Chris Smith: “Thank you very much, Dr. Benishek. Just to close, Mr. Speaker, 41 years ago next week--January 22--marks the U.S.…”

“Thank you very much, Dr. Benishek. Just to close, Mr. Speaker, 41 years ago next week--January 22--marks the U.S. Supreme Court's infamous, reckless, and inhumane abandonment of women and babies to abortionists. Forty-one years of victims--dead babies, wounded women, shattered families. Forty-one years of government-sanctioned violence against women and children. Since 1973, more than 56 million children have been killed by abortion--a staggering loss of children's precious lives--a death toll that equates to the entire population of England. The passage of time hasn't changed the fact that abortion is a serious, lethal violation of fundamental human rights, and that women and children deserve better, and that the demands of justice, generosity, and compassion require that the right to life be guaranteed to everyone. Rather than dull our consciences to the unmitigated violence of abortion, the passage of time has only enabled us to see and, frankly, better understand the innate cruelty of abortion and its horrific legacy--victims--while making us more determined than ever to protect the weakest and the most vulnerable. All life is sacred, Mr. Speaker. No one, regardless of sex, race, religion, disability, or condition of dependency, is a ``throwaway.'' All of us, especially lawmakers and policymakers everywhere in this town and throughout the country, have a profound moral duty to protect the innocent and the inconvenient. I yield back the balance of my time.…”