Child Interstate Abortion Notification Act
CHILD INTERSTATE ABORTION NOTIFICATION ACT -- (Extensions of Remarks - April 28, 2005)
SPEECH OF
HON. BILL SHUSTER
OF PENNSYLVANIA
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
WEDNESDAY, APRIL 27, 2005
Mr. SHUSTER. Mr. Speaker, I rise to applaud the House for the passage of H.R. 748, the Child Interstate Notification Act, sponsored by my colleague from Florida Congresswoman ILEANA ROS-LEHTINEN. This important legislation prohibits the transportation of a minor across state lines to obtain an abortion for the sole purpose of avoiding parental consent laws.
It is a tragedy to deny parents the ability to consult with their child at the most critical time. It is a parent who can provide the emotional and psychological support that their daughter will need. Additionally, parents know their daughter's medical history. They know any allergies that she may have to certain medications or anesthesia. In an era when a child must seek parental consent to receive aspirin from school officials, it seems reasonable to aspect that a child seek that same consent to obtain a major medical procedure.
Mr. Speaker, I come from a state that requires parental notification. Yet out of state clinics are constantly trying to circumvent our parental notification laws. It is not an uncommon practice for clinics in New Jersey, a state without parental notification laws, to advertise in Pennsylvania phone books. In fact, these clinics will go as far as to highlight the fact that they will perform abortions without parental notification. The passage of the Child Interstate Notification Act will effectively put an end to this atrocious practice.
Also, it should be noted that in no way does passage H.R. 748 interfere with or supercede existing state law. This bill simply deals with the interstate transporting of minors. As a parent of two children, I appreciate that the passage of this legislation will ensure that children will not be transported across state lines to circumvent state law.
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