Kent Conrad: “One of the epidemics we are facing in this country is an epidemic of teen pregnancy, children having children. One has…”

“One of the epidemics we are facing in this country is an epidemic of teen pregnancy, children having children. One has to ask what chance does a child have who is born into a circumstance when the mother is 14 years old or 15 years old? We know the chances are limited. We know the results--dramatically increased chance of living in poverty, dramatically increased chance of living a life that is blighted by crime. Mr. President, we also know what can help prevent that circumstance. We know that requiring the child to live at home and to stay in school is critically important. I remember very well the testimony before the Finance Committee by Sister Mary Rose, who works with Catholic Charities in Covenant House. She has dealt with literally thousands of young women in this circumstance. How do you prevent that young woman from having another child? She has found that if you can bring that young woman into a circumstance where there is warmth, love, discipline, and structure, almost without exception, those young women do not have another child.”