[Weekly Compilation of Presidential Documents Volume 39, Number 45 (Monday, November 10, 2003)]
[Pages 1540-1541]
[Online from the Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]

<R04>
Remarks on Signing the Partial-Birth Abortion Ban Act of 2003

November 5, 2003

    The President. Thank you very much. Good afternoon. I'm pleased that 
all of you have joined us as the Partial-Birth Abortion Ban Act of 2003 
becomes the law of the land. For years, a terrible form of violence has 
been directed against children who are inches from birth, while the law 
looked the other way. Today, at last, the American people and our 
Government have confronted the violence and come to the defense of the 
innocent child.
    I want to thank you all for coming. Many of you have worked long and 
hard to see this bill come to fruition, and we thank you for your 
efforts.
    Audience member. Thank you, Mr. President.
    The President. I see some members of my Cabinet have come. I 
appreciate the good work of the Attorney General, John Ashcroft. 
Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services Tommy Thompson 
is here. Thank you, Tommy.
    There are a lot of Members of the Senate and House here today. I 
want to thank you all for passing this important legislation. I'm glad 
you're here. The primary Senate sponsor is with us, Senator Rick 
Santorum. Senator Orrin Hatch and Senator Mike DeWine helped as well in 
the Senate. Thank you all very much. Steve Chabot was the primary House 
sponsor, and Steve is with us. Thanks for coming, Steve. I'm thankful 
that our Speaker is with us today. Mr. Speaker, I appreciate you coming. 
The majority leader, Tom DeLay, as well--thank you for coming, Tom. I'd 
like to mention three other Members of the House. Henry Hyde is with us 
today. Mr. Chairman, we appreciate you coming. Jim Oberstar is with us. 
Jim, thank you for being here, sir. I appreciate you coming. Bart Stupak 
from Michigan is with us as well. Thanks for coming, Bart, glad you're 
here.
    I appreciate His Eminence, Cardinal Egan, who's with us today. Thank 
you very much, sir.
    In passing this legislation, Members of the House and Senate made a 
studied decision based upon compelling evidence. The best case against 
partial-birth abortion is a simple description of what happens and to 
whom it happens. It involves the partial delivery of a live boy or girl 
and a sudden, violent end of that life. Our Nation owes its children a 
different and better welcome. The bill I am about to sign protecting 
innocent new life from this practice reflects the compassion and 
humanity of America.
    In the course of the congressional debate, the facts became clear. 
Each year, thousands of partial-birth abortions are committed. As Dr. C. 
Everett Koop, the pediatrician and former Surgeon General, has pointed 
out, the majority of partial-birth abortions are not required by medical 
emergency. As Congress has found, the practice is widely regarded within 
the medical profession as unnecessary, not only cruel to the child but 
harmful to the mother and a violation of medical ethics.
    The facts about partial-birth abortion are troubling and tragic, and 
no lawyer's brief can make them seem otherwise. By acting

[[Page 1541]]

to prevent this practice, the elected branches of our Government have 
affirmed a basic standard of humanity, the duty of the strong to protect 
the weak. The wide agreement amongst men and women on this issue, 
regardless of political party, shows that bitterness in political debate 
can be overcome by compassion and the power of conscience. And the 
executive branch will vigorously defend this law against any who would 
try to overturn it in the courts.
    America stands for liberty, for the pursuit of happiness, and for 
the unalienable right of life. And the most basic duty of Government is 
to defend the life of the innocent. Every person, however frail or 
vulnerable, has a place and a purpose in this world. Every person has a 
special dignity. This right to life cannot be granted or denied by 
Government, because it does not come from Government. It comes from the 
Creator of life.
    In the debate about the rights of the unborn, we are asked to 
broaden the circle of our moral concern. We're asked to live out our 
calling as Americans. We're asked to honor our own standards, announced 
on the day of our founding in the Declaration of Independence. We're 
asked by our convictions and tradition and compassion to build a culture 
of life and make this a more just and welcoming society. And today we 
welcome vulnerable children into the care and protection of Americans.
    The late Pennsylvania Governor Robert Casey once said that when we 
look to the unborn child, the real issue is not when life begins but 
when love begins. This is the generous and merciful spirit of our 
country at its best. This spirit is reflected in the Partial-Birth 
Abortion Ban Act of 2003, which I am now honored to sign into law.
    God bless.

[At this point, the President signed the bill.]

    The President. Thank you all.

Note: The President spoke at 1:40 p.m. at the Ronald Reagan Building and 
International Trade Center. In his remarks, he referred to Edward 
Cardinal Egan, Archdiocese of New York. S. 3, approved November 5, was 
assigned Public Law No. 108-105. The Office of the Press Secretary also 
released a Spanish language transcript of these remarks.