Roscoe Bartlett: “I rise to support the Unborn Victims of Violence Act and to oppose the Democratic amendment. H.R. 1997 would state that…”

“I rise to support the Unborn Victims of Violence Act and to oppose the Democratic amendment. H.R. 1997 would state that when a violent criminal act is committed against a pregnant woman, and that act results in the death of the baby, the criminal will be guilty of a second offense. What this debate comes down to is personhood, according to a well-known liberal activist group. People for the American Way, a group opposing this bill, stated, ``Unlike the underlying bill, however, the pro-choice Lofgren substitute would not threaten Roe by recognizing the embryo or fetus as a separate, legal `person.' '' That is correct. Today in the House, we declare that criminal acts committed against pregnant mothers are crimes against two persons. What else could it be? Human beings take different forms throughout life, but they never lose their humanness, their humanity. A baby in the womb will be born a person. A newborn, although it cannot fend for itself, is a person. An 87-year-old that shuffles slowly along is still a person. Mr. Speaker, when there are two victims, there should be two crimes. I urge the House to pass H.R. 1997.”