Pro-Life Advocates Face Uphill Battle

By Congresswoman Sue Myrick
For The Washington Times
January 27, 2009

I don’t believe any issue has been more controversial than abortion since I came to Congress in 1994. Since 1973, when the Supreme Court ruled in Roe v. Wade that a mother may end a pregnancy up until the point that the child could be “potentially able to live outside the mother’s womb”, there has been debate about when life begins, when a fetus is considered “potentially viable”, and the ongoing battle between a child’s “right to life” and a woman’s “right to choose”.

Interestingly enough, the U.S. Supreme Court has made more laws on this subject than Congress has. This is partially due to the lack of consensus in Congress to work toward any real alternative to the status quo. However, that lack of consensus is poised to change. We have a Democratic majority in both the House and the Senate. We also have a president who is revered by Planned Parenthood and other pro-abortion groups, and who has the potential to appoint judges who share his beliefs. It is clear that pro-life Members of Congress face an uphill battle with respect to abortion, and we must uphold our principles by continuing to support the sanctity of human life.

Human life is precious and is often taken for granted in today’s society. I believe that life begins at conception and that abortion is wrong. I hold a fundamental belief that innocent life should be valued and protected, and this extends beyond abortion. I am opposed to using federal tax dollars for any abortion-related activities, including the scientific use of fetal tissue from discarded embryos and funding to provide abortions for military families overseas or to American organizations that provide foreign abortions.

In 2007, the Supreme Court upheld the constitutionality of the Partial Birth Abortion Ban, passed by Congress and signed into law by the President. While proponents of abortion argue that such a ruling is unconstitutional and goes against the ruling in Roe v. Wade, partial-birth abortion is nothing short of a horrific act of unconscionable violence. I was proud to be a co-sponsor of the bill, proud to vote for it, and proud for the government of the United States for protecting human life.

In 2004, both houses of Congress voted in favor of the Unborn Victims of Violence Act, or the Laci and Connor Peterson Act. This bill was signed into law by President Bush, and protects unborn children from assault and murder. Why then, is abortion still legal in our country, since abortion amounts to taking a human life?

I believe abortion is America’s “Holocaust”. Ninety-two percent of American people say they believe in God. Do they also believe in God’s laws? Look around at the condition of society today – the lack of integrity, the disregard people have for one another, greed, hypocrisy, self-centeredness – on and on. So God sees over 50 million lives snuffed out since Roe v. Wade. It looks like a case of 92% of Americans believe in God; but look at the state of our nation. Does God still believe in us?

Thankfully, the rate of abortions continues to decrease here in America. I believe that this is due in part to the increased education of our youth with regard to pregnancy and the education of women as to their options outside of abortion. We must continue to fund abstinence education in our schools. Too often, the importance of abstinence is given little attention in our education system. However, it is these programs that impart the self-confidence and self-respect that many young people lack. Also, crisis pregnancy centers are equipped with the resources to help women choose options besides abortions. Many of these centers operate on a nonprofit basis because they are faith-based, and are supported by donors. Some prefer to operate without government funds, while others feel that they could better help their communities with access to service-related grants. While charitable organizations cannot be replaced by government programs, it is beneficial that the two can work together.

Now, it is more important than ever that pro-life advocates continue to work for a change from the status quo that places unborn lives in the balance.