Mitch Landrieu: “I thank the Chair. I begin by thanking my distinguished colleague from South Dakota, Senator Daschle, for his hard work…”

“I thank the Chair. I begin by thanking my distinguished colleague from South Dakota, Senator Daschle, for his hard work and excellent work. He has been working for months, talking with medical doctors, advocates for children and families, and affected women to try to help us arrive at a balanced approach, that will resolve this very difficult of issues. To my distinguished colleague from New Hampshire, who just spoke, I say that I am here today because I want to join with you in ending late-term abortions. The young woman about whom the Senator spoke so beautifully, would have a chance to live under our amendment because it will ban all procedures except in the very rarest of circumstances. With due respect, under the bill that the gentleman is supporting, that wonderful child could still be aborted, because the mother would still be free to choose another procedure. My colleagues on the opposite side continue to make reference to a Dr. Hern. I want to say again that when this bill passes, he will lose his license. He will not be able to practice. My distinguished colleague from New Hampshire has made the excellent argument for the minority of people in this country who believe that abortion should be banned at all times, in every circumstance, in every case, but the majority of Americans in my State of Louisiana and in this country want reason.…”