Political Quotes

“the issue presented by H.R. 1833, the partial birth abortion bill, is one that requires careful thought and consideration. The medical procedure that is addressed by this legislation is, in my judgment and in the judgment of hundreds of my constituents, gruesome. My vote today to sustain the President's veto in no way indicates my support for that procedure. The fact is, however, that it is a medical procedure. With no medical training, I am not qualified, and I do not think this Congress is qualified, to rule on the necessity of specific medical decisions. This is a medical question, not a political one. If this bill were to become law, it would establish the precedent of Congress placing in our criminal statutes specific medical procedures. That would be a mistake. It would a different matter to have a straight-forward debate about the circumstances under which late-term abortions are medically justified. However, that is not what we're doing today. Instead, we are debating whether to outlaw a specific medical procedure. I am dismayed that the American Medical Association, or other appropriate governing bodies of medical professionals, has not stepped forward on this issue. They have the expertise and the responsibility to rule on the necessity of this procedure, and I have urged them, in writing, to do so.”