[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 156 (2010), Part 1]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page 533]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                          HONORING THE UNBORN

                                 ______
                                 

                          HON. JEB HENSARLING

                                of texas

                    in the house of representatives

                       Thursday, January 21, 2010

  Mr. HENSARLING. Madam Speaker, I need not tell you that tomorrow 
millions of Americans will reflect upon the Supreme Court decision, Roe 
v. Wade. Some Americans will celebrate. Many others will mourn. I will 
mourn that decision.
  I know this question represents one of the great political fault 
lines in America today and that many of my countrymen and women feel 
quite differently than I do. But I believe in my heart and in my head 
that there is no more fundamental right that we have than the right to 
life. It is enshrined in our founding documents. Our Creator brought us 
into this world with certain unalienable rights, including the right to 
life.
  I can come to no other conclusion in my heart and in my head that 
life begins at conception. I cannot understand my countrymen who come 
to different conclusions. I do not hate these people, nor do I 
disparage them, but I have great sadness about what has occurred 
because of their beliefs: that millions of our countrymen are not here 
today to take that first breath, to take that first walk, to go into 
that first dance recital, to hit that first baseball, to put together 
that first ``Two plus two equals four. I did it, daddy.'' Millions and 
millions of our fellow countrymen will never experience that moment 
because of what I believe to be a very wrongheaded and a very 
unconstitutional decision made many, many years ago.
  And so, a battle continues in this great body as a battle continues 
all across our land. It's not just a battle to change laws. It is a 
battle to change the hearts and minds of our countrymen. It is 
something that I take as an article of faith. But, if there is any 
parent in this body who has seen that sonogram when your baby is just 
weeks old, to see that beating heart, to see those little fingers, to 
see those little toes, and know that you have this great privilege that 
God Almighty has entrusted you with this gift to nurture this life, how 
you see that and turn your back on it is beyond me, it is absolutely 
beyond me.
  I wish I knew what I could say to reach out to my fellow citizens and 
try to convince them to treasure human life and to understand how 
precious it is. And often when we hear in the debate in this 
institution that we ought to do something for the least of these, truly 
unborn life is the least of these. Let us recognize it. Let us hold it 
precious. Let us live up to our constitutional responsibilities and let 
us live up to our responsibilities from the Creator and grant our 
fellow citizens that precious right to life.
  There is much work to be done. I see a day, which may not be in my 
life, but maybe in the life of my children and maybe in the life of my 
grandchildren, should I be blessed with any, that one day all Americans 
will somehow lock arms and lock hearts and decide that they will 
protect and defend that unalienable right to life.

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