Issue Position: Abortion

Issue Position

Human life is a gift and we, as a nation, should work to preserve it, rather than take it. In 1973, the United States Supreme Court ruled in Roe v. Wade that a woman's right to have an abortion is constitutionally protected. I strongly disagree with this ruling and unfortunately, since that time, many innocent lives have been lost. While Congress cannot outlaw abortion, we can certainly try to make it rare -- an objective that most Americans support. As a United States Senator, I have worked on many fronts to reduce abortions and the unwanted pregnancies that make abortions so prevalent in our society. I have been a longstanding proponent of funding for abstinence education, because abstinence is the only 100 percent reliable method for preventing unwanted pregnancies.

I believe that it is a parent's job to protect and care for their children. I also believe wholeheartedly that parental involvement is essential before a child undergoes a major medical procedure, particularly when it includes making a decision as life changing as the choice to have an abortion. Throughout my tenure in Congress, I have consistently supported, and will continue to support, efforts to preserve the lives of unborn children. I strongly believe that it is our moral and ethical duty to protect the dignity of human life, particularly when it comes to the lives of the most vulnerable members of the human race.

I feel that we should continue working to preserve and protect the lives of the unborn, not make abortions more accessible, both at home and abroad, through the use of federal taxpayer dollars. I also feel that our government should continue to uphold and protect the rights of health care personnel and their choice to abstain from morally objectionable procedures, such as abortions. During the 112th Congress, I will continue to support measures that protect the unborn and limit federal funding for abortions.

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