[Congressional Record Volume 168, Number 81 (Thursday, May 12, 2022)] [House] [Pages H4915-H4918] From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov] SUPREME COURT'S IMPENDING DECISION The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under the Speaker's announced policy of January 4, 2021, the Chair recognizes the gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. Perry) for 30 minutes. Mr. PERRY. Madam Speaker, I am joined by my friends here this evening to talk about the impending decision of the Supreme Court and, of course, the things surrounding it, including the unfortunate, unprecedented leak of the information from the Court, as well as the, I think, heretofore unprecedented protesting at the homes of the Justices that can only legitimately be described as an attempt to influence and change their decision. We are going to get into all that. Madam Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from North Carolina (Mr. Bishop), for some comments on this subject. Mr. BISHOP of North Carolina. Madam Speaker, I thank the gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. Perry) for yielding. The gentleman is right. You can't help but notice and perhaps be distracted in an unseemly way by the stream of insidious attacks on the institution of the United States Supreme Court. It began with ideas about packing the Court, the well-known threat by the majority leader in the Senate that, ``You won't know what hit you'' to the Justices of the Supreme Court, followed by that unprecedented leak--unprecedented in the history of the United States Supreme Court for a draft opinion to leak to the public. But we weren't done then, because in the ensuing two weeks, there was the online publishing of information about the residences of the Justices of the Supreme Court and the appearance of mobs outside their houses to intimidate them. And we were not done then. Last night, in the Committee on the Judiciary of the House of Representatives, there were the most unseemly attacks on the institution of the Court. We can look forward and we are still not done, because that committee, the Democratic majority of that committee, has scheduled for next week a hearing on the Dobbs case as it pends for decision on the calendar of the Court, another unprecedented trampling of institutional norms by a majority who reminds us constantly of their desire to protect democracy. But as I say, all of that threatens to cover over what should be a hopeful moment for this Nation in which we may, for the first time in 49 years, set aside a regime that has resulted in the loss of 61 million innocents. We may soon see in this Nation that no longer will tiny babies at the instant of their formation and their first weeks of growth when their formative heart begins to beat and they can sense pain, be forcibly ripped, limb from limb, as they are extracted from their mother's womb by an abortionist. We can aspire now, given the hope that emerges from what was intended for evil, but God may use for good, this opinion that says no longer will the deficient logic and willful action of a Supreme Court majority in 1973 dictate the course of this Nation and commit us to a continuing abomination against the most innocent. The aspiration that it may come to pass that the abomination of Roe v. Wade will join Dred Scott and Plessy v. Ferguson and Korematsu on the ash heap of history, a stain upon the history of the United States, to be sure, but one that the Nation and those who have the good fortune to live within her confines may yet live to see redeemed. Aspiration, hope, faith that this Nation may yet indeed see the living out of its creed. That is what I aspire to tonight. Mr. PERRY. Madam Speaker, I thank the gentleman, and those are indeed inspiring and hopeful words as we stand ready to hear the Court's final decision, not trying to leak it, not trying to persuade it unduly, doing the work of democracy, of the representative Republic, speaking on behalf of the people that we represent, our bosses, so that they can decide, not just a few folks across the street here in robes, making decisions for the whole country. Madam Speaker, I yield to the good gentleman from South Carolina (Mr. Norman). {time} 1845 Mr. NORMAN. Mr. Speaker, I thank Congressman Perry for getting this colloquy together. Dan Bishop put it well. America is getting a front-row seat to a left, unhinged group that, on an opinion that was leaked--that is illegal on its face--can inspire people, before the decision is even rendered, to go to the homes of the Supreme Court Justices and attempt to change their minds. It is illegal. It is in Federal statute. It is punishable by a year in prison. Merrick Garland, we call on him to enforce the law, to start arresting people. When is it going to end, folks? When is it going to end when a decision that the left doesn't like, in anticipation, is going to the houses of the Supreme Court Justices and all the neighbors, disrupting a complete neighborhood and disrupting the lives of Justices who are not political figures? They are elected for life. When will we see fences stop being put up around the Supreme Court? Who would imagine? The Founders would have never guessed that this would have been coming to effect. Do you know what is so appalling? The comments from this administration and from its supporters. A quote by one person who is on the abortionist side: ``If abortions aren't safe, then you aren't either.'' Another quote: ``The time for civility is over, man. Being polite doesn't get you anywhere.'' This is just a replay of the vandalism that took place all across this country--over 537 cities torn up--and a decision has not even been rendered. Folks, it is time for a change. It is time for this to stop. It is time for all Americans to voice their opinion and displeasure over this, the killing of a child. When you follow the money, that is where you know where the priorities are. For Title X funding, in the `23 budget, this administration is putting [[Page H4916]] forth $400 million, a $113 million increase to fund abortions that goes to Planned Parenthood. In the United Nations Population Fund going to countries overseas, over $56 million of the taxpayers' dollars are going overseas when we can't get baby formula. We can't get supplies that Americans need. The inability of a parent to tell a child that is crying into the middle of the night ``I can't get you formula'' falls directly on this administration. I commend the gentleman for doing this. This voice has to get louder. Americans are simply tired of it. To do this at this time in history has to be stopped. I think it is. Mr. PERRY. Mr. Speaker, I am being joined by some of my other colleagues here. Mr. Norman, Congressman Norman, mentioned the baby formula. We are here to talk about the stain of abortion on our country. But we are watching what is happening, talking about children that need their formula. Mothers need to feed their babies. They can't get it at the store, yet we see the shelves are full down on the southern border, full of baby formula. What about America's babies, ladies and gentlemen? What about America's babies? Look, you don't have to take our word for it. We are here to talk about the stain of all the lost lives of the innocent over these 49 years. But don't take our word for it. Don't take Republicans' word for it. How about Democrats? How about Governor Bob Casey in the Abortion Control Act of 1982, where he had to go to the Supreme Court and fight against Planned Parenthood for things like parental consent prior to a minor undergoing an abortion? What a novel concept. Oh, so striking. How about, just yesterday, The Washington Post, not known as a bastion of conservatism, saying that yes, experts say protests at SCOTUS Justice homes appear to be illegal, appear to be illegal because title 18, section 1507 of the U.S. Code, says it is: cannot try and influence the decision of the Court. But the left doesn't care. Every single day when you wake up, you say to yourself, I don't know how it could get much worse. I can't believe what is happening, and I don't know what else could get worse than it is. But then, every single day, something else unprecedented happens. Today, that is occurring yet again. If you don't believe me or The Washington Post or Bob Casey, Governor Bob Casey v. Planned Parenthood--by the way, I am not sure how Governor Casey would feel about his son's actions in the U.S. Senate when they voted for the most extreme position, which would make abortion legal at any point during the pregnancy, including up until the minute of birth--voted for that. His father fought the good fight. But what about Ruth Bader Ginsburg, celebrated leftist on the Court, celebrated believer in abortion and protector of abortion, who said that the 1973 law did too much too fast, said that ``doctrinal limbs too swiftly shaped . . . may prove unstable.'' She knew this was a stain on our humanity. She knew. Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from Georgia (Mr. Hice). Mr. HICE of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, I am grateful to the gentleman for chairing the Freedom Caucus, and we are grateful for his leadership and for having this Special Order tonight. I want to take a moment in my opening remarks to say thank you to those Supreme Court Justices who, right now, are experiencing tremendous and unjust treatment and intimidation from a radical left mob that is absolutely out of control. Many of us have been in the battle for life for decades. We are grateful, finally, that this horrendous stain on America's history is potentially coming to an end, and those who have stood for our Constitution, Supreme Court Justices Alito, Coney Barrett, Gorsuch, Kavanaugh, and Thomas, we all take a moment to say a huge thank you to them for standing up for the Constitution, for standing up for the unborn, and doing the right thing. We want them to know that we and millions of other Americans are standing with them in deep gratitude this evening. Never should anyone in this country but, at this point, our Supreme Court Justices never, ever, ever should they be afraid of the leftist mob because they are doing their jobs as Supreme Court Justices to stand for the Constitution and to correct unconstitutional law in this case as it comes their way. Yet, now, they are facing great intimidation by the radical left agenda. We, millions of Americans, are absolutely disgusted by what we are watching on television as a result of what has already been described tonight, an unprecedented and I believe to be probably an intentional leak of Justice Alito's decision, the majority decision in this case, Dobbs v. Jackson. How in the world does that leak happen? We fully will get to the bottom of that with some investigations in the future. The behavior now of the left is unacceptable. It is illegal. It needs to be dealt with. There needs to be accountability. This is absolutely bringing out the worst of the radical left in this country, and I hope every American sees it. I hope they see it for what it is. Here is the Supreme Court Justices doing their job. There are three branches, equal branches, separate branches. This branch, the judicial branch, and, in this case, the Supreme Court are doing their job and facing the wrath of radical leftists simply because they don't like the decision. We have fallen so far as a country. We have come to the point that now we are willing to end innocent life and rip little baby boys or girls from their mothers' wombs. I mean, here we have 5 weeks, the child has a heartbeat; 10 weeks, arms, legs, fingers, toes; 15 weeks, a fully developed heart, capable of feeling pain. It is a child in the womb. It is absolutely amazing. Enough is enough. It is time that we hold these people accountable. It is time that we come behind our Supreme Court Justices. Whether anyone agrees with the decision or not, they are doing their job. We obviously agree with the decision. But they are doing their job, and they need to be protected. We cannot allow the highest court of our land and our Constitution to be put in jeopardy as it is now. Again, Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for leading this time, this Special Order, giving each of us an opportunity to stand for our Constitution, to stand for our Supreme Court, and to stand for life. Mr. PERRY. Mr. Speaker, the good gentleman from Georgia reminded me, as I said, you don't have to believe us Republicans. He reminded me that President Biden said this is a child, what we have known all our lives. But don't believe us if you don't want to. Believe your President. He said it is a child. So we know, right? And we are so grateful. As people who love life, love the protection of life guaranteed in the Constitution, we have suffered and prayed for 49 years. We didn't like the decision 49 years ago, in 1973. We didn't like it, but we didn't do the wrong thing. We used the system appropriately, as it was designed by the Founders and the Framers of our great country, to remove the stain of the loss of innocent life from our laws. We are on the edge of that. But the point is that there is a right way to do things. Even though we disagree on occasion, we are a country of laws. If it is going to be okay to break the law just because you disagree with a decision, well, that is not a country that is going to endure very long. Mr. Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from Montana (Mr. Rosendale). Mr. ROSENDALE. Mr. Speaker, I thank the tremendous chairman of the Freedom Caucus, the tip of the spear for this body, the conscience of the conservative movement here in Washington, D.C. I am proud to stand here with him to be a voice for life today. It is painfully ironic to me as I look back that, in 1973, the same year that the Endangered Species Act was passed to protect endangered plants and animals, our Supreme Court made that terrible, flawed decision in Roe v. Wade, allowing abortions to take place. Now, I don't know how many wolves or how many bears have been saved since 1973, but I can tell you that 63 million children have been killed. Sixty-three million children have been killed since that day. Roe v. Wade created abortions on the basis of a supposed right to privacy under the 14th Amendment, but they [[Page H4917]] forget about the guarantees in our Constitution to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. The very first promise that we have from our creator is life. The Dobbs decision would suspend the Federal protection of abortions and finally return this question back to the States. When we leave here, after this decision is finally released, and we are all are very optimistic that it is going to overturn Roe v. Wade, let us not rest, folks. Let us not rest. We are still going to have to go back to our respective State legislatures and give them the support and give them the guidance that they are going to need to make sure that they protect the lives of the unborn. Let's be very clear about this. Democrats, not Republicans, are the ones who are out of step with the American public. The rest of the world, they are out of step with them. Today, they continue to push for taxpayer-funded death on demand. Let's call it what it is. We are no longer talking about yanking an unborn child from a mother's womb. The Democrats are so out of step they are literally having discussions about whether they will kill a child once it is outside of its mother. Taxpayer-funded death on demand is what they are trying to push forward, and I am so proud that all the Members are standing here to fight against that today. Roe v. Wade was outdated and was made before scientific advances helped us understand the clear humanity of the unborn child. An unborn life is a separate, unique individual with its own DNA. Let's follow the science. That is what they always say. Let's follow the science, our friends to the left. Well, let's follow the science. That child has separate and unique DNA. It is a new person. Let's protect it. {time} 1900 I have always been a staunch supporter and defender of the most vulnerable, especially the children. My wife and I have participated in pro-life marches across the State of Montana in many, many different cities and municipalities. This is the first year that we were able to join many people here in Washington, D.C., our Nation's Capital--the encouragement and the enthusiasm amongst the tens of thousands of people to protect life was overwhelming. Madam Speaker, I have three children; I have three sons. I can remember the first time that I held my children, each and every one of them. I looked at their faces to see if they matched mine, to see if they had that little dimple in their chin. I looked to see if they had all 10 of their fingers and 10 of their toes. I will tell you that I thanked God that each one of them was a healthy human being that he had gifted to my wife and I and gave us the responsibility to nurture that child. I now have the experience of doing the exact same thing with a granddaughter; to look into her face and see this precious individual. I look at my son and my daughter-in-law and know that this child is dependent upon them for safety, food, and protection, and know that they are going to do the exact same thing that I have been blessed to do with them. Every life is precious, not perfect. Every life is precious. That is what we need to remember today. We have an obligation to protect each one, healthy, imperfect, or infirm. I pledge to you, God as my judge, that I will do that just as long as I am able to take in air and breathe. Mr. PERRY. Madam Speaker, I thank the gentleman. Indeed, life is precious. It is a blessing. It is a gift. As a parent there is nothing like it. We have lamented these last 49 years in the loss of these innocent lives, and that our country could stand for that and support that; not only just support it, but go out and campaign for it with our tax dollars, with our rhetoric, with our policies around the globe. Ladies and gentlemen, this is the United States of America where you are guaranteed by our Creator, and ordained in the Constitution, the gift of life, the blessing of life, the first gift, the first blessing. Madam Speaker, I yield to the gentleman from Georgia (Mr. Clyde). Mr. CLYDE. Mr. Speaker, I thank Chairman Perry for leading the House Freedom Caucus and for leading this Special Order. The Declaration of Independence--what an incredible document that was--that was truly the birth certificate, I believe, of our Nation. It was the promise, I would call it, and the Constitution was the fulfillment of that promise. In the Declaration of Independence, it says--and you have heard this mentioned tonight, but I echo it: ``We hold these truths to be self- evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights, that among these are life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.'' The very first among those unalienable rights is life. ``That to secure these rights, governments are instituted among men.'' So who is responsible for securing that right of life? Well, that is the government--``deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed.'' That is us. That is the American people. That is who consents to the government. That right of life is endowed by our Creator--by God. God gives you a right. Who can take it away? I don't think anyone can take it away. Our Declaration recognizes that some people will try, and so our government is supposed to protect that right. I am so thankful that our Supreme Court, which is one of our coequal branches of government, that they actually stood up after 49 years to defend that right to life. I echo my friend, Congressman Jody Hice from the great State of Georgia--Georgia's 10th District, just a little bit below mine--I echo his sentiments in thanking the Justices that stood for life: Justice Samuel Alito, who actually had to be moved from his residence because of the threats; Justice Clarence Thomas; Neil Gorsuch; Brett Kavanaugh; and Amy Coney Barrett. I think we as a nation should be telling these Justices: Thank you, thank you, and thank you. How many millions more lives will be saved because of this decision that--though it is not final--we believe will be final and will come out in a month? We need to encourage them for standing up and defending life. I think that is so very important because what we have seen so far has been absolutely despicable when it comes from the radical left and their threats to the Supreme Court. There is a reason that the Supreme Court Justices are confirmed for life on the bench, and that is so they are not intimidated. Here we have someone in the Supreme Court that leaked a draft decision with what I believe was the intent to intimidate, so maybe one of those Justices would change their mind. I am praying that they don't. From what we see, they will not. Thank God for that. Mr. PERRY. Madam Speaker, I thank the good gentleman and all my colleagues. Our time is almost over, but I just want to reiterate that we--these Members here and many others on this side of the aisle, in particular--stand for life. We stand for the Constitution which guarantees that life. We stand for the rights enumerated in the Constitution that are given to us by God--granted to us by God. As my friend said: Can't be taken away--even though some will try. When God gives them to you, they can't be taken away. That is all by design. We stand for the rule of law enshrined in the Constitution that folks that would wish to subvert the rule of law--try and color the Court's decision--they should be held accountable. All men are created equal under the law. Apparently, under this administration some are more equal than others. Madam Speaker, that is the recipe for anarchy. We are thankful for this opportunity to speak to our bosses, our employers, the ones who rule over us, the good Lord, and our constituents this evening. Madam Speaker, we are thankful for the time to speak on this very important issue, stand for the Constitution, stand for the law, and importantly, stand for life. Madam Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time. [[Page H4918]] ____________________