Richard K. Armey: “Mr. Speaker, this rule makes in order 2 hours of debate on a subject that many of us would rather we did not have to…”

“Mr. Speaker, this rule makes in order 2 hours of debate on a subject that many of us would rather we did not have to debate in this country. This is a subject that is heartbreaking to all of us. Irrespective of which side of the debate we find ourselves, it breaks one's heart to realize the subject under consideration here. We are talking about whether or not this Nation can, through its elected representation, tolerate or must it ban a particular procedure by which the life of a child is snuffed out. There are going to be heartfelt differences on this issue, make no mistake about it. Mr. Speaker, whether you think this is about the child and the Government's obligation to protect life or if you think it is about the mother and her rights to her freedom, her privacy and her control over her own destiny, should we expect any Member of this body to come at this issue casually, or should we not expect us to have in each of the two sides an intensity of conviction and commitment to our point of view?”