Date: 1998-07-23
Speaker: LINDA SMITH (republican)
Chamber: H
State: Washington

Madam Speaker. first I would like to read and then submit for the RECORD the American Medical Association letter endorsing this bill and saying that it is an unnecessary procedure. I think it is real revealing because the American Medical Association rarely or never interjects and makes illegal an abortion procedure. but they have made an exception in this case. I am going to read this short letter because it says a lot and it blows away a lot of the smoke about how this bill works. It says. "The Partial Birth Abortion Ban Act of 1997." as amended. that we support this. Then it goes on to say. "Although our general policy is to oppose legislation criminalizing medical practice or procedure. the AMA has supported such legislation where the procedure was narrowly defined." and listen. "not medically indicated." Otherwise. not medically necessary. "H.R. 1122 now meets both those tests. "Our support of this legislation is based on three specific principles. First. the bill would allow a legitimate exception where the life of the mother was endangered. thereby preserving the physicians judgment to take any medically necessary steps to save the life of the mother. Second. the bill would clearly define the prohibited procedure so that it is clear on the face of the legislation what act is to be banned. "Finally. the bill would give any accused physician the right to have his or her conduct reviewed by the State Medical Board before a criminal trial commenced. In this manner. the bill would provide a formal role for valu.able medical peer determination in any enforcement proceeding. "The AMA believes that with these changes. physicians will be on notice as to the exact nature of the prohibited conduct." Then in quotes. they have made it very clear and I have the quotes and we can submit them. that they do not believe that partial birth abortion is ever needed. I want to talk about this procedure briefly because sometimes we forget what it is. and it is not pretty. but we are talking about lives and we are talking about law to protect vulnerable women and vulnerable babies. The procedure takes 3 days. my colleagues. They start by dilating the cervix. They use procedures that soften so that they can eventually find a way to make an opening large enough to pull the baby through. They turn the baby so it is actually breeched opposite the way a baby would be born. Often in that procedure they will wrap the baby with the cord. and sometimes the baby strangles. If not. they do deliver the baby in all cases. And right after the little feet come out and the little bottom and then they get the shoulders out. right before the head comes out. they hold- the baby. Now. talking to nurses. this is very difficult because the natural process is for the baby to come out and breathe. They hold the baby because they know if that little nose comes out and the mouth the baby will breathe. If the baby breathes. under the law. it is alive. But if the baby does not breathe. it is not considered a person. So this is what we are talking about. The average cost is $1.200 to $1.600. And it has become an industry. Now. we have got some pretty interesting cases where women have gone and they have actually been hurt and died in partial birth abortions. But I want to talk about one. Louann Herron. And this is reported and it just came out. and it is very unfortunate because she was in the middle of a divorce. She went to an abortion clinic. where they make a lot of money. In fact. a lot of times the doctors are not there. they have the procedure done by someone else. I think it is very important that we understand that this is not for the baby or the woman. I urge my colleagues to vote against the President. Madam Speaker. I include the following articles for the RECORD: [From the Arizona Republic. July 14. 1998]