Protecting the Rights of the Unborn
Floor Speech
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Mr. ROE of Tennessee. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for
yielding. Before I start, I want to say a few things about my good
friend Chris Smith. Of the 435 of us who serve here in the House of
Representatives, no one in this body has been a stronger voice for life
than Chris. Chris, thank you. Hopefully one day we will see this
egregious law overturned. Your perseverance over now four decades is
exemplary. Thank you so much.
Mr. Speaker, as an OB-GYN, I have personally delivered over 5,000
babies, and I strongly support the sanctity of life. Using technology
like the 3-D ultrasound has given us a window into the womb that shows
the unborn child as a living, breathing, feeling human being. I have
looked through that window with my own eyes literally thousands of
times, and I have seen human development occur from the earliest stages
of conception. When you see a heartbeat at 26 days post-conception,
already dreams are being developed by that mother and father about what
this baby will be in their lifetime. I have been fortunate enough to
experience that three times, and it is a wonderful feeling to know that
this little person is going to be your child and grow up to be who
knows what. All of the way through birth we see this, which strengthens
my conviction in the right to life.
Life is a precious miracle from God that begins at conception. It is
our responsibility and privilege as legislators to protect those who do
not have a voice. I will always fight for life because it is my
conviction that we are all unique creations of a God who knows us and
loves us before we are born.
Tonight we mark one of the most tragic, misguided Supreme Court cases
in our Nation's history: Roe v. Wade. Since 1973, more than 50 million
babies, as has been stated here numerous times, have been denied the
most basic right in this country, protected by our Constitution, which
is the right to life. We must make our laws consistent with our science
now and restore full legal protections to all those who are waiting to
be born. If government has any legitimate function at all, it is to
protect those, the most innocent among us.
For over 30 years Congress has prevented taxpayer-funded abortions.
Unfortunately, this door has been reopened with the passage of
ObamaCare, the largest expansion since the pivotal Roe v. Wade decision
was made 42 years ago. Members who stand here before you today pledge
themselves to protect those without a voice, and I look forward to
working with my colleagues to ensure this promise is kept. It is only
by making good on this oath that we can expect to restore the trust
that the American people have in their own government, and in doing so,
ensure that the door to taxpayer-funded abortions remains closed.
Let me just tell a brief story I was telling Congressman Smith before
we came onto the House floor. Over 25 years ago, my partner delivered a
baby, and I will just say ``Smith'' for privacy purposes. Baby Smith
weighed about 1 pound 6 ounces over 25 years ago. Well, the chances of
that baby surviving were minimal. Baby Smith got down to less than one
pound. I went by the intensive care nursery and saw this tiny baby that
I thought would never make it. Well, Baby Smith did make it, and I was
on a trip to Walmart with my kids one day, and there was this youngster
there with a pair of glasses on, just like his doctor had. He was 2
years old, and he was doing like any other 2 year old--he was knocking
everything off the shelf at Walmart. Wouldn't it have been a shame--and
we are aborting babies much larger than Baby Smith--and Baby Smith is
alive and well today, thriving in our country and being a productive
citizen in this country.
As a father and a grandfather, I am privileged to be here on the
House floor tonight with other legislators fighting for the rights of
the unborn.
Chris, thank you, and I thank my colleagues. God bless each and every
one of you.
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