Martha Roby: “I thank the gentlelady for yielding. I rise to support H.R. 1797, the Pain-Capable Unborn Child Protection Act. This…”

“I thank the gentlelady for yielding. I rise to support H.R. 1797, the Pain-Capable Unborn Child Protection Act. This bill would at last prohibit dangerous, late-term abortions of unborn children at 20 weeks. That's the stage of development which we feel pain. And I say ``we,'' Madam Chairman, for a reason. Many supporters of this bill are taking to Facebook and Twitter using the hashtag #TheyFeelPain to illustrate the brutal reality of late-term abortions. I applaud their efforts, and I appreciate the many notes of encouragement I've received from constituents back home in support of this bill. I certainly hope that they will keep those Facebook posts coming to get the word out about what we are doing here today. I use the phrase ``we feel pain'' because I'm afraid too often we speak of this issue like it's someone else we're talking about, some other species. Madam Chairman, we are talking about human beings--human beings--babies far along enough in development to feel touch, to respond to touch. We're talking about us. We were all 20 weeks at one time. Every Member in this Chamber was. We all reached a particular point of development at which the prayerful hope for life becomes precious potential and viability. These babies right now are in NICUs all over this country. Having been premature, the babies are laying in a protective environment trying to build stable breath, reaching to hold the fingers of their mommies and daddies.…”