Martha Roby: “I thank the gentlewoman from Tennessee and everyone who has worked so hard on this bill. Madam Speaker, I have sat here…”

“I thank the gentlewoman from Tennessee and everyone who has worked so hard on this bill. Madam Speaker, I have sat here for 25 minutes--or for however long-- listening to this debate, and I have been struck by the opposition to this bill's constant and consistent argument that this is about leaving these decisions to the mothers and their doctors. What about the baby? Who is standing up for that baby who cannot speak for himself? That is what we are doing here today. This is such an important measure on behalf of those who don't have a voice and who can feel pain. It is a shame that such a humane and compassionate measure has opposition at all, especially since great care has been taken to protect women and babies in this bill. If we won't stop abortions at 5 months, when unborn babies feel pain, when will we stop it? There have to be limits. Even those of us who want to end abortion altogether in any form support this restriction. Do you know why? It protects babies. It saves babies. It protects women. It assigns a greater value to human life.”