Barbara Mikulski: “I will cast my vote to uphold the President's veto. I do so for several reasons. First and foremost, this bill denies a…”

“I will cast my vote to uphold the President's veto. I do so for several reasons. First and foremost, this bill denies a woman, in consultation with her physician, the right to make necessary or appropriate medical decisions. Second, it does not provide any protection for a woman whose health is grievously threatened by her pregnancy. Third, this bill will not stop a single abortion from occurring. Finally, it is unconstitutional. I believe that women, in consultation with their physicians, must make decisions on what is medically necessary or appropriate in reproductive matters. These must be medical decisions not political decisions. Mr. President, we need to let doctors be doctors. This is my principle whether we are talking about reproductive choice or any health care matter. Physicians have the training and expertise to make medical decisions. They are in the best position to determine what is necessary or appropriate for their patients. Not bureaucrats. Not managed care accountants. And certainly not legislators.”