Last week, Rep. Chris Smith (R-NJ) and several of his colleagues in the U.S. House of Representatives remembered the upcoming 47th anniversary of Roe v. Wade, the Supreme Court decision that legalized abortion throughout the United States on January 22, 1973. While Roe is celebrated by abortion supporters each year, for pro-lifers, it is a remembrance of the more than 60 million innocent human lives that have been taken under the guise of “choice” and “privacy.”
Below are some of the remarks from a handful of the members of Congress who spoke on this occasion.
Rep. Martha Roby (R-AL):
Rep. Roby noted that the Roe v. Wade anniversary “represents a somber occasion for those of us who advocate for life,” adding, “I am opposed to abortion at any stage.” She continued:
Our pro-life agenda has momentum and it is strong…. I want to take this opportunity to send a message to the thousands of marchers who are gathering to show their support for the pro-life movement. Thank you… know that you are not alone in this fight as you continue to stand up for those who cannot stand up for themselves. Remember that my pro-life colleagues and I stand with you…. I will not stop fighting until our laws and policies protect life at every stage, and I hope you won’t, either.
Rep. Chris Smith (R-NJ):
Rep. Smith thanked this week’s participants in the March for Life, adding, “Sadly… since 1973, over 61 million unborn babies have been killed by either dismemberment… or by chemical poisoning. The loss of children’s lives in America is staggering — a death toll that equates with the entire population of Italy.”
Rep. Smith also appealed for the House to bring to a vote the Born Alive Abortion Survivors Act — which Smith said he his colleagues have been seeking for over a year — telling stories of babies who were born alive during abortions and who were killed after the fact:
Rep. Andy Harris (R-MD):
Rep. Harris was an anesthesiologist, and said he “was in charge of labor and delivery anesthesia at Hopkins for decades” and saw thousands of babies being born. He then turned his comments to the upcoming March for Life, saying:
I believe there are a lot of young people who march because this is the generation that knows that it was legal for them to be aborted. And I think they appreciate the fact that they weren’t….
Planned Parenthood is the largest abortion provider in the United States…. They actually promote using American tax dollars to provide abortions overseas as well…. It’s bad enough that we still fund Planned Parenthood here in this country, but my gosh, spending tax dollars to pay for abortions in foreign countries!… As the death toll climbs to over 60 million… enough is enough. This is the largest and most important human rights issue we face…. We have to turn back the legalization of the killing of millions of Americans before they’re even born.
Rep. Jackie Walorski (R-IN):
Rep. Walorski kept her comments brief, but focused on the human cost of abortion, and of the humanity of preborn children:
The discovery last year of thousands of fetal remains in the garage of Ulrich Klopfer, Indiana’s most prolific abortionist, was a tragic reminder of the terrible cost of abortion. After this shocking event, I introduced the Dignity for Aborted Children Act…
I also signed a discharge petition to bring the Born Alive Abortion Survivors Protection Act to the House floor for a vote. This common sense bill would ensure a child born alive after a failed abortion attempt would receive the same kind of medical care any other child would. As we mark 47 years since Roe v. Wade we have a lot of work to do to stop a radical agenda and stand up for the sanctity of life. Congress can start by passing these two pro-life bills without delay.
Rep. Warren Davidson (R-OH):
Rep. Davidson mentioned the fact that many women have been pressured or deceived into abortion, and urged compassion:
Next week, a beautiful, peaceful protest will take place here in Washington, D.C. — the March for Life…. When I’ve looked across that vast crowd in the past… I have been filled with hope for our future, because the faces in that crowd are overwhelmingly young people. The younger generations are increasingly pro-life. They feel the effects of more than 60 million elective abortions carried out in America since 1973.
These 60 million lives had so much potential… but their lives were snuffed out by abortion. We should, of course, have compassion for the women whose babies lives have ended through abortion. Too often they have lacked support, been pressured or deceived into a fateful choice to end their baby’s life….
Other members of Congress who spoke are listed below:
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