On the recordJuly 31, 2012
First in response to the good gentleman from the other side, article I, section 8, clause 17, called the District Clause, gives us authority for this bill. But I really want to point out why this bill is so important. One of the things that upsets a great deal of Americans--in fact, over 60 percent of all Americans, 70 percent of women--is when a baby experiences pain. And when you ask Americans about abortions and a baby feeling pain with an abortion, well over 60 percent say they do not want that abortion. The kind of abortions that are occurring are occurring up until the point of where a child can actually come out normally, after 9 months' gestation. And it's called a D&E, or a dilation and extraction. It is a painful procedure that requires dismemberment of the unborn child and the crushing of its head. We know that as early as 20 weeks--maybe even as early as 8 weeks--an unborn child feels pain. We know it is at 20 weeks. Now, there is a question of 8 weeks. And yet at 9 months, this very normal child inside of a body is feeling pain. This is why we are going to ask Congress to stop this horrific act.
