Don Nickles: “I rise today, first, to congratulate and compliment a couple of my colleagues who I think have performed extraordinary…”

“I rise today, first, to congratulate and compliment a couple of my colleagues who I think have performed extraordinary service to the Senate. First, Senator Smith, from New Hampshire, who brought this issue to our attention. I will readily admit I have been involved in this abortion debate for 16 years, but I did not know this procedure happened--I am shocked by it, saddened by it, disturbed by it. And for some of our colleagues who insinuated that, well, the males in the Senate really should not be arguing on this because they have not been in the business of delivering babies, I have talked to my wife about it and she feels stronger about it even than I do. She thinks President Clinton was absolutely, totally, completely wrong in vetoing a bill that would have protected the lives of young babies that are three-fourths of the way delivered from their mother's birth canal. So I congratulate Senator Smith for bringing this to the attention of the Senate. I also congratulate Senator Santorum for his leadership as well. President Clinton was wrong in vetoing this bill. Two-thirds of the House said that he was wrong. I hope that today two-thirds of the Senate will say he made a mistake.”