Texas Senate testimony: Lawmakers must have 'testicular fortitude' to abolish women's abortion rights

The Texas Senate on Wednesday heard testimony from anti-abortion activists who demanded a complete ban on a woman's right to choose.

Over the course of about five hours, state senators on the Health and Human Services Committee heard testimony about three bills that would ban certain abortion procedures, outlaw the donation of fetal tissue and require aborted fetuses to be buried or cremated.

However, many of the activists who testified said that the proposed restrictions did not go far enough.

One activist from the group Abolish Abortion Texas demanded that lawmakers enact a "complete total abolition of abortion regardless what the Supreme Court says."

Amy Hedtke of the group Liberty and Justice for All questioned the manhood of senators who refused to file a companion bill to House Bill 948, which would abolish abortion completely.

"We are here to bury babies, not save them," she complained. "You were directed by 6,000 delegates at the Republican Party of Texas State Convention to abolish abortion this session. So far, only the House has filed a bill to defend life."

"Quite frankly, I would rather offend the Senate than God," Hedtke continued. "Right now, House Bill 948 is the only one defending life in the entire Texas Legislature. Not a single Senator has filed a companion bill to abolish abortion. That is offensive."

"If any of y'all want to reach down deep into your souls and pull out the testicular fortitude to excuse yourself to immediately go file a Senate companion bill to HB 948 -- that's 9-4-8 -- I would be absolutely relieved to find out that we still have someone with serious heart in the Senate. But I'm not going to hold my breath."

Watch the video below from the Texas Senate, broadcast Feb. 15, 2017.