Unborn Victims of Violence Act of 2003

UNBORN VICTIMS OF VIOLENCE ACT OF 2003 -- (House of Representatives - February 26, 2004)

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Mr. ADERHOLT. Mr. Speaker, I thank the chairman for yielding me this time.

Of course, as has been said on numerous occasions this morning, we are considering the Unborn Victims of Violence Act. I joined 136 Members of this body to cosponsor this legislation, and I want to commend the gentlewoman from Pennsylvania (Ms. Hart) for her sponsoring this legislation this morning. I do believe the time has come for the House to pass this legislation again and help ensure that it is signed into law. And again, as has been stated this morning, this legislation takes an important step that recognizing that violence against an unborn child, against the will of a mother, can be prosecuted in the Federal courts.

This law is very simple. It would establish that if an unborn child is injured or killed during the commission of an already defined Federal crime of violence, then the assailant may be charged with a second offense on behalf of the second victim, the unborn child. This bill recognizes an unborn child as a separate victim in the eyes of the Federal law.

I have supported this law previously; but as I stand here today, the bill takes on a little bit different meaning. My wife, Caroline, is due to give birth on Monday in Alabama to our second child; and looking at her and feeling the baby move and seeing the sonograms, I do not think there is a shadow of a doubt that the child is a child. This child certainly deserves the full protection of the law.

Caroline reminded me just a few weeks ago that she and Laci were at about the same stage of their pregnancies during the Christmas holidays, and of course that is when she was killed during that time. So it, like I said, takes on a special meaning not only for me but also for my wife, Caroline. But if something should happen to any mother or to any child who is in the womb and they become a victim of a crime, I think the American people would want to see justice on behalf of both individuals, the mother and the child.

So I respectfully ask my colleagues this morning to send a strong message to the Senate and to the President that our goal is to protect the most vulnerable and the most innocent among us.