[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 147 (2001), Part 5]
[House]
[Page 6297]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]



   UNBORN VICTIMS OF VIOLENCE ACT, A SHIELD OF PROTECTION TO UNBORN 
                                CHILDREN

  (Mr. GRAVES asked and was given permission to address the House for 1 
minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. GRAVES. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support of H.R. 503, 
the Unborn Victims of Violence Act. This bill extends a shield of 
protection to those children that cannot protect themselves.
  Under this bill, a criminal who commits a violent crime against a 
pregnant mother will be charged with a second offense on behalf of the 
second victim, the unborn child.
  My home State of Missouri, along with 23 other States across our 
Nation, already recognize that unborn children who are victims of 
crimes must be protected from the violent actions of criminals. This 
legislation will extend the same level of protection to all mothers and 
their unborn children which is currently afforded to the mothers and 
children of Missouri and half the States across our country.
  Our vote today will send a clear message to the criminals around this 
Nation that the laws of this land will not tolerate the violent actions 
against the mothers and their unborn children and will hold criminals 
strictly accountable for their heinous crimes.
  I urge my colleagues to join me in supporting H.R. 503, Mr. Speaker.

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