Political Quotes

“In the 14 years that I have served in Congress I have faced many votes on this issue. Not one of these votes has been an easy one. I have tried to make a decision of conscience in each case. When I took a look at the drawings which the Republicans bring forward about this procedure, it troubled me. And I am sure as we hear this procedure described, it troubles us all, as it would most Americans. But then one day a woman walked into my office whom I had never met before, from Naperville, IL. Her name was Vikki Stella. She said to me, 'Congressman, let me tell you my story. We had several children in our family and our baby was on the way. We had named the child. We had painted the nursery. We had the baby shower. And we were told late in the pregnancy that a sonogram disclosed that this poor new baby of ours would never survive because of tragic deformities.' Because Vikki was also diabetic and had her own medical conditions to be concerned about, the doctors warned her that if she went through a normal pregnancy at that point she ran the risk of never having another child. A double tragedy: Losing this baby and never being able to bear another. She and her husband laid awake at night crying over this decision. It was no frivolous, easy decision for selfish reasons, and they decided that it was best for them and their family to terminate that pregnancy with the procedure that would be prohibited and criminalized by this bill.”