Don Nickles: “I rise today, and begin with these words: ``We hold these Truths to be self-evident, that all Men are created equal…”

“I rise today, and begin with these words: ``We hold these Truths to be self-evident, that all Men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness.'' These profound words are possibly the most known words from our Declaration of Independence. They state a principle that is fundamental to who we are as a nation; life itself is a gift from our Creator, and it is a right that can not be taken away. We are a nation whose core philosophy is to care for its people. As public servants, we deal with issues that affect the lives of people every day. Caring for people is the underlying aspect of almost every piece of legislation dealt with in the Senate, and nearly every issue we confront as a country. But while we work to build up America, something is at work in the country, eating away at fundamentals we used to take for granted: in this case, the sanctity of life. It is no secret that I place a high value on life at its conception. But a disturbing trend has developed over the past few years, a devaluation of life as it nears its end. Two years ago, I offered legislation banning the use of Medicaid and Medicare funds for assisted suicide in the 1995 balanced budget act. Unfortunately the President vetoed this legislation.”