Rhode Island 2006 Senate Debate: on Abortion

Lincoln Chafee: Embryonic stem cell research could help with many diseases

CHAFEE: I voted for a bill for federal funding. I believe it could help people with Parkinson’s, Alzheimer’s, cancer, and spinal cord injury.

WHITEHOUSE: There should be federal subsidies for embryonic stem cell research because of its enormous promise. It’s outrageous that Bush has used this as its one veto; to try to eliminate this research is shameful. It shows the Republicans being driven by ideology rather than science.

Lincoln Chafee: Leaving abortion to states means only wealthy have choice

CHAFEE: I have consistently voted against any federal attempt to ban women’s reproductive freedom & choices. If it’s left to the states, then only wealthy women will have access to abortions, if they have the resources to travel, whereas poor women would have to resort to the old days of difficult decisions.

WHITEHOUSE: I am pro-choice. I firmly believe that family planning decisions should be private, and that there’s no role for government intrusion in those decisions. Roe v. Wade is the settled law of the land by almost any legal standard. But unfortunately what we’re seeing in Washington now, by Republicans, is a concerted & deliberate attempt to pack the Supreme Court with a particular ideology to try to undo rights that have been very long-settled, indeed settled by justices who were overwhelmingly appointed by Republican presidents. If Roe v. Wade is overturned I think those rights should be recognized at the state level.

Sheldon Whitehouse: Vetoing stem cell research shows GOP ideology over science

CHAFEE: I voted for a bill for federal funding. I believe it could help people with Parkinson’s, Alzheimer’s, cancer, and spinal cord injury.

WHITEHOUSE: There should be federal subsidies for embryonic stem cell research because of its enormous promise. It’s outrageous that Bush has used this as its one veto; to try to eliminate this research is shameful. It shows the Republicans being driven by ideology rather than science.

Sheldon Whitehouse: Firmly believes family planning decisions should be private

CHAFEE: I have consistently voted against any federal attempt to ban women’s reproductive freedom & choices. If it’s left to the states, then only wealthy women will have access to abortions, if they have the resources to travel, whereas poor women would have to resort to the old days of difficult decisions.

WHITEHOUSE: I am pro-choice. I firmly believe that family planning decisions should be private, and that there’s no role for government intrusion in those decisions. Roe v. Wade is the settled law of the land by almost any legal standard. But unfortunately what we’re seeing in Washington now, by Republicans, is a concerted & deliberate attempt to pack the Supreme Court with a particular ideology to try to undo rights that have been very long-settled, indeed settled by justices who were overwhelmingly appointed by Republican presidents. If Roe v. Wade is overturned I think those rights should be recognized at the state level.