Statements on Introduced Bills and Joint Resolutions

Floor Speech

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By Mr. BOOZMAN (for himself, Mr. Graham, Mr. Risch, Mr. Coats, Mr. Thune, and Mr. Johanns):

S. 1005. A bill to provide for parental notification and intervention in the case of a minor seeking an abortion; to the Committee on the Judiciary.

Mr. BOOZMAN. Mr. President, polls show nearly 80 percent of Americans agree parents should have the legal right to stop an abortion from being performed on their minor daughter. Many States such as Arkansas have enacted laws requiring parental notification, and these laws have proven very effective at the state level. Texas' teen abortion rate has dropped 25 percent since passage of its parental notification law in 2000 and Virginia and South Dakota have had similar results since parental notification laws were passed more than 10 years ago. However without a Federal law parents in those States are not required to be notified when their daughters go out-of-state for an abortion. Also, judges exploit loopholes in state laws by granting ``judicial bypass'' so often times the law is not enforced. The Parental Notification and Intervention Act requires that parents be notified at least four days in advance of any abortion to be performed on their minor daughter and gives them power to stop an abortion from being performed. My colleagues Senators Graham, Risch, Coats, Thune, and Johanns join me in introducing this important legislation. I would also like to thank Representative Steve King for his support and leadership on the House companion version of the Parental Notification and Intervention Act.

Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the text of the bill be printed in the RECORD.

There being no objection, the text of the bill was ordered to be printed in the RECORD.

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