Protecting the Unborn

Floor Speech

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Mrs. MILLER of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, today, I rise on behalf of those who cannot speak for themselves--the unborn.

Since 1973, over 60 million American children have lost their lives to the atrocity of abortion, the greatest human rights violation in history.

We often boast that we are a nation of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. Yet, we deny this sacred right to the most innocent among us.

Last year, the Supreme Court gave the unborn a monumental victory with the Dobbs ruling, returning the issue of abortion to Congress and the States. That is why today I am introducing a series of three bills designed to further protect the most vulnerable among us--the unborn.

First, the Love Them Both Act would prevent the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission from exploiting the Pregnant Workers Fairness Act to cover abortion or abortion-related services. The Pregnant Workers Fairness Act is designed to protect pregnant women from discrimination in the workplace, and it should not be used for political purposes.

We have a responsibility to ensure both women and their unborn children are treated equally and fairly, and the Love Them Both Act does exactly that.

Second, the Pregnancy Is Not an Illness Act would correct a longstanding but erroneous conclusion of the FDA. In 2000, the FDA fast-tracked approval of dangerous abortion-inducing drugs. To do so, they declared abortion to be a life-threatening illness. As a mother of seven, I can assure you that pregnancy is very much not an illness or disability, but rather, nothing short of a miracle from the hand of God. The Pregnancy Is Not an Illness Act would prohibit the FDA from ever calling pregnancy an illness again for the purpose of approving abortion-inducing drugs.

Lastly, I am introducing the Woman's Right to Know Act so that women seeking abortions are fully aware of the consequences of their actions. This bill would require an abortion provider to perform an ultrasound and then describe the development of the unborn child to the mother. My bill would also ask for a 24-hour waiting period before an abortion is performed. These are simple, commonsense steps aimed to prevent a woman from making a decision she will regret for the rest of her life.

In Psalm 139:13-16, David writes: ``For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother's womb. I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well. My frame was not hidden from you when I was made in the secret place, when I was woven together in the depths of the Earth. Your eyes saw my unformed body; all the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be.''

Life is the most precious gift we have. Without it, we have nothing. If we don't protect the right to life, all of our other rights are in danger of being taken away. We cannot call ourselves a nation of liberty and justice for all when we deprive this most sacred right from the most vulnerable among us.

We are in the midst of the most joyous time of year, Christmas. Although this is the season of parties, concerts, and family time, that is not why we celebrate. We celebrate Christmas because of God's greatest gift to mankind, Jesus. Without him, there would be no Christmas. What better time to protect the cause of life than this special season of Christmas?

Make no mistake, the world is watching, and so is Almighty God. They are watching to see if we will live up to our promise of providing freedom and a bright future to anyone born here. They are watching to see if we truly want everyone to achieve the American Dream. They are watching to see if we really are that shining city set on a hill that John Winthrop and Ronald Reagan proclaimed us to be.

To quote one of my favorite Presidents, and accurately, I might add, Ronald Reagan famously said: ``I have noticed that everybody that is for abortion has already been born.''

Mr. Speaker, you and I had the chance at life. We have been given the chance to live fulfilling lives, and I believe God has called each one of us to this body for a specific purpose.

Mr. Speaker, 60 million of our children have not had that chance, and if we really want to create a bright American future, that is the least they deserve.

I believe these three bills will go a long way toward protecting the most vulnerable among us, and I urge the House to act swiftly in passing them.

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