Ralph Hall: “I, of course, rise to urge the override of the very ill-advised veto of the ban on partial-birth abortions. Back, oh…”

“I, of course, rise to urge the override of the very ill-advised veto of the ban on partial-birth abortions. Back, oh, earlier in the year, one of the most widely respected and politically moderate physicians I suppose ever to hold the office of Surgeon General, Dr. C. Everett Koop, criticized this practice. And as recently as August of this year, Dr. Koop granted an interview to an American Medical Association publication on this issue. He states quite simply that he believes, ``that the President was misled by his medical advisers on what is fact and what is fiction in reference to late-term abortion,'' going on to say that ``In no way can he twist his mind to see that this late-term abortion technique is a necessity for the mother, and certainly can't be a necessity for the baby.'' So I guess we are left to ask the question, why? Why would we even consider condoning a procedure like this when no medical necessity for it can actually be shown? No acceptable answer can be given to this question because partial-birth abortion is completely unacceptable, unnecessary, and a cruel procedure that should not be permitted in our policy. I urge the override.”