W. Todd Akin: “when a woman and a child are assaulted or, even more seriously than that, the child is killed, there are two victims.…”

“when a woman and a child are assaulted or, even more seriously than that, the child is killed, there are two victims. The problem currently with our law is that we only recognize one of those victims. That is the purpose of H.R. 503 and that is the problem with the substitute. It fails to recognize one of the victims. The gentlewoman before me made reference to the foundational principles of this country. What is it that is unique, that defines America? Why is America a different nation than other nations? Why is it that people have chosen to immigrate here? I would suggest that a great deal of our unique character is found in a sentence that says, ``We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are endowed by their Creator with certain inalienable rights.'' That is the purpose of our law, to create equal protection, because each life is important to us. That is a foundational American principle, and it is not currently in our law. That is the purpose of H.R. 503. This substitute does not protect one of the victims of potential crimes, and that is the problem with the substitute. I would urge my colleagues to vote against the substitute and to support the very foundational principle that America is based on, that all people deserve the protection of law.”