Political Quotes

“Madam Speaker, I rise in support of both the rule and the bill. In 1973, the Supreme Court decided that a right to an abortion was a constitutional right, but they did not decide that there was a constitutional right to have the taxpayers pay for it. The Hyde amendment has been passed every year since 1976 with my support and with the support of an overwhelming bipartisan majority. However, when the President's health care bill was rammed through this House in March of last year, the Hyde amendment didn't apply. So, if you try to get a Medicaid abortion, the Hyde amendment applies, and the taxpayers don't finance it; but if you try to get an abortion under the Obama plan or under the exchanges that have been set up under the Obama plan, then there will be taxpayer money that will be used to pay for it. This bill closes that loophole. It is in response to the overwhelming sentiment of the American public, including the sentiment of many of those who do support legalized abortion. Secondly, this bill also reaffirms Federal and State conscience protection laws. The Supreme Court, when it decided Roe v. Wade, did not force people to choose between their faiths and their jobs if they had religious objections to abortion. This protection is not afforded in the Obama health care bill. This legislation closes that loophole.…”