Political Quotes

“I had published an amendment that would allow an exception to our policy of using Federal funds for abortion for women who are incarcerated. I ask for that exception because under no circumstances do these women have access to any personal funds or to any State and local funds. Even though they were not incarcerated, they might obtain an abortion through their own jurisdiction. I asked for this exception because the average annual growth in the Federal prisons has been significantly greater than in State prisons. Annually it has been almost 10 percent a year, and it is amazing when the Federal sector now outpaces the State sector where, after all, most of the criminal law is, the increase in female inmates has significantly outpaced those of male inmates. I am talking about voluntary abortions only. I myself am writing a bill that would make it easier for women in prison to have their children adopted. Now, with voluntary abortions before this was lifted during this Congress, there was counseling, there was the right of staff objections. These are the least responsible parents by the documented evidence that they are in prison. Theirs are the most vulnerable offspring, and the story of what happens to both women and children when the children are born in prison is one of the great horror stories of America. Most of these women are in prison because of the use of drugs and alcohol.”