Ileana Ros-Lehtinen: “I rise in support of S. 403, the Child Custody Protection Act, a bill that has indeed passed the House in 1998, in 1999…”

“I rise in support of S. 403, the Child Custody Protection Act, a bill that has indeed passed the House in 1998, in 1999 and in 2002, making it a Federal offense to transport a minor across State lines in order to circumvent that State's abortion parental notification laws. The legislation before us today, Mr. Speaker, is a commonsense one. It protects minors from exploitation from the abortion industry, it promotes strong family ties, and it helps foster respect for State laws. A minor who is forbidden to drink alcohol, to stay out past a certain hour or to get her ears pierced without parental consent is certainly not prepared to make a life-altering, hazardous and potentially fatal decision such as an abortion without the consultation or consent of at least one parent. Language included in this legislation will also require that an abortion provider notify a parent when a minor is transported to a State where no parental notification laws exist.”