WASHINGTON D.C. – Today, Rep. Phil Roe, M.D. (R-TN) gave the following speech on the House floor regarding the Gosnell trial:

I stand today to express my horror at the accusations made in the trial of Kermit Gosnell, an abortionist in Pennsylvania. If true, these charges are horrific.

Life is a precious miracle. The children who lost their lives in Philadelphia were blessed with this miracle only to have it so cruelly ripped from them in an instant. Regardless of whether one is pro-life or pro-abortion we should all agree that these children deserved their chance at life.  

This country carries a responsibility and duty to protect those who do not have a voice. As our fourth president and architect of our Constitution, James Madison, once warned, the rights of the minority must be protected. Children, including the unborn children of America, represent our greatest silent minority. They are the most innocent amongst us, and deserve the protection we afford all other people in this great country. 

One of government’s most important duties is to protect the most vulnerable among us. I pledge to continue to remember and strive towards this. I am heartened that so many others today choose to do the same.

If found guilty, I expect the full weight of law to be used in punishment of the accused. Such crimes are unforgivable and deserve no place in society; but such heinous acts can also serve a purpose in shining a greater light on how abortion is handled in this country, and as a reminder of how precious a gift life and children are.

To view Roe’s statement on the House floor, please click on the following video.