Bobby Scott

Mr. SCOTT

Mr. SCOTT. Mr. Speaker, while I rejoice in the opportunity to sing the praises of my friend and mentor, the Honorable Lou Stokes, the Dean of the Ohio Delegation, I am saddened by the realization that he will be retiring from this body at the end of this Congress. His departure from Congress will constitute a great personal loss to me and a great loss to the nation. Lou Stokes' Congressional contributions were legendary to me long before I came to the Congress. His successes toward developing health programs for underserved and disadvantaged populations were well known to me and to health care workers throughout the country. During my 15 years in the Virginia legislature, I was active in developing programs to prevent infant mortality. Lou Stokes was our champion in the Congress on this issue then, and since I came to the Congress has continued to be our champion on the issue. I serve with Representative Stokes on the Congressional Black Caucus' Health Braintrust. Year after year, he has provided absolutely stellar leadership as Chairman of the Braintrust by focusing the attention of the Congress and the nation on efforts to improve the health care status of disadvantaged populations. Not only will he leave a legacy of legislative accomplishments such as the Minority and Disadvantaged Health Care Improvement Act, but his annual Spring and Fall Health Braintrust programs will leave a record, that will be difficult for us to maintain, of pulling together the sharpest minds and most accomplished people to focus on pressing health concerns. Mr. Speaker, in all of his endeavors, Lou Stokes has shown himself to be the consummate professional, a distinguished legislator, and an outstanding human being. I will miss you, Lou. I thank you for all you done for me, for this Congress and for this nation. God bless you Representative Louis Stokes, and Godspeed on your future endeavors.

Mr. SCOTT

Mr. SCOTT. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from Maryland (Mr. Cardin) for yielding to me. Mr. Speaker, as the representative of the Third District of Virginia, I rise to add my voice to the chorus of supporters of families and friends of Special Agent John Gibson and Officer Jacob Chestnut in these painful hours. ``Senseless'' is the word that keeps coming back to me as I think of the loss to the families and to our community of the lives and contributions of these two fine public servants. The only thing that was not senseless about the tragedy was their bravery and sense of duty in sacrificing their own lives to protect the lives of others and to keep the people's House open to the public. Any loss of life as a result of tragedy is painful to the entire community, but when it comes as a result of a senseless tragedy such as this, we also feel anger, disgust and bewilderment over the loss of their lives and the suffering brought upon their families, friends, and our Nation as a result of a senseless act. No words are ever adequate under these circumstances. Yet I wish to join the long line of my colleagues in Congress to express my deep sorrow and sympathy to the families of these brave officers and to try to find a way to come to grips with this tragedy in our midst. Mr. Speaker, I appreciate and honor the lives and contributions of Special Agent John Gibson and Officer J.J. Chestnut to this Congress and to this community and to our Nation.

Mr. SCOTT

Mr. SCOTT. Madam Speaker, I yield 30 seconds to the gentlewoman from California (Ms. Woolsey).

Mr. SCOTT. Madam Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentlewoman from Texas (Ms. Jackson-Lee). (Ms. JACKSON-LEE of Texas asked and was given permission to revise and extend her remarks.)

Mr. SCOTT. Madam Speaker, I yield 30 seconds to the gentlewoman from Oregon (Ms. Furse).

Mr. SCOTT. Madam Speaker, I yield 1\1/2\ minutes to the gentlewoman from California (Ms. Harman).

Mr. SCOTT. Madam Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentlewoman from California (Ms. Woolsey). (Ms. WOOLSEY asked and was given permission to revise and extend her remarks.)

Mr. SCOTT. Madam Speaker, I yield myself 15 seconds. Madam Speaker, I want to place in the Record the words of the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, who said that the intact D&E may be the best or most appropriate procedure in a particular circumstance to save the life or preserve the health of a woman, and only a doctor in consultation with the patient should make that decision. Madam Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from New York (Mr. Meeks).

Mr. SCOTT. Madam Speaker, I yield myself 1 minute. Madam Speaker, I have joined several of my colleagues in supporting a bill that will actually prohibit all late-term abortions, consistent with the Constitution. We have heard that bill described. It is consistent with the law. And if we want to prohibit as many abortions as possible, we ought to consider that bill. We have heard suggestions that some physicians think that the partial birth abortion ban is appropriate. Other physicians think that it ought to be an option for physicians. That decision ought to be left to the physicians. This bill will not prohibit any abortions. It will just relegate some women to procedures which their physician thinks may kill, maim, or sterilize them. And that is why this bill ought to be opposed.

Mr. SCOTT. Madam Speaker, will the gentlewoman suspend for just a minute? I understand that, prior to the close, they will ask for a Call of the House; and I think it would be appropriate for both closing speakers to be heard, and at this time I would suspend for the motion.

Mr. SCOTT. Madam Speaker, I yield 3\1/2\ minutes to the gentleman from New York (Mr. Nadler).

Mr. SCOTT. Madam Speaker, I yield \1/2\ minute to the gentlewoman from Florida (Mrs. Thurman).

Mr. SCOTT. Madam Speaker, I yield myself 10 additional seconds. That is why the bill is unconstitutional. My colleague just disagrees with the constitutional interpretation of the Supreme Court. We are going to pass an unconstitutional bill.

Mr. SCOTT

Mr. SCOTT. Madam Speaker, I yield 5 minutes to the gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. Greenwood).

Mr. SCOTT. Madam Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from Maryland (Mr. Hoyer)

Mr. SCOTT. Madam Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Bentsen). (Mr. BENTSEN asked and was given permission to revise and extend his remarks.)

Mr. SCOTT. Madam Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentlewoman from California (Mrs. Tauscher).

Mr. SCOTT. Madam Speaker, could you advise us as to the time remaining on both sides, please?

Mr. SCOTT. Madam Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from Maryland (Mr. Hoyer).

Mr. SCOTT. Madam Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Michigan (Mr. Conyers).

Mr. SCOTT. Madam Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my time. As has been pointed out in the debate, Madam Speaker, this bill will not stop any abortion. It will just require an alternative procedure to be used. We have had no answer to the question of what that alternative should be. What we should do is defeat the motion to discharge the committee from further consideration of the bill, require the Committee on the Judiciary to in fact consider the bill and the fact that it is unconstitutional and consider alternatives like the Hoyer-Greenwood bill that would prevent the maximum number of abortions consistent with the Supreme Court decisions. I would hope that we would defeat the motion and have the Committee on the Judiciary report a constitutional bill.

Mr. SCOTT. Madam Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Edwards).

Mr. SCOTT. Madam Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentlewoman from Colorado (Ms. DeGette).

Mr. SCOTT. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Madam Speaker, very briefly I would state that the bill does not prevent a single abortion. In fact, if this bill passes, women who have abortions may have to undergo sterilization and not be able to have children in the future, because this bill does not have a health exception. Madam Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentlewoman from New York (Ms. Slaughter).

Mr. SCOTT

Mr. SCOTT. Madam Speaker, I yield such time as she may consume to the gentlewoman from New York (Mrs. Maloney). (Mrs. MALONEY of New York asked and was given permission to revise and extend her remarks.)