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From the Congressional Record, 1-19-11
Page H340
Rep. Buerkle discusses the advancements in medical technology that
enable a window into the womb & the dangers of telemed abortions
Watch a video of this speech
Ms. BUERKLE. Thank you to the gentleman from New Jersey for yielding
us time and for his unwavering support of life.
Mr. Speaker, this coming Saturday marks the 38th anniversary of Roe
v. Wade, a decision that fundamentally altered the moral landscape of
America. For much of those 38 years, I have been very involved in the
pro-life movement, both as an advocate for the unborn and a counselor of
troubled women and teens, the unspoken second victims of abortion. As we
reflect upon the sobering anniversary and the tremendous loss of life
that it represents, I see reasons for hope. Attitudes are changing, and
more and more young people are rejecting abortion as a choice for their
lives.
Technology has opened remarkable windows to the womb. So much of the
early pro-life movement emerged from a frustration of the time. No one
seemed to be listening, and we tried to get people to care. Now
technology, such as the 4D ultrasound imaging, has aided us in our quest
to preserve life, showing women that their unborn is not a clump of
cells, but a child that they can see rubbing her eyes or sucking his
thumb.
As we continue to fight for the unborn, we must not cede the ground
we have won. The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act circumvents
the Hyde amendment by allowing government subsidies in Medicaid, Federal
Employee Health Benefits Programs and international aid to be used to
cover abortions. For over 30 years, the Democrats and Republicans have
worked together each year to ensure that taxpayer dollars do not
subsidize abortion. The Affordable Care Act represents a departure from
that compact. Specifically, this law will allow $11 billion in taxpayer
funds to be used for abortions at community health centers.
In addition to the Federal subsidizing of abortions through the
Affordable Care Act, I join other pro-life Members of this Congress in
expressing my concerns about the use of Skype technology to perform
telemed abortions. Planned Parenthood of Iowa is dispensing the
abortion-causing drug RU-486 through a teleconferencing system,
resulting in more than 1,900 abortions.
Our Forefathers understood that ``all men are created equal, that
they are endowed by their Creator with certain inalienable rights, that
among these are life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.'' Among
these, the most fundamental right is the right to life.
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