VIDEO: Young Speaks in Support of Pro-Life Principles

WASHINGTON — U.S. Senator Todd Young (R-Ind.) spoke on the Senate floor today in support of pro-life policies, including legislation he cosponsored to ban taxpayer funding of abortion. Tomorrow, Senator Young’s office will welcome Hoosiers in Washington who are participating in the March for Life, the world’s largest annual pro-life demonstration.

“In Indiana, advocates from all corners of the state are fighting tirelessly to protect pro-life principles. These are the unsung heroes of the life movement – those who have dedicated their lives to saving innocent children,” said Senator Young. “Hoosiers elected me to represent their values in the Senate and I’ve been proud to work on legislation that reflects those values.”

“We are divided on so many issues today, but protecting the lives of unborn children should not be one of those issues,” Senator Young added.

Click here or the image below to watch Senator Young’s floor speech. 

Remarks as prepared for delivery:

I rise today to talk about an issue that is very important to constituents in my state of Indiana, and very close to my heart – the sanctity of life.

Tomorrow, thousands of pro-life advocates from around the country, including many Hoosiers, will convene in Washington for the March for Life, the world’s largest annual pro-life demonstration.

You may not be able to tell this by watching today’s television or movies, but there is bipartisan agreement among most Americans that we must protect human life.

This is no old-fashioned point of view either. A recent survey of millennials showed that 70 percent supported limits such as parental notification, blocking abortions at five months of pregnancy, and ending government funding for abortion.

In Indiana, advocates from all corners of the state are fighting tirelessly to protect pro-life principles.

These are the unsung heroes of the life movement, those who have dedicated their lives to saving innocent children. 

Hoosiers elected me to represent their values in the Senate, and I’ve been proud to work on legislation that reflects those values.

Already in the new Congress, I have joined dozens of my Senate colleagues on a letter to President Trump asking for a public commitment to only support pro-life legislative and administrative policies. 

This President has been supportive of pro-life policies, but House Democrats have already indicated that they intend to move forward with pro-abortion legislation this Congress. 

We would like the President to let the House know that he would veto any kind of legislation that does not respect the sanctity of life.

I also joined several of my colleagues this week to cosponsor the No Taxpayer Funding for Abortion Act of 2019, which we just voted on.

This bill would have established a government-wide statutory prohibition on taxpayer subsidies for abortion and abortion coverage. Federal dollars should absolutely not be used to fund abortion.

I am disappointed that my colleagues did not join me in voting to pass this important legislation today. I’ll continue looking for ways to advance this needed reform.

I am also a cosponsor of the Born-Alive Survivor Protection Act which ensures that a baby who survives an abortion will receive the same treatment as any child naturally born premature at the same age.

We must protect innocent life.

Before being elected to the Senate, I sat on the Board of Directors of the Hannah House in Bloomington, Indiana, which offers women loving support during pregnancy. I also spent two years as a small town attorney offering legal services to parents who wanted to adopt. 

I am very passionate about helping children find loving homes, and helping caring adults become parents.

I’ve seen firsthand through these experiences the importance of advocating for those who cannot advocate for themselves.

We are divided on so many issues today, but protecting the lives of unborn children should not be one of those issues.  

I’ll continue working on legislation that advances pro-life values, and I am hopeful we can soon turn these actions into law.