PARTIAL-BIRTH ABORTION BAN ACT OF 2000 -- (Extensions of Remarks - April
06, 2000)
[Page: E515]
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SPEECH OF
HON. DENNIS MOORE
OF KANSAS
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Wednesday, April 5, 2000
- Mr. MOORE. Mr. Speaker, many fingers have been pointed today and much has
been said about what this side believes and what that side believes. I am here
to tell you what I believe.
- I am a cosponsor of H.R. 2149, the Late-term Abortion Restriction Act. Roe
v. Wade and successor decisions are the law of the land and this bill is
consistent with the law.
- The bill would ban all late-term abortions, regardless of the type of
procedure used, with exceptions only to protect the life of the mother and to
avert serious adverse health consequences. Because it bans abortions based
upon viability of the fetus rather than the type of procedure used, it will
prevent late-term abortions in a morally and constitutionally sound
manner.
- I considered many factors in deciding to cosponsor H.R. 2149. I am a
believer in the Constitution. The Supreme Court has repeatedly confirmed that
our rights include the right to make our own medical decisions.
- No one can say ending a pregnancy is an easy decision, nor can anyone
claim the idea of late term abortions for only convenience is anything but
ethically wrong. This bill strikes a balance and adheres to the Court's
requirement that any law protect the life and health of the pregnant woman.
H.R. 2149 meets all these constitutional requirements.
- This bill should be law because it addresses what the American people
truly want to stop--the termination of a viable fetus during late stages of
pregnancy, unless there is a serious threat to life or health of the
mother.
- The President has said he would sign H.R. 2149 into law. If opponents of
abortion truly want to stop late-term abortions, this is the bill that will do
it.
- Today, I will vote against H.R. 3660, the Partial Birth Abortion Ban Act.
I urge my colleagues to consider H.R. 2149 as an effective and
constitutionally sound solution to this deeply personal issue.
END