WASHINGTON – First District Congressman Paul Ryan today joined other outraged members on a bipartisan basis in passing a ban on partial-birth abortions.  During the 105th Congress, both the House and Senate voted by wide majorities to outlaw the procedure, but the legislation was blocked by a veto issued by President Clinton. Today’s legislation to ban the procedure passed by a vote of 287 to 141.

The procedure commonly takes place during the third trimester of pregnancy.  It involves a partial delivery of an unborn child until some portion of the child’s body is partially outside the body of the mother, at which point a doctor punctures the skull of the delivered child in order remove the brain through a suction pump, ending the life of the child.   An estimated 3,000 to 5,000 partial-birth abortions are performed each year.

“Partial-birth abortion cannot and should not ever be justified,” said Ryan.  “The issue of abortion remains an emotional and sincere debate throughout our nation, but this tortuous procedure can leave no doubt in anyone’s mind that the lives of living, breathing children are being terminated.  We must have the courage to stop this procedure once and for all.”

“During the 105th Congress, both House and Senate voted to ban this undeniably wrong procedure only to face a presidential veto.  We will likely face the same prospect this year and perhaps the year after that, but as more and more of our nation’s citizens learn about this horrific life-ending procedure, the more they agree it should be outlawed.  In our hearts and souls we know this procedure has no place in a civilized society.”

“Following a vote in the Senate, it will be up to the President to decide whether to sign this ban into law or to allow this procedure to continue.  Of recent, he has claimed to have done a lot of soul searching; I hope this has helped him in the decision he will likely have to make in the near future.”

For additional information, or to schedule an interview with Congressman Ryan, please contact Doug McGinn at (202) 225-3031.
 
 

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