Louise Slaughter: “I am rising in objection today to at least another measure to restrict women's constitutional rights that has appeared…”

“I am rising in objection today to at least another measure to restrict women's constitutional rights that has appeared in this bill. I am referring to section 507 of the Communications Act of 1995 that would prohibit the exchange of information regarding abortion over the Internet. This is the 22d vote of the 104th Congress on abortion-related legislation that has whittled away at the constitutional and legal rights of American women. Instead of focusing on the important issues at hand, we are being forced again for the 22d time during Congress to vote on a measure to further reduce women's constitutional rights. Abortion is a legal procedure. To prohibit discussion of it on the Internet is clearly a violation of first amendment rights. The penalties involved are severe. If an unknowing person were to even bring up the topic on the Internet, the penalty would be 5 years imprisonment; 10 years for a second or subsequent charge, even for the mention of the word. I want the American people to know that this Congress has systematically whittled away at a woman's right to choose to such a degree it has been virtually destroyed.”