March for Life

Floor Speech

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Mr. JOYCE of Pennsylvania. Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague from New Jersey, Mr. Smith, for his leadership in this incredibly important issue. Year after year he has stood for the unborn. Personally I want to thank him for that leadership.

Mr. Speaker, in the 49 years since the case of Roe v. Wade was ruled on by the Supreme Court, 63 million innocent unborn children have lost their lives to abortion.

Now, members of the radical left are trying to raise the number of abortions performed in the United States by repealing the Hyde amendment, which for decades has ensured that no taxpayer dollars are used to fund this barbaric procedure.

As a doctor, I swore an oath to ``first, do no harm.''

When I was in medical school I swore that I would never perform, assist, or support an abortion procedure. As a medical student, as an intern, as a resident, and as a board certified physician for 25 years, I lived up to that pledge.

As a legislator in the United States Congress I took a pledge to continue to stand for life.

Now is the time for Congress to pass legislation that defends the rights of the unborn.

Now is the time for us to end abortions in this country.

On this 49th anniversary of Roe v. Wade let us remember the lives that have been lost and recommit ourselves to defending human life.

Mr. SMITH of New Jersey. Thank you very much, doctor, for your leadership and eloquence.

I yield to the gentleman from Tennessee (Mr. Burchett).

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