Political Quotes

“it seems very clear to me that we have people who would prefer an issue to a bill that could become law. I offered an amendment in committee that would have provided an exception to the ban in cases where it was necessary to use this procedure to avoid serious adverse physical health consequences to the mother. Now, people on the other side have argued that health is too broad. I do not agree with that. I find the health concept important. But I also understand the health concept, including mental health, is most directly relevant when we are talking about whether or not to have an abortion. This bill does not say you cannot have an abortion; it says you may not use this particular procedure. Where we are talking about a ban on a specific procedure, then physical issues become more prominent, because the mental question generally is as to whether or not an abortion is permitted. Here is what the majority is insisting upon. A doctor believes he can show that it is necessary under the wording of this bill to use this procedure for a woman who has established her right to an abortion, because otherwise there would be severe physical adverse health consequences, and the majority says no. The majority says even if avoiding this procedure will subject the woman to severe adverse physical health consequences, as long as she is not going to die, but if she is severely physically damaged, then they cannot use this procedure.”