[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 149 (2003), Part 18]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page 24414]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




   CONFERENCE REPORT ON S. 3, PARTIAL-BIRTH ABORTION BAN ACT OF 2003

                                 ______
                                 

                               speech of

                           HON. JOHN BOOZMAN

                              of arkansas

                    in the house of representatives

                       Thursday, October 2, 2003

  Mr. BOOZMAN. Mr. Speaker, I voted in support of S. 3, the Partial-
Birth Abortion Ban Act of 2003. This legislation, passed by the House 
of Representatives on October 2, 2003, will outlaw the horrific act of 
partial birth abortion.
  My colleagues and I are sending the President comprehensive 
legislation that protects the sanctity of life. The Partial-Birth 
Abortion Ban will save the lives of thousands of unborn. It will 
protect women from going through this evasive, harmful procedure.
  The American public has become educated on how this procedure is 
done. The abortionist intentionally delivers the baby feet first and 
stops with the head still in the mother. They then puncture the skull 
of the child and remove the brain. The skull collapses and the 
abortionist completes the delivery of a now dead baby. If the head 
slips out at any time the abortionist must stop the procedure. This 
procedure defines life by inches of a baby's head.
  Many members of the medical community, myself included, find the 
practice of partial-birth abortion to be appalling. In fact, this ban 
has been endorsed by the American Medical Association. America's 
doctors recognize the uselessness and danger of this procedure, not 
only to the baby, but to the mother as well.
  This is a very emotional issue and every Member of the House who 
voted for this important legislation truly considered whom we are 
trying to protect. The most innocent members of our society are under 
attack. If we don't protect them, who will?
  Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleagues for voting to protecting our 
unborn children. We must stand together and recognize the damage 
inflicted on America when we treat life as a privilege and not a right. 
I commend the members of both Houses who have worked so hard to bring 
this legislation to a vote.

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