Today, hundreds of thousands of Americans will gather in Washington to advocate for the cause of life.
The United States was founded on the universal principle that all people have a God-given right to life. All includes every single human-being, regardless of race, gender or age.
However, since the Supreme Court’s tragic Roe v. Wade decision 45 years ago, more than 60 million innocent lives have been lost. Every single one of those lives was important and unique.
Since the time of Roe, growing technology has provided an even clearer, more complete picture of the developing child in the womb. With ultrasounds and 3D imaging technology, we can see a complete, vivid picture of a child in the womb. We can now discern distinct facial features, yawns, hiccups, and stretches.
Technology also shows us that babies have a heartbeat 22 days after conception. Many times, babies even have a different blood type than their own mother – another example of how unborn children are unique individuals.
Thankfully, the American people are increasingly recognizing the value of human life.
A recent Marist Poll found that an overwhelming majority of the American people want substantial limits on abortion. Another poll found that 61 percent of Americans opposed using tax dollars to fund abortions within the United States, while 83 percent of respondents opposed subsidizing abortions outside of the United States.
Despite these polling numbers, last year Planned Parenthood, the nation’s largest abortion provider, received $543 million in taxpayer dollars. Over that same period, it reported committing 321,384 abortions, while significantly reducing the non-abortion services it provides.
Women and children have, and deserve, better health care options.
Last year, the House took an important step by passing the Pain-Capable Unborn Child Protection Act. This bill would prohibit any elective abortion attempt on an unborn child who is 20 weeks or older, the age at which research shows us children are able to feel pain. Sixty-three percent of Americans support a 20-week abortion ban, and I am hopeful that our colleagues in the Senate will pass this bill later this month.
It’s time to stand for human rights and equal justice by standing for our nation’s most vulnerable – the unborn. The annual March for Life is one way for the millions of pro-life Americans to make their voices heard.
On this day, and every day, let’s make the cause of life the cause of our time.
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