Jerry Nadler: “First let me disabuse the gentleman from Wisconsin (Mr. Sensenbrenner) of his notion that those of us who voted for the…”

“First let me disabuse the gentleman from Wisconsin (Mr. Sensenbrenner) of his notion that those of us who voted for the bill to bar capital punishment for pregnant women were recognizing the fetus or the unborn child as a person. I vote against anything to limit capital punishment. I would say to the gentleman from Wisconsin (Mr. Sensenbrenner), I am opposed to capital punishment. I think it is barbaric whether it is against pregnant women or barbaric against nonpregnant women. Mr. Speaker, violence against pregnant women is first and foremost a criminal act of violence against the women that deserves strong preventive measures and stiff punishment. The gentleman from Alabama (Mr. Bachus) referred to the article in the Journal of the American Medical Association that said homicides during pregnancy and the year after are the largest cause of death among women, and they are. Mr. Speaker, it is a disgrace that while these preventable crimes continue to occur, it is a disgrace that Congress fails with this largely symbolic legislation rather than taking affirmative steps to deal with the problem.”