[Congressional Record Volume 167, Number 17 (Thursday, January 28, 2021)]
[Senate]
[Page S191]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                                ABORTION

  Mr. DAINES. Mr. President, tomorrow is the 48th annual March for 
Life. Although this year's march will primarily be virtual, the 
importance of standing together to protect the unborn, the most 
vulnerable, and all life, is as important now as it has ever been.
  Forty-eight years ago, our country started down a dark path. Forty-
eight years ago, the Supreme Court tragically ruled in Roe v. Wade, and 
since then, we have lost the lives of 62 million people--62 million and 
counting--unborn babies, precious lives, by abortion.
  I believe every human being is born with God-given dignity and 
potential. No court, no legislature, no law can take that away. 
Nevertheless, today, babies with Down syndrome are the most endangered 
on Earth.
  For me, this is very personal. Just under 3 years ago, our world was 
blessed with a sweet baby boy named Andrew. He has Down's. His parents 
are very close friends. Andrew is a true joy, and his family celebrates 
his life every single day. Our world truly would not be the same 
without him.
  But in the United States, 67 percent--67 percent--of babies diagnosed 
with Down syndrome are aborted, two out of three. For every person with 
Down syndrome alive today that you know or you meet--our friends, our 
family members, loved ones--two more are gone from this world because 
of abortion. This is chilling.
  In Europe, the numbers are even worse. In fact, in Iceland, because 
of abortion, the population of individuals with Down syndrome is 
virtually being eradicated. As prenatal screenings increase in 
availability, mothers frequently learn before birth if their baby has 
Down syndrome. Rather than giving supportive resources, these 
vulnerable moms are often pressured to abort the baby. We all too often 
hear of a false compassion that it would be better for unborn babies 
with Down Syndrome or other disabilities to not be brought into this 
world rather than live a life that might be different from other 
children. But that is not who we are as Americans.
  I am deeply concerned that for babies born with Down syndrome, 
abortion has become ``a tool of modern day eugenics,'' as Supreme Court 
Justice Clarence Thomas has said. It pains me to think about it.
  But we can't just think about this pain and the pain that it causes. 
We have to do something. We have to protect those precious lives at all 
costs. It is the duty of this body to end this injustice. That is why I 
am joining my colleague from Oklahoma, Senator Inhofe, in introducing 
the Protecting Individuals with Down Syndrome Act, which will prohibit 
abortions that are sought because of a diagnosis that an unborn child 
has or may have Down syndrome.
  This effort has the overwhelming support of the American public. In 
fact, just yesterday, a new Knights of Columbus-Marist poll found that 
70 percent of Americans oppose aborting a child on the basis that the 
child will be born with Down syndrome--70 percent. In fact, that 
includes over half of those who identify as pro-choice.
  This issue also sadly exposes a terrible hypocrisy we are seeing 
among supporters of abortion on demand. In fact, today, most 
Republicans and Democrats here in Congress are unified in their support 
for the Special Olympics and for protecting individuals with 
disabilities. Yet many of my colleagues across the aisle will oppose 
this commonsense legislation to stop the most lethal kind of 
discrimination imaginable, and that is being singled out and brutally 
killed because of a Down syndrome diagnosis. It is shameful.
  As Henry Hyde famously said: ``The promise of America is not just for 
the privileged, the planned and the perfect.''
  It is our duty to protect every innocent life, no matter how small, 
no matter how many chromosomes they may have.
  I yield the floor.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from Nevada.

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