Bart Stupak: “Mr. Chairman, I come down here today. I had no intention of coming down here until I started listening to the debate…”

“Mr. Chairman, I come down here today. I had no intention of coming down here until I started listening to the debate, and the more I listened to it, the more concerned I have become and the more convinced I am that we need the amendment proposed by the gentleman from Michigan [Mr. Conyers]. There are very few principles in our Constitution or in the amendments in our Bill of Rights that are more sacred than protecting people and their homes from unreasonable search and seizures. As I was in my office discussing matters with some constituents, the gentleman from North Carolina, who had a very long and distinguished career in law enforcement, came up and spoke in favor of H.R. 666, but what the gentleman said are words to this effect, that the fourth amendment applies only to law-abiding citizens, as he was 2 months ago. I say to my colleague, 'The fourth amendment applies to everyone in this country, whether you're a law-abiding citizen, whether you are driving down the road and being stopped by the police, or whether you are walking home at night and being stopped by the police. We are all citizens, and we all have the protection of the fourth amendment against unreasonable search and seizures.'”