Zoe Lofgren: “I think it is clear, and we need to be honest about it, that the debate and the underlying bill is about choice and it…”

“I think it is clear, and we need to be honest about it, that the debate and the underlying bill is about choice and it is about Roe v. Wade. That is why the National Right to Life Committee has vigorously lobbied for H.R. 503 and why the National Coalition Against Domestic Violence has lobbied actively against 503. What we are doing here today is offering a substitute that we hope can bring both sides of the choice to come together in unity to protect pregnant women from violent assault when that assault injures or terminates their pregnancy. The Lofgren-Conyers substitute does not threaten Roe v. Wade as the underlying bill does. I have heard a lot of the arguments made here this morning, but I think it is worth pointing out that redefining personhood legislatively for the purposes of the 14th amendment in this criminal statute may have the impact of allowing, even though certain activities are carved out of the bill, for prosecutorial purposes, it does not deal with civil actions. Clearly the bill could outline the ability for guardians to be appointed for fetuses or even zygotes, and that civil action and injunctions could be based upon this bill. The Lofgren-Conyers substitute does not do that. We do not needlessly inject the abortion debate into the matter of criminal justice.”