Washington, D.C. — The House of Representatives today debated legislation to ban the partial birth abortion procedure. Congressman Chris Smith (NJ-4), an original sponsor of HR 3660, the Partial Birth Abortion Ban Act, stressed the horrific nature of this procedure and emphasized the importance of this legislation.
    
“Partial birth abortion is a gross violation of human rights - a barbarous form of torture directed against a defenseless girl or boy,” said Smith, Chairman of the Sub-Committee on International Operations and Human Rights, who has been a long time right to life advocate. “The pending bill is a desperately needed human rights initiative designed to offer at least a small measure of protection to some babies in a category of human beings who have, since 1973, been legally disenfranchised because of their age, immaturity and condition of dependency,” added Smith. 
     
“This is about putting to an end a horrific procedure in which live babies are killed during childbirth,” said Smith, Chairman of the Bi-Partisan House Pro-Life Caucus. “This is a practice, that if done two minutes later and one inch further, would legally be considered murder. This is murder,” added Smith.

“Future generations of Americans - and judging by the polls, super majorities of Americans today - are finally, at long last, outraged that thousands of children each year, are being butchered by partial birth abortion,” said Smith while addressing the House floor.  “ Most people I talk to are outraged that babies -- who are partially born and fully alive and kicking -- are legally jabbed in the back of the head with scissors for the purpose of making a hole in their fragile skulls so their brains can be sucked out. Partial birth abortion is a monstrous act of cruelty,” added Smith.

Smith points out that the latest Market Facts Poll, conducted March 31- April 2, 2000, shows 68 percent of Americans support legislation banning the partial birth abortion procedure.  H.R. 3660 prohibits abortionists from utilizing partial-birth abortion procedures. The partial birth abortion procedure involves a partial vaginal delivery of a living child until the head of the child is partially outside the body of the mother before killing it and completing the delivery. The bill imposes fines or potential imprisonment of up to two years, and allows the father, if he’s married to the mother or maternal grandparents, if the birth mother is under 18 years of age, to file a civil lawsuit against the doctor for monetary damages. The bill includes an exception to the ban when a doctor performs this procedure to save the life of the mother.

“Opponents of this ban claim that we are radical in putting forth this legislation, yet seven out of ten Americans support this bill,” said Smith. “So evidently, it is those who support this horrific procedure that are the radicals. They are the one’s advocating the murder of children through these horrific means,” added Smith.

“Sadly, despite the horrific nature of this crime, and regardless of the overwhelming public outcries to ban this heinous procedure, the Clinton-Gore Administration has vowed to veto this bill for the third consecutive year,” said Smith. “And now Al Gore is campaigning to continue this holocaust that has claimed the lives of one out of every three babies in the country - 40 million boys and girls,” added Smith.
 
 “Many of us want to save and protect babies from the violence of abortion,” said Smith. “I wish to God that we could save more.  But, I believe, we have a moral duty to save at least some, as many as we can, at every opportunity.  This bill is a step in that direction,” added Smith.