H2328 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — HOUSE April 25, 2013 House for 1 minute and to revise and women and war on children is occur- tions at a clinic. Former extend his remarks.) ring. employees have testified that he deliv- Mr. SMITH of New Jersey. Mr. f ered babies and then killed them by Speaker, the -like mur- snipping their spinal cords with scis- der trial of an abortionist named THE GOSNELL TRIAL sors. One staffer described this proce- Kermit Gosnell is replete with shock- (Mr. FORTENBERRY asked and was dure as ‘‘literally a beheading.’’ ing testimony of beheadings, given permission to address the House Mr. Speaker, life is precious; there- unfathomable abuse, spinal cord for 1 minute and to revise and extend fore, every is a tragedy. But snippings, death, and body parts in his remarks.) this case exposes the full horror of jars. Mr. FORTENBERRY. Mr. Speaker, abortion carried to its logical end. As But how different, really, is Gosnell’s sometimes it’s just so bad that we columnist recently ‘‘house of horrors’’ from the don’t even want to look at it. Some- wrote, the difference between late-term that occur in clinics around the coun- times it’s just so awful we want to turn abortion in the womb and the try every single day? Not much. Not our face away. But we can’t. of a newborn infant is simply ‘‘merely much at all. Shayquana Abrams was a 17-year-old a matter of geography.’’ Mr. Speaker, will Americans ever be when she went to see a doctor named In response to a nearly total lack of told the horrifying details as to how Gosnell. He performed an abortion on coverage by mainstream media, myself and how often abortionists dismember, her. Afterwards, she was diagnosed and many Members who stand today decapitate, and chemically poison in- with a grapefruit-sized abscess and a here, including , nocent babies? clot near her heart. It took her 2 years STEVE SCALISE, and a whole cadre of Last week, reporter Timothy Carney to recover. She was just a child, Mr. folks that are speaking today, wrote to asked participants in a call hosted by Speaker. the heads of the major TV networks de- the pro-abortion group RH Reality This Dr. Gosnell waged his own pri- manding that they cover this and other Check: vate war on women. And for what? For high-profile abortion controversies. Thankfully, this case has begun to What is the distinction between what profit. receive the attention it deserves, and Gosnell did and what a late-term abortionist Now, thankfully, he’s on trial; and, like Leroy Carhart does? Americans are discovering that this is thankfully, more and more people are not about pro-choice versus pro-life, Professor Tracy Weitz responded: learning about this. but about basic human rights. When a procedure that usually involves Maybe, Mr. Speaker, we just don’t collapsing the skull is done, it is usually want to look because it is so awful. f done when the fetus is still in the , not Maybe it’s challenging our very prem- WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT when the fetus has been delivered. ises, our very understanding of what INVESTMENT ACT That’s it? It’s just a matter of where, this choice for abortion really leads to. (Ms. KUSTER asked and was given in the womb or not, that this violence But we have to look, and we have to permission to address the House for 1 against children is construed to be recognize how deeply we are inflicting minute and to revise and extend her re- okay? wounds upon our very selves. marks.) Where is the outrage over 55 million Mr. Speaker, women deserve better. Ms. KUSTER. This week, I am intro- children victims who have been killed Our Nation can do better. Why not help ducing commonsense legislation to en- by abortion, and where is the appalling young women like Shayquana and let courage public and private partner- lack of compassion? the healing begin? ships to help meet the needs of New Why the empathy deficit for the vic- f Hampshire students and businesses. tims, women and children, especially The Workforce Development Invest- by our President, President Barack b 1450 ment Act would give tax incentives to Obama? THE GOSNELL TRIAL firms that partner with educators to Women and children deserve better. (Mr. ROTHFUS asked and was given improve workforce development and f permission to address the House for 1 job training for students. Training a highly skilled, 21st cen- THE GOSNELL TRIAL minute and to revise and extend his re- tury workforce is critical for growing marks.) (Mr. HUELSKAMP asked and was our economy, creating jobs, and Mr. ROTHFUS. Mr. Speaker, I join given permission to address the House strengthening the middle class. When my colleagues to continue to shine the for 1 minute and to revise and extend we invest in our workforce, more em- light on the human rights abuses that his remarks.) ployers will invest in the United are the subject of the Kermit Gosnell Mr. HUELSKAMP. Mr. Speaker, States; and in the Granite State, our trial in . there’s been a lot of talk in recent students will be more competitive in Dr. Gosnell’s practice included a pro- months about a ‘‘war on women,’’ but the job market, and our businesses will cedure he called ‘‘snipping.’’ This ap- those using the term to attack pro-life be more successful in the global econ- palling procedure ended the lives of supporters should look a little closer to omy. home for the real war on women. some of the youngest members of the Right now, there are companies like Abortion proponents would like us to human family. WH Bagshaw in Nashua, New Hamp- believe that the atrocities being dis- A culture of life needs to reject the shire, that are looking to hire but cussed at the murder trial of Philadel- philosophy that gives rise to such hor- struggling to find workers with the phia abortion provider Gosnell are nei- ror, and no organization that would right skills for the job. My bill would ther standard nor acceptable practice support the ending of such young lives help close this skills gap by providing in the abortion industry. But evidence should receive one dime of Federal incentives for businesses to team up indicates otherwise. funding. with educators to teach our students The so-called Aid For Women abor- f the skills they need to compete and tion clinic in Kansas City has also been THE GOSNELL TRIAL succeed. the subject of several investigations This is a commonsense proposal, and into the care provided to women and (Mr. ROKITA asked and was given I urge your support. the cleanliness of the facility with re- permission to address the House for 1 f ports very similar to those coming out minute and to revise and extend his re- of the Gosnell trial. marks.) THE GOSNELL TRIAL And with abortion providers all up Mr. ROKITA. Mr. Speaker, I rise to (Mrs. BACHMANN asked and was and down the east coast referring pa- highlight the deeply disturbing case of given permission to address the House tients to Gosnell’s clinic, I find it hard Dr. Kermit Gosnell, who is currently for 1 minute and to revise and extend to believe that no one knew of the con- charged with four counts of first-degree her remarks.) ditions, the wretched conditions at this murder and one count of third-degree Mrs. BACHMANN. Mr. Speaker, it’s clinic. That is where the real war on murder related to the botched abor- difficult for me to even speak about

VerDate Mar 15 2010 01:41 Apr 26, 2013 Jkt 029060 PO 00000 Frm 00028 Fmt 7634 Sfmt 0634 E:\CR\FM\K25AP7.053 H25APPT1 smartinez on DSK6TPTVN1PROD with HOUSE April 25, 2013 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — HOUSE H2329 this subject today. I’m a woman who’s Mr. BENTIVOLIO. I am glad our b 1500 been privileged to give birth to 5 chil- country is having a conversation about THE GOSNELL TRIAL dren, and I’ve also taken 23 children gun violence. It’s about the children, into my home as foster children. It’s we say. I am glad our country is dis- (Mr. SCALISE asked and was given very hard for me to imagine, Mr. cussing immigration reform. It’s about permission to address the House for 1 Speaker, that a doctor in this country, the children, we say. I am glad we are minute.) a doctor who took an oath to do no finally having a conversation about our Mr. SCALISE. Mr. Speaker, I rise to harm, would, in fact, kill a woman at trillion-dollar deficit. It’s about the raise awareness about the trial that’s his abortion clinic and he would sever children, we say. Every day, this going on in Philadelphia. the heads of four babies that were born Chamber debates and votes on legisla- Dr. Kermit Gosnell is on trial right alive—and potentially others—and tion, all in the name of the children, now for the murder of at least four ba- commit one gruesome act after an- we say. bies who were born alive as a result of other. Well, Baby A was a child. He had 10 a botched abortion, as well as a mother Shamelessly, the mainstream media fingers and 10 toes and he moved. He who was murdered during the process has all but gone silent and failed to moved before those scissors were of an abortion at the hands of Dr. cover this horrific violence against jabbed in the back of his head and he Gosnell. women. moved in reaction to the pain he felt. Now, just a few days ago, more than 70 Members of Congress sent a letter to No one, Democrat or Republican, be- Baby B had 10 fingers and 10 toes. He the heads of the three major networks lieves in violence against women. We kicked in his mother’s womb. His asking why they’re not giving fair cov- abhor it. But there’s nothing that even mother was a child herself—scared, erage to this trial. I think we all recog- comes close to what’s happened in this frightened, looking for an adult to help nize if Dr. Gosnell used an AK–47 in- abortion clinic in Pennsylvania. The her. stead of a scalpel, the media coverage officials in Pennsylvania and the State Dr. Gosnell, his staff, the health de- Department of Health, unfortunately— would rival a natural disaster. Yet partment, and even national pro-choice barely a peep comes from the main- it appears, willfully—ignored this hei- organizations were in no way con- nous crime. It also appears that this stream media because it happened to cerned with these women, their health be an abortion doctor who was actually has been ignored now across our Na- or well-being. Instead, these entities tion. performing abortions. either turned a blind eye or they were This is one of those untold stories in Well, we won’t ignore it. And I thank more devoted to a political ideology God for the men who stood up here our country that we all need to stand rather than the sounds of babies up for, Mr. Speaker. That’s why we’re today to stand for women and against drowning in toilets. violence against women. I lend my here today. We’re going to continue to voice and my support to that effort as stand up for the lives of the unborn and f well. for their rights. f f THE GOSNELL TRIAL VA CLAIMS, OPERATIONS, AND THE GOSNELL TRIAL RECORDS EFFICIENCY ACT (Mr. LANKFORD asked and was given permission to address the House (Mr. GOSAR asked and was given (Mrs. KIRKPATRICK asked and was for 1 minute and to revise and extend permission to address the House for 1 given permission to address the House his remarks.) minute.) Mr. GOSAR. Mr. Speaker, today, I for 1 minute and to revise and extend Mr. LANKFORD. In Philadelphia, an join my colleagues to express my dis- her remarks.) abortion clinic murder trial is about to gust and anger at the barbaric actions Mrs. KIRKPATRICK. Mr. Speaker, go to the jury next week for the death of Dr. Kermit Gosnell. today, I introduced a bipartisan piece of four children and one adult. The one The facts of this case are gut-wrench- of legislation to help tackle the sub- adult was killed by an overdose of ing. As a father, a Catholic, and a stantial backlog of veterans’ claims. drugs that she was given during the health care provider, I believe in pro- My bill is called the VA Claims, Oper- abortion procedure. The four children tecting the unborn. ations, and Records Efficiency Act, or represent many children that were de- This case isn’t only about upholding CORE. It directs the Department of De- livered completely, and then their spi- the sanctity of life, but it is also about fense to enact an efficient electronic nal cord was cut while they were out- patient care and safety. Further, it transfer of veterans’ records instead of side the womb. the outdated paperwork process that is shows many in the mainstream media The defense has said those children currently being used. will turn a blind eye to the murder of would have died anyway. They were The average veteran waits more than infants if it suits their political agen- small. The drugs they had been given 250 days for a decision on a claim. da. would have killed them already in the About 175 days of that time is the VA Regardless of one’s abortion position, surgical destruction that happened waiting for the DOD to send the com- no one can defend Gosnell’s practices, during the actual abortion procedure. plete records. In Arizona’s District yet his criminal case proceeds without So those children don’t matter. They One, one of my veterans’ caseworkers the national outcry for justice that we shouldn’t count as a murder. They is helping several vets who waited have heard on other murder cases. Do wouldn’t have lived anyway. more than 2 years. This wait time is we value the lives of infants or the simply unacceptable. Federal agencies I’m going to ask two questions. One health care of mothers who endured must leave paperwork in the past and is: What is the difference of 3 feet be- such horrific medical care? adopt an efficient electronic approach. tween delivering a child and snapping The lack of oversight allowing Dr. I thank my colleague, Chairman their spinal cord or killing them in the Gosnell to operate under horrific condi- COFFMAN, for cosponsoring this bill. womb? And the second is: Why would tions, perform late-term abortions and Helping our veterans isn’t a partisan we do this to children in the first murder babies should be scrutinized in issue; it’s a national responsibility. place? the same manner as other serial kill- Let’s end the backlog so we can keep I’d love for you to meet Olivia. She ers. My hope is our actions today shed the promises we’ve made to our vet- goes to high school with my daughter. light on this case and start a conversa- erans. She was born in 1996 at 1 pound, 2 tion to be sure that this never happens ounces, just over 20 weeks at delivery, f again. the very same as these children that f THE GOSNELL TRIAL were killed that day and many days in (Mr. BENTIVOLIO asked and was that Philadelphia abortion clinic. THE GOSNELL TRIAL given permission to address the House We have got to stand for life. We can- (Mr. WALBERG asked and was given for 1 minute and to revise and extend not be a Nation that does this to our permission to address the House for 1 his remarks.) children. minute.)

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