Louise Slaughter: “I oppose this closed rule and I oppose the bill that underlies it. The Committee on the Judiciary has handed us yet once…”

“I oppose this closed rule and I oppose the bill that underlies it. The Committee on the Judiciary has handed us yet once again a bill that is blatantly unconstitutional and will never see the light of day because the Senate is not going to touch it. The attempt here today is to interfere with the rights of American citizens to go from one State line across the other. It is never going to work. In addition, and the most surprising thing to me, is by a vote of 16 to 12, the rapist or person who commits incest has the right of court action if anyone interferes with a pregnancy that he has caused. I think I need to say that again. A subcommittee of the Committee on the Judiciary voted 12 to 16 to protect the right of a rapist or someone committing incest, and give them the right of court action if anyone interferes with the pregnancy that they have caused, taking away all the rights of the child. I want to reiterate again that abortion is legal in the country. To prohibit anyone's right to across a State line for a legal purpose in the United States is foolish on the face of it, and flies in the face of the freedom that we enjoy. Are we going to put border crossings at the State lines? Are we going to stop people and check their cars and make sure that no minor is in there? Are we really willing to put people's grandmother in prison?”