Political Quotes

“I thank my friend from Maryland for his leadership and my friend from California on this. Mr. Speaker, I can't think of anything that is more important than what we are talking about here in Washington. There are three critical foundations which our Nation was built upon: the freedom of speech, the freedom of conscience, and the right to life. Thomas Jefferson, the author of the Declaration of Independence and our third President, said: ``No provision in our Constitution ought to be dearer to man than that which protects the rights of conscience against the enterprises of the civil authority.'' What he means by civil authority is government. Mr. Speaker, as I stand here today in the well of the House Chamber, Americans' freedom of conscience and our right to life is, once again, under attack, and this time in California. This law at issue in California is a classic example of government using its power to force citizens to promote messages that conflict with their personal beliefs. Pro-life pregnancy centers are a valuable asset to women, to men, to the families, and certainly to those babies. Not only around the country but certainly in Michigan, these centers provide, at no charge, practical advice and resources, information, emotional support for expecting mothers and those fathers and families in need.…”