life, liberty, and the
pursuit of happiness.''
{time} 1845
The Founders recognized life first among those inalienable rights
because they acknowledged that we are made in the image of a holy God,
and because of that, there are some very serious implications that
follow.
It means every single human life has inestimable dignity and value.
And our value is not related in any way to our socioeconomic status,
the color of our skin, what ZIP Code we live in, how talented we may
be, or what we can contribute to society. Our value is inherent,
because, as our Founders acknowledged, it is given to us by our
creator.
Roe v. Wade tragically defied that American creed, and it has
resulted, as we said, in the murder of more than 60 million innocent
American children.
How can we stand by and allow this to happen? We can't, and we will
not.
And I will just say this in the very brief moment that I have.
Tonight we will continue to pray, we will continue to work, we will
continue to legislate, we will continue to litigate, and we will
continue to march and stand for women and children and the sanctity of
every single human life until the promise of our Nation's birth
certificate is realized.
Mr. SMITH of New Jersey. Mr. Speaker, I yield now to the gentleman
from Ohio (Mr. Latta).
Mr. LATTA. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of the right to life
for every unborn child.
But before I start, I want to thank the gentleman from Jersey for his
tireless work and efforts to reverse this decision and to make sure
that life is what we are about in this country, because, tragically, in
the 47 years since Roe v. Wade, there have been more than 60 million
abortions in our country.
This is more than a statistic. These are innocent lives lost. Even if
this decision is brought back before the Supreme Court, abortions can
still be prevalent due to the increasing use of chemical abortion
pills. That is why my bill, the SAVE Moms and Babies Act, is necessary,
to ensure that the current FDA policy regulating these dangerous pills
will stay in place--preventing expanded use--to protect the health and
safety of women.
I am a committed advocate for pro-life policies, for the protection
of the sanctity of life. I appreciate and thank those who offer an
unwavering dedication to defending the unborn, despite a culture that
often marginalizes pro-life values. Such perseverance is incredibly
inspiring. It is an important reminder that we must all be a voice for
the voiceless.
The fight for life must continue.
Mr. SMITH of New Jersey. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from Ohio
for his leadership on that bill and all of the other pro-life pieces of
legislation.
Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from Tennessee (Mr. John W.
Rose).
Mr. JOHN W. ROSE of Tennessee. Mr. Speaker, today, on behalf of the
tens of millions of voices forever lost to abortion since Roe v. Wade,
I come before this body to mourn the tragic loss of life our country
has experienced in this last 47 years.
The Tennesseeans I represent overwhelmingly support the right to
life; and like most folks in Tennessee's Sixth Congressional District,
I firmly believe that life begins at conception. Throughout my first
term in Congress, I have been proud to fight for the children still to
come who cannot speak for themselves.
As a father, I am especially touched by the solemn and joyous
responsibility our Heavenly Father entrusts to us through the blessing
of little ones. Even one child's life shortened before reaching his or
her own God-given potential is a tragedy, and yet that has happened
tens of millions of times in the last 47 years since Roe v. Wade was
decided in the Supreme Court.
Heartbreakingly, Norma McCorvey, also known as Jane Roe, was a real
mother, and, ultimately, she was a real advocate for the unborn. Later
in her life, Ms. McCorvey came to faith in God and joined the pro-life
community in believing that every child's life is worth protecting.
Ms. McCorvey is no longer with us, but her story lives on. Today I
call on my colleagues to search their souls, just as Ms. McCorvey--Jane
Roe--did and choose life.
Who are we to decide which precious children designed by God have the
chance to live on this Earth and which do not?
Our country was founded with this belief underscored: ``that all men
are created equal, that they are endowed by their creator with certain
unalienable rights, that among these are life, liberty, and the pursuit
of happiness.''
With the words of the Declaration of Independence in mind, I signed
onto an amicus brief supporting life in the upcoming June Medical
Services v. Gee Supreme Court case. It is well past time for the
Supreme Court to uphold the right to life and overrule Roe v. Wade.
Ms. McCorvey--Jane Roe--agreed, and, overwhelmingly, so do the
Tennesseans that I represent.
In this new decade, may our country's legacy be of life and a new
generation of hope.
Mr. SMITH of New Jersey. Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from
Michigan (Mr. Walberg), my good friend and colleague.
Mr. WALBERG. Mr. Speaker: ``Around her neck hung a gold necklace that
said `Best Mom,' a Christmas present from her two daughters.
``Stefanie closed her eyes, just as she does at the dentist. `That
way I don't have to see what's going on,' she said.
``Ten minutes later, the sleepless nights, the tighter jeans, the
third child that she said would have strained the family's finances,
were a memory.''
That shocking article was in the Chicago Tribune 17 years ago, 2003.
That child who would have strained the family's finances would have
been a senior high school student and who knows what more.
Back then, 40 million babies had been aborted since Roe v. Wade.
Today, 61 million. January 22 marks the 47th ignominy of Roe v. Wade.
As recently as yesterday, in committee, I heard abortion defended as
a ``woman's constitutional right to choose what is best for her own
body and interests.''
Now, someone decried the fact that there are so many men standing and
speaking today, but we men have always stood to defend the innocent and
to defend our families. So, proudly, today, we do the same.
Charles Darwin said, ``great is the power of steady
misrepresentation.''
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And so we have created a lie. We have chosen a lie. We have been sold a
lie. We have lived a lie. We have even tried to make it the truth, but
it is still a lie. And children, innocents, and women have been hurt
because of it; and, ultimately, all life has been cheapened and
diminished.
May God change our hearts.
Our children are not our burdens; they are our hope. Our children are
tomorrow's dreams and ideas and imagination. Our children are the
pioneers who unlock more secrets of God's universe, harness new
technologies for peace, strive to create a world freer from want, and
bring forth long-awaited cures for dreaded diseases. They are our
artists, our poets, who will make life more vivid and colorful, and the
faithful who will serve God and their fellow beings.
Babies aren't a choice once they are conceived; they are a gift from
our loving creator, God. Thomas Jefferson wisely stated: ``The God who
gave us life, gave us liberty at the same time.''
And so I end by saying human liberty is inseparably linked to human
life. God help us as a nation to choose life and liberty.
Mr. SMITH of New Jersey. Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from
Texas (Mr. Flores).
Mr. FLORES. Mr. Speaker, I thank Mr. Smith for all his great work to
protect life and to reflect the values that this country holds dear.
Mr. Speaker, I rise today in remembrance of the millions of innocent
lives lost in the 47 years since the tragic Supreme Court decision, Roe
v. Wade.
Since 1973, freely accessible abortion has fostered a culture of
death in America, and the expansion of clinics like Planned Parenthood
have normalized abortion and stolen the futures of over 50 million
innocent lives.
Here are some statistics from Planned Parenthood's own annual report:
In 2019 alone, they aborted 345,670 innocent, defenseless lives.
Think about that from a personal perspective. That is over 100,000 more
persons than the population of Waco and McLennan County, Texas, the
largest county in Texas District 17, which has over 250,000-plus
Texans.
This genocide constitutes over 96 percent of their pregnancy
resolution services, as they call them; whereas, prenatal and adoption
referral services accounted for less than 4 percent of pregnancy
resolution services.
While they may seek to mask their intentions under the banner of
women's health, make no mistake, Planned Parenthood is an abortion
factory dedicated to providing, protecting, and expanding access to
abortion.
Moreover, something else to think about is that at least 50 percent
of those babies killed are girls. Recent reports indicate that over 50
percent are children of color. Think about the misogyny and the racism
of those genocidal numbers.
I strongly believe that life begins at conception, and as a father
and a Christian, I am deeply committed to protecting the sanctity of
life. In the 116th Congress, I have sought to be a voice for those who
cannot speak for themselves and have cosponsored over 20 bills to
protect life.
I am also proud to have joined 206 other pro-life Members of Congress
in signing a recent amicus brief to the Supreme Court. If successful
and this so-called right to abortion, as outlined in Roe v. Wade, is
considered unworkable by the courts, then it is time to overturn that
tragic decision.
Mr. Speaker, I close with this: Millions of Americans believe that
life begins at conception and must be protected. I stand with those
Americans to fight for the lives that may be snuffed out before they
have even begun. We must continue to fight for those who have been
denied the opportunity to grow, to flourish, and to make an impact on
our world.
Mr. SMITH of New Jersey. Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from
Colorado (Mr. Lamborn).
Mr. LAMBORN. Mr. Speaker, today I rise to mark, with sadness, the
47th anniversary of Roe v. Wade. This tragic Supreme Court decision has
resulted in the loss of over 60 million unborn babies' lives. This
surpasses the number killed by Stalin and Hitler, combined.
In a country, today, where so many social and technological
advancements have been achieved, how is it that we still fail to value
the most fundamental part of human society--a human life?
The repercussions of Roe have been disastrous. Over 60 million
children have lost their lives because of Roe.
I am dismayed by the arguments I hear coming from those who call
themselves pro-choice. Those 60 million unborn were not given a choice.
I have two wonderful and lovely daughters-in-law who are expecting
babies as we speak right now. I am so glad that these two principled
women and their husbands value life.
Now, our choice is to be the voice for the voiceless. I am proud to
stand here with my colleagues in Congress for the cause of life.
Mr. SMITH of New Jersey. Mr. Speaker, may I inquire how much time we
have left.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The gentleman has 14 minutes remaining.
Mr. SMITH of New Jersey. Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from
Georgia.
Mr. ALLEN. Mr. Speaker, I have 4 children and 13 grandchildren, and I
can't imagine life without them and the love that we have for each
other. In fact, every human life from the moment of conception is
precious, worthy of dignity and respect.
The right to life should not be a political debate.
{time} 1900
As a society, we should be united in the understanding that killing
another human being, a baby, an unborn child, is immoral and
unconstitutional. But in 1973 the Supreme Court ruled to make abortion
available throughout pregnancy for nearly any reason.
Mr. Speaker, there are only five countries in the world that allow
abortion after the first 5 months, and, unfortunately, the U.S. is one
of them. But Americans want better: 82 percent of Americans believe
that abortion should be restricted. However, radicals on the left are
taking abortion to a new extreme trying to justify killing a healthy,
7-pound baby up until the point of birth.
Can you imagine?
Some even try to justify killing a baby who survives an abortion
attempt. In fact, we have a petition on this floor called the Born-
Alive Abortion Survivors Protection Act, and there are 240 Members of
this body who refuse to sign that petition. This is repugnant.
Can you imagine, as the Virginia Governor described, a baby born in a
botched abortion: What we do is make the child comfortable and then
talk with the mother and the other stakeholders to decide whether we
kill the baby.
That is un-American.
In the 47 years since Roe v. Wade, we killed over 60 million of these
children. That is why I am proud to cosponsor H.R. 50 which will
memorialize the unborn by lowering the United States flag to half-staff
on the 22nd of January each year.
Mr. Speaker, I pray that the hearts and minds of every person in this
country, particularly those who are Members of this body, will change
and vote for life.
Mr. SMITH of New Jersey. Mr. Speaker, I appreciate my good friend and
colleague for his very eloquent statement.
Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Yoho).
Mr. YOHO. Mr. Speaker, I would like to tell Congressman Chris Smith
how proud I am, that he is one of my heroes for doing what he is doing.
The gentleman has never wavered on this.
Mr. Speaker, as we approach the anniversary of Roe v. Wade, it is a
solemn reminder of the tragedy that continues to befall some of our
Nation's unborn children. We should repeat this again on Mother's Day.
For 47 years the Nation has allowed the sanctity of life to be
questioned and infringed upon. All of us in this Chamber are here
because we were granted the blessing of life. We were allowed to live
our lives and decide what path we wished to embark upon. Unfortunately,
not all Americans are allowed this choice. Some children are stopped
before they can even defend themselves.
I, along with many of my colleagues, cannot and will not accept that
reality. A reality where we as a nation provide more protection for an
unhatched bald eagle or a turtle embryo, i.e, an egg,
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than we do the children of our own species.
It is my hope that on this anniversary we can pray for the souls of
those children lost and work towards a future where all children are
allowed to decide their own future in this blessed Nation of ours. Our
Founding Fathers were grounded in the Christian principles this Nation
was founded on.
2 Chronicles 7:14: ``If my people, who are called by my name, will
humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked
ways; then I will hear from heaven, and I will forgive their sin, and
will heal their land.''
Mr. SMITH of New Jersey. Mr. Speaker, again I point out to my
colleagues that there are so many medical doctors who are part of this
pro-life effort. Hopefully, their views, like all of ours, but theirs
especially, will be weighed and, hopefully, people will agree to the
great work that Dr. Joyce is doing.
Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. Joyce).
Mr. JOYCE of Pennsylvania. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for
yielding. And I want to acknowledge Mr. Smith from New Jersey for
taking such courageous leadership on this very important issue. We as a
body thank the gentleman.
Mr. Speaker, 47 years of the amoral destruction of life is 47 years
too long. As a physician, my pro-life conviction is rooted in the
Hippocratic oath's commitment to protecting human life. In the medical
community, each of us is called to do everything in our power to
protect the patients to whom we are assigned. Each of us pledges to do
no harm.
Mr. Speaker, Roe v. Wade directly contradicts this oath. Each life is
a precious gift that is truly worthy of our protection.
As our Nation marks another tragic anniversary of Roe v. Wade, I
remain committed to serving as a steadfast voice for the voiceless. As
we continue this fight, I remain eternally hopeful that our Nation will
someday value all human life for its inherent worth and its dignity.
Mr. SMITH of New Jersey. Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from
Kansas (Mr. Watkins), who represents the Second Congressional District.
Mr. WATKINS. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from New Jersey for
his leadership on this. This Congress is better because of it, and this
Nation is better because of the gentleman's efforts.
Mr. Speaker, I rise to be a voice for the voiceless. There is no
effort more important than our protecting the sanctity of life. As a
true political freshman, new to Congress and new to politics, I was so
proud that the first bill I put my name on was to defund Planned
Parenthood.
Most recently I introduced H.R. 4800, the Pro-LIFE Act. My bill would
close the ``valuable consideration'' loophole by prohibiting the sale
of human fetal issues. These are unborn babies' hearts, livers, bones,
and brains that are used in experiments. I urge my colleagues to please
sign on to my Pro-LIFE Act, H.R. 4800.
May God bless the unborn, and may God have mercy on us all.
Mr. SMITH of New Jersey. Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from
Texas (Mr. Cloud), who is my friend and colleague.
Mr. CLOUD. Mr. Speaker, January 22 marks the 47th anniversary of the
United States Supreme Court decision, Roe v. Wade. On that day, in a
historic moment of judicial overreach and without legislative action,
the Supreme Court declared abortion legal in our country. Since then 61
million babies have been robbed of their right to life, liberty, and
the pursuit of happiness.
Today we know much more than we did when Roe v. Wade was handed down.
Decades of scientific advancements have revealed much about the
development and vitality of the unborn child. We know, for example,
beyond any shadow of a doubt that unborn babies feel and react to pain
at just 20 weeks, which means, yes, they do feel the pain of an
abortion.
Fetal heart rate monitors and 3D ultrasounds are commonly used by
expectant mothers today. The use of this technology was very limited in
1973, but now we know that the sounds of heartbeats and images of a
moving baby reveal one thing to us, and that is life. Continued
scientific discovery and the technological advancements have only
strengthened the case that the life of a child yet to be born is
precious.
I do believe that everyone has a right to life and equal protection
under the law. Thomas Jefferson once said: ``Indeed I tremble for my
country when I reflect that God is just, that His justice cannot sleep
forever.''
I pray for God's mercy on this Nation. And I pray that we in this
Chamber and those across our Nation will continue to work together to
end this injustice.
Mr. SMITH of New Jersey. Mr. Speaker, I yield to another gentleman
from Texas (Mr. Wright), and I thank him for sponsoring the
Teleabortion Prevention Act and the Child Custody Protection Act.
Mr. WRIGHT. Mr. Speaker, I want to thank Congressman Smith for his
incredible leadership on the life issue in the Congress.
Mr. Speaker, 47 years ago the moral and religious fabric of the
United States was tragically torn. As a result of the Roe v. Wade
decision, 61 million unborn children have lost their lives, and
millions of women and families have been torn apart by abortion. I
promised my constituents that I would be a voice for the voiceless in
Washington, and I have no intention of breaking that promise.
Over the past year my colleagues on the other side of the aisle have
time and time again blocked legislation that protects the unborn and
women's health. Last year we saw lawmakers block the Born-Alive
Abortion Survivors Protection Act over 80 times, explicitly endorsing
infanticide.
A number of important pro-life bills have been introduced in this
Congress, including, as Mr. Smith mentioned, my Teleabortion Prevention
Act and the Child Custody Protection Act that protects young women who
are being taken across State lines for an abortion. Both have been
stalled by partisan politics.
We also saw lawmakers in New York and Virginia cheer legislation that
would allow abortions in the ninth month of pregnancy when most babies
are viable. This is an outrage. Protecting the voiceless unborn is one
of the most significant contributions we can make in our lives, and we,
as a nation, need to get back to protecting it.
Mr. SMITH of New Jersey. Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from
Mississippi (Mr. Guest), who represents the Third Congressional
District.
Mr. GUEST. Mr. Speaker, Jeremiah 1:5 states: ``Before I formed you in
the womb I knew you, before you were born I set you apart.''
In the 47 years that have passed since Roe v. Wade, over 45 million
Americans have tragically been robbed of their lives through abortion.
The fight to protect the lives of our unborn children, however, has
grown stronger since Roe v. Wade.
As we have developed a better understanding of the immense
consequences that abortion inflicts on the mother, our society, and,
most importantly, the child in the womb, individual States, including
my home State of Mississippi, have enacted more than 1,000 preventive
laws to protect the unborn.
As a pro-life Member I am proud to join the bipartisan group of
Representatives and Senators who have filed an amicus brief that
outlines the arguments of why Roe v. Wade should be overturned.
I am grateful for the tremendous leadership of President Trump and
his administration to ensure the Federal Government's regulatory
efforts to preserve life.
Mr. Speaker, I encourage every American to join the movement to
protect our unborn children and support efforts to defend the right to
life.
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