2 of 2

Meanwhile, those who are best able to counsel young women on the subject—their own parents—are frequently kept out of the loop. The Child Custody Protection Act would make it a federal offense to take a minor across state lines for an abortion, if it's done to circumvent parental involvement. Americans (around 80 percent) support that kind of law.

Unfortunately, Democrats aren't going to rush to sign on to pro-life legislation offered by Republicans. So how about resurrecting some old Democrat proposals? Back in 1997, Kerry supported a bill making it "unlawful for a physician to abort a viable fetus unless the physician certifies that the continuation of the pregnancy would threaten the mother's life or risk grievous injury to her physical health." The bill, proposed by Tom Daschle, was mainly a way to torpedo the partial-birth abortion ban and had major problems (among them: enshrining Roe v. Wade as federal law), but fetal viability bears renewed attention. The Supreme Court has repeatedly supported a ban on aborting viable human life, and recent medical advances force again the question of when viability occurs. Indiana and Alabama are considering bills that would legally establish viability at 20 weeks and 19 weeks respectively. The conversation occurring on the state level should be taken nationally.

There are other state initiatives that bear national and bipartisan attention. Michigan, for example, just launched a program that helps pregnant college and university students to find alternatives to abortion. That bill passed unanimously in the Michigan House.

These measures are no substitute for our ultimate goal of making abortion as unthinkable as other forms of killing, but they're important steps along the way. Even small bills can remind the country that abortion kills. Even the leading Democrats' comments on the tragedy of abortion are helpful—but only to a point.

Some Republicans say Democrats' recent comments on abortion are just lip service. We'll be judging the legislative fruit of both parties to see whether making abortion "the rarest thing in the world" and "promoting a culture of life" is really a priority.

Copyright © 2005 Christianity Today. Click for reprint information.

Family Research Council has a response to the NARAL Pro-Choice America ad.

The Library of Congress's Thomas site has the text and status of the Prevention First Act, the Unborn Child Awareness Act, and the Child Custody Protection Act.

Beliefnet's Steven Waldman first noted Kerry's support of a ban on abortion viable fetuses.

The South Dakota bill on informed choice also passed the state Senate. Georgia's bill also made it through the legislature.

Texas's bill banning coerced abortion remains in committee.

LifeNews.com has more news, good and bad, on the prolife front. Among its archived articles is information about Michigan's program for pregnant college students.

More Christianity Today articles on abortion can be found in our Life Ethics area.

first page |  2 of 2

share this page

April 2005, Vol. 49, No. 4