[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 149 (2003), Part 6]
[House]
[Pages 7955-7956]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                         PARTIAL BIRTH ABORTION

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under a previous order of the House, the 
gentleman from Iowa (Mr. King) is recognized for 5 minutes.
  Mr. KING of Iowa. Madam Speaker, an issue that concerns me a great 
deal has come before us here this evening. That subject matter is 
partial birth abortion.
  Given that the Committee on the Judiciary marked up the Partial Birth 
Abortion Act last week and that it will be debated on the floor soon, I 
would like to bring our attention back to the fundamental principles 
and facts of the issue.
  I have here a picture of an unborn baby 19 weeks old. Unborn 19- and 
20-week-old boys and girls are often victims of partial birth abortion, 
though many abortionists will abort unborn babies up to 24 weeks old 
and older.
  At 20 weeks old, this baby's body does not need to form new parts or 
develop new body systems. Instead, she will use the remaining time in 
her mother's womb to grow over the next 4\1/2\ months. She can dream, 
and she has REM sleep, just like you or me. At 20 weeks, she recognizes 
her mother's voice. Unborn babies, born prematurely at 21 or 22 weeks, 
can routinely be saved. Sometimes they can be saved even younger.
  If we open up the phone book, we will find in the Yellow Pages, and 
particularly here in Washington, D.C., advertisements offering to abort 
unborn babies up to 24 weeks.
  Many people recognize that this unborn baby's life should be 
protected. States have tried to outlaw these abortions, and many States 
have banned late-term abortion. But the Supreme Court in Doe v. Bolton 
created a mandatory loophole in all State laws that protect unborn 
children from abortion that allows abortionists to drive a truck 
through. The Supreme Court added an exception for the health of the 
mother to Georgia's law protecting unborn children that went far beyond 
an abortion necessary to save the life of the mother.
  Here is what they said: ``We agree with the District Court that the 
medical judgment may be exercised in the light of all factors--
physical, emotional, psychological, familial, and a woman's age--
relevant to the well-being of the patient. All these factors may relate 
to health. This allows the attending physician the room he needs to 
make his best medical judgment. And it is room that operates for the 
benefit, not the disadvantage, of the pregnant woman.'' That is a quote 
from the case.
  Abortionists continue to get around State bans on late-term abortions 
by

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finding excuses and justifications relating to emotional, 
psychological, and familial health. However, they neglect entirely the 
health of the unborn baby and his or her physical, emotional, 
psychological, and familial well-being.
  Dr. Warren Hern of Colorado, the author of the standard textbook on 
abortion procedures, who also performs many third-trimester abortions, 
has stated: ``I will certify that any pregnancy is a threat to a 
woman's life and could cause grievous injury to her physical health.'' 
Any pregnancy is a threat to a woman's life, according to Dr. Hern.
  Statements like those of Dr. Hern's that any pregnancy injures a 
woman's health underscore the need for a partial birth abortion ban at 
the Federal level. I hope Members will take my words to heart as we 
consider partial birth abortion and the right to life for all human 
beings, born and unborn.

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