Remarks by Senator Loren Leman

Alaskans for Life Rally

Wednesday, January 22, 1997

The following remarks were made by Senator Leman to a rally sponsored by Alaskans for Life, held in front of the Capitol Building in Juneau. The rally was held on the occasion of the 24th anniversary of the Supreme Court's Roe v. Wade decision which legalized abortion.

I am grateful for all you who have gathered here today. Your presence is a powerful testimony to this community and our state on the value we place on all human life, born and unborn. Some of you volunteer for the Crisis Pregnancy Center. I see friends who have stood here in previous rallies, and many who have written letters to the editor. Many of you are active in your churches or other organizations, helping educate your neighbors and friends on the need to respect human life.

Likely few of you became involved in the pro-life movement to earn notoriety or respect. But I say you deserve it nonetheless. In a speech to the 1990 Rally for Life in Washington, then Vice President of the United States Dan Quayle described the pro-life movement as "the great humanitarian effort of our time". These words ring true, for that is exactly what we are. We are a people waging battle with a culture that has forgotten the basic values which undergird human rights, and hold our society together.

This week we recognize two historic events. On Monday, in Washington DC, Bill Clinton was inaugurated and began his second term as President. Today, we recognize the 24th anniversary of the tragic Roe v. Wade decision. Somehow it seems appropriate for these events to occur so close to one another. It's appropriate because Mr. Clinton has done more than any other American to prolong and even advance the social chaos that Roe v. Wade caused in our country.

Have you all heard the slogan Bill Clinton uses when he talks about abortion? He says he wants abortions to be "safe, legal, and rare." Well, the truth is this: no abortion is safe, and no abortions for birth control should be legal. And how about making abortions rare? Well, the people who are going to make abortions rare weren't dancing at the Inaugural balls late Monday evening. No, the people who are committed to making abortions rare live here, in Juneau. They're standing right here on the Capitol steps.

Despite President Clinton's re-election, I am not discouraged about the future of the pro-life movement. We can be encouraged by other election results. In the 1994 elections, not one pro-life incumbent in Congress was defeated by a pro-abortion opponent. In the 1996 elections, we added more pro-life votes in the U.S. Senate and we retain a pro-life majority in the U.S. House. In Alaska we gained strength in both the House and Senate as a result of the 1996 elections. This year, for the first time since abortion was legalized, we have enough votes in the Legislature to pass modest pro-life legislation.

I have reintroduced my bill to make Alaska's parental consent law enforceable. Senate Bill 24 will require a teenage girl to obtain permission from a parent or judge before having an abortion. Last year this same bill failed in the Senate on a 10-10 vote. We gained two pro-life Senators, and I believe the bill will win approval. House Bill 37 by Rep. Pete Kelly is the companion legislation in the House.

Another important bill has been introduced by Senator Rick Halford, and I am a cosponsor. Senate Bill 12 bans partial birth abortions. House Bill 65 by Rep. Pete Kott is its companion. These bills are the same as the one Congress passed and President Clinton vetoed. By passing this bill, we will send a message that this gruesome procedure will never be tolerated in Alaska!

I am excited to tell you these two bills are the first order of business in the Senate Health, Education, and Social Services Committee. Both bills have been identified as priorities for this session by House and Senate leadership.

Also, I expect that a "woman's right to know" (informed consent) bill will be introduced. This legislation will require women seeking abortions to be informed of medical facts and the risks they face, such as an increased risk of breast cancer and other complications. In addition to these bills, there will be another effort in this legislature to end state funding of elective abortions.

It's important to realize that none of these efforts will stop abortion. But they will help. Still unknown is their fate when they reach Governor Knowles' desk -- that's where you are so important. Your phone calls and letters to the Governor will make a difference!

The progress of pro-life work is similar to the development of a child --we can measure our progress in baby steps. That is where we are today -- taking baby steps toward changing our culture.

There are signs of hope. The number of abortions performed in our country has dipped in recent years, after climbing for more than two decades. The number of doctors willing to perform abortions continues to dwindle. And, the number of hospitals and clinics that allow abortions to be performed grows smaller with each passing year. Two weeks ago, Sitka Community Hospital announced it will no longer allow elective abortions to be performed. That leaves only one hospital in Alaska that remains in the abortion business.

Abortion has been legal nationwide for 24 years. Yet it still has not won public approval. The medical, legal, and educational establishments are strongly pro-abortion. So is Hollywood and the entertainment industry. Despite this, most people know in their hearts that abortion is wrong. But many still accept it because of convenience or a misguided zeal in individual rights. We need to tell people the truth and give them hope and an acceptable alternative.

To do that, each of us needs to go out and help change America one person at a time. May God give you strength as you go.