Political Quotes

“the Hyde-Smith Amendment would reinstate the Mexico City anti-international family planning policy known as the global ``gag'' rule. This policy requires that foreign non-government organizations (NGOs) 1. Withhold information from pregnant women about the option of legal abortion and where to obtain safe abortion services. 2. Refuse to provide legal abortion services, 3. Sacrifice the right to engage in any public debate or public information effort on the availability of legal abortions. 4. And, most importantly, it prevents the NGOs from educating women and families on family planning options that would help prevent abortions in the first place. The subject of abortion has always been controversial. Very often highly charged emotions and special interest organizations enter the debate and muddle the true issue at hand. The key issue of debate today should be on whether educating women and families about family planning services will reduce the number of abortions each year. The passage of the Hyde-Smith amendment would prevent educating women and families on the issue of abortion. That is why I urge my colleagues to vote against Hyde-Smith amendment so that we can educate women and families about family planning services and ways to reduce the number of abortions each year in foreign countries. I would also like to clarify that U.S. taxpayer funds are not being used for foreign (NGO's) abortions or for the advocacy of abortion.”