Smirks and jokes: How two women saved from abortion were treated on Capitol Hill

On Tuesday, June 4th at 10 a.m., I spoke before a subcommittee of the House Judiciary Committee for the “Threats to Reproductive Rights in America” hearing, which was called to address the pro-life legislative victories across the nation. I was on a panel with seven other women. Representing the pro-life position, there were two of us: me and my friend Melissa Ohden — President of the Abortion Survivors Network and survivor of a failed saline solution abortion. On the pro-abortion side were three times as many speakers — six — the most recognizable being actress Busy Philipps. Along with Philipps were abortionists Yashica Robinson and Owen Phillips, NYU professor Melissa Murray, teen activist H.K. Gray, and the ACLU’s Jennifer Dalven.

The Democrats were allowed more witnesses, so we anticipated being outnumbered by those in favor of abortion. In spite of my concerns about this, I was honored to testify. I’m alive because my mother left her abortion appointment. Melissa is alive because a nurse saw her breathing after a failed abortion and rushed her to the NICU.

This past February 14th, Melissa and I were among a group that met with President Trump and White House staff. We testified in the Roosevelt room and listened to the President voice his frustrations regarding New York’s radical abortion law. Little did we know that months later we’d be together again to testify before Congress.

We didn’t plan our outfits but we both wore red jumpsuits. I wore red to symbolize the red “life tape” I used for years as a prayer missionary in Washington, D.C., with Bound4Life.

Melissa and I were seated in the middle of the panel, right next to each other. On my right was Owen Phillips, the abortionist from Tennessee. I introduced myself to both her and Dr. Robinson.

When I shared my testimony, I noticed that Committee Chairman Jerrold Nadler (D-N.Y.) had a strange smirk on his face. Before we testified, he called his pro-life fellow Congressmen arrogant for their beliefs. I was disturbed that Chairman Nadler gave a creepy grin when I spoke about my mom’s appointment to abort me, but I wouldn’t let that intimidate me. During my allotted time, I said:

The sacrifices my ancestors suffered to achieve the civil rights I enjoy today are not able to protect future generations because of legalized abortion. I’m burdened that the 14th amendment which gave us liberty was unjustly used to invent a supposed right to destroy a human life. Sojourner Truth in her day said, “Am I not a woman?” And in mine I say, “Am I not a person?”Abortion is not a victimless act. We just can’t hear the voices of those who’ve been silenced and discarded.

Christina Bennett Testifies before Judiciary Subcommittee

Melissa testified after me and shared how abortion survivors are often kept out of the national conversation. She said:

Yet, largely ignored in the abortion narrative that is woven so skillfully throughout our culture, behind even the words in the title of this hearing, “reproductive rights,” are stories buried beneath the narrative of abortion that has been sewn since Roe v. Wade.

Is there space for stories like mine, women who are alive today after surviving failed abortion procedures; for stories like my biological mother’s, women who have been coerced or forced into an abortion? Do we ever create space for the stories of women who regret their abortions?

Melissa Ohden Testifies before Judiciary Subcommittee

READ: Abortion survivor to Congress: ‘We see abortion as political but I live with it every day’

The pro-abortion congressmen, such Chairmen Steve Cohen (D-Tenn.), used part of their five minutes of questioning to ask the other witnesses to refute our points. Even though Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas recently laid out the history of eugenics and abortion, abortionist Dr. Yashica Robinson expressed frustration that I would dare to inject the topic of race into this subject in an attempt to take away ‘women’s healthcare.’ But I, along with my friends from the National Black Pro-Life Coalition, know the tragic and well-documented truth that the Black community has been targeted by the abortion industry.

The pro-life Republicans, such as Ranking member Mike Johnson (R-La.) and Congressman Ben Cline (R-Va.), asked us questions that allowed Melissa and I to speak in detail about the abortion industry’s eugenic targeting of the black community and the abortion survivors we knew. At one point Melissa became emotional when discussing how hard it is to be an abortion survivor.

Later, Congressman Louie Gohmert (R-Tex.) asked actress and panelist Busy Philipps if Melissa Ohden deserved a right to life. Philipps stumbled to give an answer, then dismissed the question with a joke about not being a doctor but playing one on TV.

Throughout the hearing, pro-abortion Congressmen expressed their shock over having to hold a hearing because ‘abortion rights’ are under assault. They are confused as to how we got to this hour but I’m confident it’s because of our prayers and faithful pro-life action! The real threat to abortion is a growing pro-life movement that refuses to quit until we see Roe v. Wade overturned.

“Like” Live Action News on Facebook for more pro-life news and commentary!