On the recordMay 4, 2011
I thank the chairman for yielding. Madam Speaker, as a cosponsor, I rise today in support of H.R. 3, the No Taxpayer Funding for Abortion Act. I have long believed that the right to life is one that we must vigorously protect, and I have cosponsored many bills to do that, including the Right to Life Act last Congress. While there are many divergent views on this topic, one thing that most agree on is that it is wholly improper for the Federal Government to use taxpayers' hard-earned dollars to fund abortions. This is a moral issue of the highest importance to many taxpayers and to force them to fund these activities is completely unacceptable. For many Americans, taxpayer-funded abortions would constitute an extreme violation of conscience that should not be sanctioned by this Congress. I urge my colleagues to support H.R. 3, and I want to thank the gentleman from New Jersey, Mr. Smith, and the gentleman from Texas, Mr. Smith, for first introducing and then advancing this legislation.
