On the recordFebruary 25, 2019
Mr. President, I rise today to join many of my colleagues in raising our voices on behalf of some of the most vulnerable members of our society. Recently, a very disturbing and revealing discussion has been taking place in our country that raises serious questions about how much value and worth we ascribe to babies in the womb, especially those who are born despite an attempted abortion procedure. Before I go any further, let me say this clearly and unequivocally: If we as a nation are to hold any claim to a moral character that deserves to be admired and emulated, then we must be willing to say that the lives of newborn children have inherent value and are worthy of protection. There is simply no way to credibly claim otherwise. Whether it be legislation introduced or enacted by State legislatures or comments made by public officials, such as the Governor of Virginia, our country has begun to entertain the idea that the rights and privileges newborn babies possess is an open-ended question. This is alarming, and the U.S. Senate should go on the record in defense of their right to live instead of being callously discarded or worse--intentionally killed in the name of reproductive freedom. There is no middle ground here. It is concerning to me that in some corners of this country, and even within this Congress, there is an utter failure to recognize and affirm the right to life, especially after an infant has already been born.…





