Political Quotes

“I thank my colleague from the State of Washington for her eloquence and leadership on this issue, as I do my colleague from California. She has been steadfast and strong in support of a woman's right to make choices about reproductive rights. She is absolutely right; we are not going away. This bill that will be introduced later today from our colleague from South Carolina--as much as we respect him--is a nonstarter because it is nonsensical and unconstitutional. This bill was passed by the House of Representatives earlier this year. We could not have been clearer then, and we should be very clear now, that it is inappropriate, unwise, and unfair. It remains so today and will be so for as long as we are here. This bill essentially leaves any woman who needs an abortion for health reasons--and I stress, for health reasons--after 20 weeks of a pregnancy with no options--none. It punishes doctors with up to 5 years in prison for providing a service that the doctor believes, in his or her professional judgment, in his or her medical opinion, is best for her and her family. Those decisions are what the Constitution protects, what Roe v. Wade guarantees, what the right of privacy preserves in the right to be left alone. Quite simply, this bill is bad for women, and it criminalizes medical professionals who would try to do what is right.…”