Hearing of the Constitution and Civil Justice Subcommittee of the House Judiciary Committee - Opening Statement of Rep. Bob Goodlatte, Hearing on "The Heartbeat Protection Act"

Hearing

Since the Supreme Court's decision in Roe v. Wade, medical knowledge regarding the development of unborn babies and their capacities at various stages of growth has advanced dramatically. Today, we even see stunningly detailed images of unborn children commonly celebrated on social media.

Congress has the power, and the responsibility, to acknowledge the significance of these profound developments through the enactment of pro-life legislation.

Last month, the House passed the Pain-Capable Unborn Child Protection Act, which is supported by the President and now pending in the Senate. That legislation prohibits abortions after 20 weeks of pregnancy, post-fertilization -- the point at which scientific evidence shows the unborn can experience great suffering. I support other pro-life measure as well, including the bill to be discussed at this hearing, which limits abortions at an earlier stage of an unborn child's development.

I look forward to hearing from all our witnesses here today.

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