Dan Coats: “So here we are on this floor debating something that is very much in the role of the Senate. If it is not in the role of…”

“So here we are on this floor debating something that is very much in the role of the Senate. If it is not in the role of a Senator to make moral judgments, then we might as well close the place up because there is very little else to do. Most of what we do here has moral implications. There are some things that do not, but most things do. If that is the case, then I think a lot of people are going to have to remove their names from sponsorship of legislation that mandates mammograms for women under a certain age. Some Senators are going to have to remove their names from support for laws that require 48-hour hospital stays after birth. Some Senators are going to have to remove their support for laws and legislation that condemns genital mutilation. Are those not medical procedures? So if we are going to leave all that to the world outside of this Chamber, I think a lot of Senators are going to have to rethink their positions on a lot of issues. I also think it is inappropriate to suggest that this is some kind of male conspiracy against women. I think when the vote is taken today, we will see women voting to terminate this procedure. I think when the polls are taken and women are addressed throughout our society, we will find there are as many women in opposition to this procedure and in abhorrence of this procedure as there are men. It is also wrong to say that this is only some kind of a pro-life Senate movement.”