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ABORTION-BILL Sep-21-2006 (610 words) xxxn
Democrats announce second bill aimed at reducing number of abortions
By Carol Zimmermann
Catholic News Service
WASHINGTON (CNS) -- Just six days after a group of Democrats from the House of Representatives announced legislation aimed at reducing the number of abortions in the United States, a second bill with the same goal was presented by another House Democrat.
The proposed legislation, Pregnant Women Support Act, was unveiled during a Sept. 20 press conference on Capitol Hill by Rep. Lincoln Davis, D-Tenn.
The bill has the support of the U.S. Catholic bishops, unlike the similar legislative proposal, Reducing the Need for Abortion and Supporting Parents Act, announced Sept. 14 by Rep. Tim Ryan, D-Ohio. The newest legislative proposal does not include expanded contraception access, a component of Ryan's proposal which drew objections from the U.S. bishops' pro-life spokeswoman.
In a statement distributed at the press conference announcing the Davis bill, Deirdre McQuade, director of planning and information for the bishops' Secretariat for Pro-Life Activities, said she "applauds constructive initiatives to support women and their children, both born and unborn."
"Everyone can agree that no woman should choose abortion due to economic duress," she said, adding that her office looks "forward to working with Congressman Davis to accomplish these goals through initiatives that respect the dignity and lives of both mothers and their children."
Both bills were prompted by a legislative proposal known as the 95-10 Initiative announced last year by several Democratic members of Congress and the organization Democrats for Life of America. The proposal seeks to reduce abortions by 95 percent over a 10-year period through legislation encouraging adoption, funding pregnancy prevention, prenatal care and day care and prohibiting insurance practices that discriminate against pregnant women.
Kristen Day, executive director of Democrats for Life, hailed the latest measure at the press conference, saying it unites Democrats and Republicans in an effort to support pregnant women.
She noted that, no matter what side of the abortion debate people are on, people believe "something must be done" about the abortion rate and many feel that it is "time to move beyond the tired debate of who's right and who's wrong."
The bill includes 14 provisions that call for expanding coverage to pregnant women and unborn children through Medicaid and state-sponsored children's insurance programs. It also seeks to remove pregnancy from health insurance companies' "pre-existing condition" lists to enable pregnant women to more easily obtain health care coverage.
The proposal calls for adoption tax credits, grants for low-income college students who are parents, increased funding for domestic violence programs and free home visits by registered nurses for new mothers.
Davis described the bill as "legislation America has been waiting for" and noted that whether members of Congress are "pro-choice or pro-life this is legislation we can all support."
The bill is backed by 14 Democratic representatives and co-sponsored by one Republican, Rep. Chris Smith of New Jersey, who noted that any of the provisions of the bill could "stand alone as good pieces of legislation," but stressed that taken together the bill will "meet many of the unmet needs of pregnant women."
Many of the representatives on hand to announce the Davis legislation made remarks similar to those expressed during the unveiling of the Ryan legislation, saying the proposal would help the country move beyond the abortion debate and do something to help women. They also commended themselves for finding common ground on an often contentious issue.
Neither bill has been introduced yet in the House and there is no companion legislation in the Senate. Sponsors of both bills also did not give an indication of the cost of implementing the proposed legislation.
END
Copyright (c) 2006 Catholic News Service/USCCB. All rights reserved.
This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or otherwise distributed.
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