Steny Hoyer: “What I am trying to focus us on is abortion is a wrenching question for America. It is a wrenching question for…”

“What I am trying to focus us on is abortion is a wrenching question for America. It is a wrenching question for Americans. It is a wrenching, traumatic issue for the individuals involved. It is a wrenching issue for me as a legislator. I will tell you that. I cannot believe I am any different than any other legislator in this body. What I am saying is, that is not what this is about. It is not about this because Federal employees, like every American, have been guaranteed by the Constitution to choose something that many people believe ought not to be an available choice. I understand that. But they ought not to be treated differently because they are Federal employees, and that is what this is about; not about whether abortion is legal or illegal, not about the wrenching issues brought up by the gentleman from New Jersey, for whom I have a great deal of respect. It is about whether Federal employees will be treated differently than every other employee in America.”