Recognizing the 50th Anniversary of Roe V. Wade Decision

Floor Speech

BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT

Mr. GROTHMAN. Mr. Speaker, as has been mentioned, prior to 1973, there would be what I would consider a consensus in this country that it would be horrific to prematurely kill a child in the womb.

At the time, as a practical matter, there were only two or three States in which abortion was legal, and there were times in this country before then in which every State considered abortion illegal.

We know what happened after Roe v. Wade. Over the next 50 years, over 73 million lives were cut short, people who would have had long lives and accomplished who knows how much. You can imagine how America would have changed if those people had actually lived.

Recently, Roe v. Wade was overturned, and there was a lot of elation because of that. However, since that time, I think six States have had referendums.

While it was widely believed that abortion should be illegal in 1973, despite the fact that we had ultrasounds at that time, despite the fact that again and again in workplaces we pass around pictures with the ultrasounds showing children at 3, 4, or 5 months old, American opinion was a disappointment. Even in conservative States like Michigan, Kansas, Montana, and Kentucky, the public voted pro-abortion.

What can we make of this? Because we have had the ultrasound in between Roe v. Wade and now, we have to say that, unfortunately, the people who should have been educating the public have failed to do their duty. The churches in the last 50 years allowed this shift of opinion to happen.

By the way, it should have been easy to explain why abortion was horrific because of the huge increase in ultrasounds. Instead, we are joining a handful of countries--Vietnam, North Korea, Red China--out there saying abortion should be legal in some States through birth. Is this how we repay our maker for this wonderful country that we have?

I call upon America to call upon the churches to educate the public on what is right and wrong, that every one of these children is a gift from God, and that it is time for America to wake up.

I do believe right now we have, as with so many other issues, a problem with the clergy in the country, but I hope Americans can ask their clergymen where they are when these decisions are being made all around the country and where they are when these referendums are coming before the people. We need more help from the mute clergy.

BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT

Source