Orrin Hatch: “I rise today because it is difficult for me to understand how anybody could support this barbaric, heinous approach…”

“I rise today because it is difficult for me to understand how anybody could support this barbaric, heinous approach toward abortion. The Senate passed S. 3, the partial-birth abortion ban of 2003, with strong bipartisan support, 64 to 33, back in March of this year. The legislation passed the House in June with similarly strong bipartisan support, 282 to 139. We were then forced to debate the motion to go to conference in September. We completed the conference in September. Now we are finally able to vote on passage of the conference report. Let's get on with it. This has taken a long time in this Congress, but it also has taken 7 years to get to this point. Even though the Congress has passed similar legislation before, finally we will be able to send it to President Bush, who will sign it into law. I know the people of my home State of Utah recognize the importance of this effort. The vast majority of people in Utah and, I believe, in our country, recognize that the practice of partial-birth abortion is immoral, offensive, and impossible to justify. This procedure is so heinous that even many who consider themselves pro-choice cannot defend it. Senator Santorum should be applauded for his tireless efforts to achieve this goal. His leadership has been essential and very much appreciated. I admire his efforts to protect innocent human life, especially here, where it is so graphically obvious this procedure cannot be defended.”