[News-releases] NOW Urges Immediate Action to Prevent Devastating "Unborn Victims of Violence Act" from Passing in Senate

Title: [News-releases] NOW Urges Immediate Action to Prevent Devastating "Unborn Victims of Violence Act" from Passing in Senate

 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 
CONTACT: JENNY THALHEIMER, 202-628-8669 ext. 116

NOW Urges Immediate Action to Prevent Devastating "Unborn Victims of
Violence Act" from Passing in Senate

February 26, 2004

"Under the disguise of maternal and fetal protection, reproductive
freedoms are once again under attack," said NOW President Kim Gandy
responding to today's vote in favor of the Unborn Victims of Violence Act
(H.R. 1997). "This legislation is another despicable attempt to undermine
abortion rights guaranteed under Roe v. Wade."

"If members of Congress want to address the pervasive problem of violence
against pregnant women, then they need to pass increased funding for
education and for enforcement," said Gandy.

The conservative sponsors of this cynical bill are using a strategy to
redefine the Fourteenth Amendment, which guarantees equal protection of
the law to persons, not fetuses. The inventive language of H.R. 1997
covers "a member of the species homo sapiens at any stage of development,"
so that even zygotes, blastocysts or embryos are included in the
definition. This new definition would give rights to fertilized eggs,
embryos and fetuses?ultimately, setting the stage to legally reverse Roe.

Any injury inflicted on a woman, pregnant or not, should be prosecuted as
a crime against the woman. "This is a deceptive ploy that allows abortion
foes to whittle away at women's reproductive rights," Gandy remarked.

"The approach taken in this bill is deeply misguided and does nothing to
enhance protection for a pregnant woman," said Gandy. "We are encouraging
NOW members and supporters of women's rights to immediately contact their
senators with an urgent message to vote 'NO' against this disturbing piece
of legislation."

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CONTACT: JENNY THALHEIMER, 202-628-8669 ext. 116