Mr. LINDER. Mr. Speaker, I yield 3
minutes to the gentleman from Texas
(Mr. PAUL).
(Mr. PAUL asked and was given permission
to revise and extend his remarks.)
2000 Ron Paul 26:1
Mr. PAUL.
Mr. Speaker, I thank the
gentleman for yielding me this time.
2000 Ron Paul 26:2
Like many Americans, Mr. Speaker, I
am greatly concerned about abortion.
Abortion on demand is no doubt the
most serious social political problem of
our age. The lack of respect for life
that permits abortion has significantly
contributed to our violent culture and
our careless attitude toward liberty.
2000 Ron Paul 26:3
As an obstetrician-gynecologist, I
can assure my colleagues that the
partial-birth abortion procedure is the
most egregious legally permitted act
known to man. Decaying social and
moral attitudes decades ago set the
stage for the accommodated Roe vs.
Wade ruling that nationalizes all laws
dealing with abortion. The fallacious
privacy argument the Supreme Court
used must some day be exposed for the
fraud that it is.
2000 Ron Paul 26:4
Reaffirming the importance of the
sanctity of life is crucial for the continuation
of a civilized society. There
is already strong evidence that we are
indeed on the slippery slope toward euthanasia
and human experimentation.
Although the real problem lies within
the hearts and minds of the people, the
legal problems of protecting life stems
from the ill-advised Roe v. Wade ruling,
a ruling that constitutionally
should never have occurred.
2000 Ron Paul 26:5
The best solution, of course, is not
now available to us. That would be a
Supreme Court that would refuse to
deal with the issues of violence, recognizing
that for all such acts the Constitution
defers to the States. It is constitutionally
permitted to limit Federal
courts jurisdiction in particular
issues. Congress should do precisely
that with regard to abortion. It would
be a big help in returning this issue to
the States.
2000 Ron Paul 26:6
H.R. 3660, unfortunately, takes a different
approach, and one that is constitutionally
flawed. Although H.R.
3660 is poorly written, it does serve as
a vehicle to condemn the 1973 Supreme
Court usurpation of State law that has
legalized the horrible partial-birth
abortion procedure.
2000 Ron Paul 26:7
Never in the Founders wildest
dreams would they have believed that
one day the interstate commerce
clause, written to permit free trade
among the States, would be used to
curtail an act that was entirely under
State jurisdiction. There is no interstate
activity in an abortion. If there
were, that activity would not be prohibited
but, rather, protected by the
original intent of the interstate commerce
clause.
2000 Ron Paul 26:8
The abuse of the general welfare
clause and the interstate commerce
laws clause is precisely the reason our
Federal Government no longer conforms
to the constitutional dictates
but, instead, is out of control in its
growth and scope. H.R. 3660 thus endorses
the entire process which has so
often been condemned by limited government
advocates when used by the
authoritarians as they constructed the
welfare State.
2000 Ron Paul 26:9
We should be more serious and cautious
when writing Federal law, even
when seeking praise-worthy goals. H.R.
3660 could have been written more narrowly,
within constitutional constraints,
while emphasizing State responsibility,
and still serve as an instrument
for condemning the wicked
partial-birth abortion procedure.
Note:
2000 Ron Paul 26:1
Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding me this time.
Here, Ron Paul thanks The Honorable John Linder of Georgia.
2000 Ron Paul 26:6
interstate commerce clause probably should be capitalized:
Interstate Commerce Clause.
2000 Ron Paul 26:7
general welfare clause probably should be capitalized:
General Welfare Clause.