Political Quotes

“the present bill contains language barring the use of both Federal and District funds to pay for abortion services for low-income women. I do not rise to ask for an exception to the strongly-held views of this Congress on abortion. I ask only that the District of Columbia be treated no better and no worse than other districts. I must accept that the rule of this body on a prohibition on Federal funds should yield to no exception, except in the case of protecting the life of the mother, rape, or incest. Barring the use of Federal funds for abortion for low-income women creates a special hardship for a jurisdiction that has been in financial crisis. Considering its financial position, the District is unlikely to choose to fund abortions on its own. However, no city should be put in the position where it would be unable to respond even to catastrophic pregnancies by using its own locally-raised funds, if necessary. This is a Federal Republic built on the premise that there are vast differences among us. No issue shows these differences more than reproductive choice. The Congress is within its rights to say, use your funds, not ours. It is out of line when it tells a local jurisdiction how to spend its own taxpayers' funds. The real test of democracy is whether we are prepared to allow others to make lawful choices we ourselves would not make. I have profound respect for the conscientious and religious scruples of those who oppose abortion.”