[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. [[Page H282]] 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 [[Page H283]] 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 [[Page H284]] 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 [[Page H285]] 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.'' [[Page H286]] 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, [[Page H287]] 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. ____________________