March 25: Kaptur's Comments on Abortion

In those communities that have provided maternal care andhealth care for children, for all children, we find that the abortion rate goesdown significantly. Wouldn't it be wonderful if in our country no womanever had to face the fateful decision of abortion? I think that what wehave done through this bill and through this executive order is to establish aplatform under all of America's families, to give them the peace and security of a future where they don'thave to make gruesome choices.

I just want to say to all of my colleagues, it was a joyto work with them because we know what we are doing is we are being a voice, asthe March of Dimes tell us, for over a half a million children in this countrywho are born every year-low birthweight, many with deformities, because themothers have never receive sufficient care during that childbearing period, andthat's going to change with this bill.

I know that speaking with President Obama, as all mycolleagues have, he's a very good father, he's a very good husband, and hewould wish that for all of America's families. We want to thank him for his leadership on this issue. I also want to thank Congressman Stupak, Congresswoman Dahlkemper of Erie,Pennsylvania, my sister in this effort, and also my good colleague from thestate of Ohio, Steve Driehaus from Cincinnati, who has stood tall as a fatherhimself, a good father, for all of America's children and families, toCongressman Rahall, Congressman Mollohan, Congressman Carney, all of equalsuit, all fathers.

We have stood up for all of America's families.