Political Quotes

“Let me speak to the contents of this letter, because I think it is an important letter when we consider the medical debate here--not the legal or political debate but the medical debate. Dr. Hale wrote to me: Dear Senator Durbin: I am writing in response to your July 28th letter in which you asked for the College's response to Dr. Koop's statement that ``Partial-birth abortion is never medically necessary to protect a mother's health or future fertility.'' Dr. Hale goes on to say: The College's position on this is contained in a statement of policy entitled ``Statement on Intact Dilation and Extraction.'' That term, ``intact dilation and extraction,'' is the technical medical term for what we term ``partial-birth abortion.'' Dr. Hale goes on to say: In that statement we say, ``Terminating a pregnancy is performed in some circumstances to save the life or preserve the health of the mother.'' It continues, ``A select panel convened by [the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists] could identify no circumstances under which this procedure, as defined above, would be the only option to save the life or preserve the health of the woman.'' The statement goes on to say, An intact D&X, [partial-birth abortion] however, may be the best or most appropriate procedure in a particular circumstance to save the life or preserve the health of a woman . . . And listen closely, . . .”