Forty Years of Victims' Legacy of Abortion

Floor Speech

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Mr. CANTOR. I thank the gentleman.

I come to the floor today to join my colleagues in support of the March for Life.

It seems that too often in Washington these days the focus is on what people are against rather than what they are for. But this Friday, thousands of Americans will gather because of their support of what our Founders described as one of the unalienable rights endowed by our Creator: life. Some of those gathered will be Republicans, others Democrats. Others will belong to no political party at all. They will belong to every faith and race and will belong to every socioeconomic demographic.

Those gathered this Friday and those of us here on the floor of the House this afternoon are joined because we believe that life must be protected--and must be protected especially for those who have no ability to protect it themselves.

Since Roe v. Wade in 1973 medical science has made tremendous gains. Today, expecting parents can watch 3-D images of their young child playing in the womb. Today, doctors can perform life-saving surgeries on children while they are still in utero. Today, thanks to medical science, we know that within 6 weeks after conception these little lives have a heartbeat and brain waves.

Here in the people's House we are taking steps to defend life, as are numerous State legislatures throughout the country. But the real heroes are those men and women who volunteer at pregnancy centers helping women, and those gathered for the March for Life who are committed to this mission. They gather this year not only in the name of protecting life but also to celebrate the life of the founder of the March, Nellie Gray. We'll all miss her red coat up there on that stage, leading the March up the hill, but I know Nellie would be as pleased as I am to see the progress being made for this most important cause--and she would encourage us never to rest until the job is done.

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