U.S. SENATE— U.S. Senator Steve Daines today spoke on the floor of the United States Senate on the importance of protecting babies with Down syndrome from abortion. Today, 67% percent of babies diagnosed with Down syndrome are aborted.
To watch the full speech, click HERE.
Daines’ remarks as prepared for delivery:
“Tomorrow is the 48th annual March for Life.
“Although this year’s March will be primarily virtual, the importance of standing together to protect the unborn, the most vulnerable, and ALL life is as important now as it as has ever been.
“48 years ago, our country started down a dark path.
“48 years ago, the Supreme Court tragically ruled in Roe v. Wade.
“Since then, we’ve lost the lives of 62 million… 62 million and counting… unborn babies, precious lives, by abortion.
“I believe every human being is created with God-given dignity and potential.
“No Court, no legislature, no law, can take that away.
“Nevertheless, today, babies with Down syndrome are the most endangered on Earth.
“For me, this is personal.
“Just under three years ago, our world was blessed with a sweet baby boy named Andrew.
“He has Downs. His parents are my friends.
“Andrew is a true joy and his family celebrates his life every day.
“Our world would not be the same without him.
“In the United States, sixty-seven percent of babies diagnosed with Down syndrome are aborted.
“For every person with Down syndrome alive today that you know or meet… our friends, family members, loved ones… two more are gone from this world because of abortion.
“This is absolutely chilling.
“In Europe the numbers are even worse.
“In Iceland, because of abortion, the population of individuals with Down syndrome is being virtually eradicated altogether.
“As prenatal screenings increase in availability, mothers frequently learn before birth if their baby has Down syndrome.
“Rather than being given supportive resources, these vulnerable mothers are often insistently pressured to abort the baby.
“Indeed, we all too often hear of a false compassion that it would be better for unborn babies with down syndrome or other disabilities to not be brought into this world rather than live a life that might be different from other children.
“This is not who we are as Americans.
“I am deeply concerned that for babies with down syndrome, abortion has become a “tool of modern day eugenics” as Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas said.
“This pains me to think about. But we can’t just think about the pain this causes.
“We’ve got to do something. We’ve got to protect these precious lives at all cost.
“It is the duty of this body to end this injustice.
“That’s why I am joining my colleague from Oklahoma, Senator Inhofe, in introducing the “Protecting Individuals with Down Syndrome Act” which will prohibit abortions that are sought because of a diagnosis that an unborn child has or may have Down syndrome.
“This effort has the overwhelming support of the American public.
“Yesterday a new Knights of Columbus – Marist Poll found that 70 percent of Americans oppose aborting a child on the basis that the child will be born with Down syndrome.
“This includes over half of those who identify as pro-choice.
“This issue also sadly exposes a terrible hypocrisy we’re seeing among supporters of abortion on demand.
“Today, most Republicans and Democrats in Congress are unified in support for the Special Olympics and for protecting individuals with disabilities.
“Yet many of my colleagues across the aisle will oppose this commonsense legislation to stop the most lethal kind of discrimination imaginable: being singled out and brutally killed because of a Down syndrome diagnosis.
“It’s shameful.
“As Henry Hyde famously said, “The promise of America is not just for the privileged, the planned and the perfect.”
“It is our duty to protect every innocent life, no matter how small, no matter how many chromosomes they may have.
“I yield the floor.”