FAMILY ISSUES
I believe that human life is precious, and that government should protect human life, not assist in its destruction. I am a member of the Values Action Team and the Pro-life Caucus, and I will support legislation to protect the rights of unborn children. I do not support the use of abortion. Prior to serving in Congress, I was an obstetrician/gynecologist for over 20 years and delivered over 3,000 babies during my years in practice.
Having dedicated 21 years of my life to a pro-life obstetrics practice, I believe that the United States Constitution is very clear when it guarantees a right to life. Until the Supreme Court hands down a decision reaffirming the right to life, or until the Supreme Court refers this issue to the states to enact their own laws, there are several policies that can be adopted to curb the number of abortions performed in the United States.
Partial-Birth Abortion Ban Act
I am actively working to defeat measures in the U.S. House of Representatives that would provide federal funding to promote abortions. I believe the practice known as partial birth abortion should be banned in the United States immediately. I am an original cosponsor of The Partial-Birth Abortion Ban Act of 2003 (H.R. 760), which would make it illegal to perform a partial birth abortion procedure. The U.S. House of Representatives passed H.R. 760 by a vote of 281-142 on October 2, 2003. I voted for the passage of the bill. President Bush signed the bill into law (Public Law 108-105) on November 5, 2003. From my perspective, the federal government should work to overcome the factors that lead to abortions, and should support well-crafted legislative proposals that directly address these factors.
Parental Notification and Intervention Act
Another area where progress can be made is parental notification. If a parent is required by law to give permission for a teenage girl to have her ears pierced, then obviously the law should require that a parent should be notified before a minor daughter goes through the medical procedure to have an abortion. During the 108th Congress, I was a cosponsor of H.R. 1489, The Parental Notification and Intervention Act of 2003, which would provide for parental notification and intervention in the case of a minor seeking an abortion. I also cosponsored H.R. 2444, The Parent's Right to Know Act, which would establish certain requirements relating to the provision of services to minors by family planning projects under title X of the Public Health Service Act. I will support similar legislative measures during the 109th Congress.
The Unborn Victims of Violence Act
Last year, I supported H.R. 1997, The Unborn Victims of Violence Act. I believe that assaulting or murdering an unborn child should register the same offense as the punishment provided under federal law for intentionally killing or attempting to kill any human being. From my perspective, the federal government should work to protect all persons in our society, and should support well-crafted legislative proposals that directly address these factors. In February 2004, the Bush Administration expressed support for protection of unborn children and therefore strong support for enactment of H.R. 1997. On February 26, 2004, the U.S. House of Representatives passed H.R. 1997 by a vote of 254-163. I voted for the bill. The Senate passed the bill by a vote of 61-38 on March 25, 2004. President Bush signed the bill into law (Public Law 108-212) on April 1, 2004.
Federal Marriage Amendment Act
I strongly support the Marriage Protection Amendment, formerly known as the Federal Marriage Amendment. As a cosponsor of H.J.Res. 56, The Federal Marriage Amendment and H.J.Res. 106, The Marriage Protection Amendment, I believe we must define marriage as the union of a man and a woman, and make any state law defining it in any other way unconstitutional. The Marriage Protection Amendment would effectively prevent the further undermining of marriage by our nation's courts. On September 30, 2004, the U.S. House of Representatives debated H.J.Res. 106, The Marriage Protection Amendment. The amendment would establish the definition of marriage solely between a man and woman under federal law, thus preempting any state laws on this matter. Additionally, it would effectively prevent the further undermining of marriage by our nation's courts. The House did not acquire the 2/3 majority of the vote to pass this constitutional amendment. H.J.Res. 106 was defeated by a vote of 227-186. I voted for the passage of the amendment because I want to do what is legally necessary to defend the institution of marriage. I believe marriage is a sacred institution between a man and a woman. You can rest assured that I will continue to work to do what is legally necessary to defend the institution of marriage.
Stem Cell Research
On August 9, 2001, President Bush announced that federal funds for research would be available for stem cell research. Thus, President Bush is the only U.S. president to authorize federal funding for this type of effort. He also detailed parameters for research restricting the federal funding to already existing embryonic stem cell lines. No federal funds would be used for the destruction of embryos to create new stem cell lines. There are no restrictions on private funding to be used for this purpose. Federal policy has not changed since the presidential announcement in 2001. When talking about stem cell research, it is important to differentiate between adult stem cells, stem cells derived for umbilical cord, and stem cells derived from an embryonic source. Stem cell research holds great promise for one day providing solutions to some of the most troubling problems we face in healthcare. This is why I support stem cell research, particularly when it is done using adult stem cells or stem cells taken from the umbilical cord. I support the restrictions on embryonic stem cell research as defined by President Bush. Human embryo stem cell research raises serious ethical questions. When embryonic stem cells are collected, this usually happens at around 14 days after conception. To place this in a human context, a normal pregnancy at that stage of development is but a few days away from the time a heartbeat can be seen on a sonogram. Because of what is at stake on both sides of the issue, the President’s policy strikes the correct balance between valid research needs and the protection of human life. Limiting government funding of embryonic stem cell research does not mean the end of all stem cell research. Embryonic stem cell research is restricted to existing cell lines, but adult and umbilical cord stem cell research will continue to move forward. This research is already working on new, potentially curative therapies for patients with leukemia, lymphoma, sickle cell disease, and radiation/chemical weapons injuries. In fact, in North Texas, scientists are working on solving some of the cellular factors which regulate cell growth and cell differentiation. We may see the day where there is no difference in behavior of a stem cell whether it be derived from an adult, umbilical, or embryonic source. On the other hand, several experiments using embryonic stem cells have had serious adverse effects on several patients and it is always important to be cautious with new areas of scientific research.
