Bishops Tell US Congress: 'Can't Reduce Abortions by Promoting Abortion'

The "Freedom of Choice Act" is in the forefront of the current Presidential race. Senator Barrack Obama has promised to sign it into law and Senator John McCain has unequivocally opposed it.

WASHINGTON, D.C. (Catholic Online) - Justin Cardinal Rigali,the Chairman of the US Conference of Catholic Bishops Pro-Life Committee, has written a clear,strongly worded letter to the United States Congress telling America's legislators what should be obvious, "We Can't Reduce Abortions By Promoting Abortion".

The letter was in response to the continued efforts to pass the so called "Freedom of Choice Act" or "FOCA" (S. 1173, H.R. 1964). This legislation has as its goal not only the codification of the so called "abortion right" created by the unelected Justices of the US Supreme Court in the Roe and Doe opinions of 1973, but the addition of even more sweeping anti-life provisions. Cardinal Rigali told Congress: "Despite its deceptive title... FOCA would deprive the American people in all 50 states of the freedom they now have to enact modest restraints and regulations on the abortion industry. FOCA would coerce all Americans into subsidizing and promoting abortion with their tax dollars. And FOCA would counteract any and all sincere efforts by government to reduce abortions in our country."

The Cardinal noted that if the Act is passed "...abortion on demand would be a national entitlement that government must condone and promote in all public programs affecting pregnant women...." He warned that the legislation "would sweep away hundreds of anti-abortion laws [and] policies" that are now in effect which have been found to not conflict with Roe such as bans on public funding of abortions and "modest and widely supported state laws" protecting women's safety, informed consent and parental rights.

The Cardinal also sent a well written legal analysis of the proposed legislation from Micahel F Moses the Associate General Counsl to the Bishops conference. His legal analysis clearly exposes the radical effects that this anti-life legislation would have. The Cardinal reminded Congress in his letter, "Members of both parties have sought to reach a consensus on ways to reduce abortions in our society," and he noted laws which restrict and regulate abortion, and "bipartisan legislation providing practical support to help women carry their pregnancies to term, such as the Pregnant Women Support Act (S. 2407, H.R. 3192)." Finally the Cardinal noted the fact that easier access to contraception does not generally reduce abortions.

Cardinal Rigali put it this way,"there is one thing absolutely everyone should be able to agree on: We can't reduce abortions by promoting abortion.... No one who sponsors or supports legislation like FOCA can credibly claim to be part of a good-faith discussion on how to reduce abortions." The legislation is in the forefront of the current Presidential race. The Democratic candidate, Senator Barrack Obama has promised to sign it into law as one of his first Presidential acts. His opponent, Senator John McCain has clearly opposed it.

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