FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: April 2, 2014
Contact: Mallory Quigley: 703-380-6674
Legislation to Protect Pain-Capable Unborn Babies to be Signed by the Governor
Washington, D.C – Mississippi has become the latest state to pass legislation protecting babies after 20 weeks – more than halfway through pregnancy. HB 1400 was passed with overwhelming bipartisan support by the Mississippi House (90-21) and Senate (41-10) and now heads to the governor’s desk. Pro-life Governor Phil Bryant has said he will sign the bill.
In March, SBA List Vice President for Government Affairs former Congresswoman Marilyn Musgrave joined Mississippi pro-life activists to lobby state lawmakers in support of the measure.
“We applaud Mississippi legislators for passing this compassionate, modest legislation to protect unborn children and women from the horror of abortion more than halfway through pregnancy,” SBA List President Marjorie Dannenfelser. “Twenty weeks is the point at which scientific research shows the unborn child feels pain.”
Yesterday the SBA List launched a $20,000 radio ad campaign encouraging U.S. Senator Joe Manchin (D-WV) to become the first Democratic senator to cosponsor the federal Pain Capable Unborn Child Act (S. 1670). To date, S.1670 has 41 cosponsors.
Senator Manchin yesterday became the first national Democrat to state publicly that he would vote for the bill if it comes to the Senate floor.
“Polls consistently show that the majority of Americans support protecting babies and women late in pregnancy. It is time for national law to reflect this unity,” continued Dannenfelser. “This should be a bipartisan effort and we hope that soon Senator Joe Manchin will become the first Democratic cosponsor of the Pain-Capable Unborn Child Protection Act.”
Similar laws have been passed in 13 states. The federal bill passed the U.S. House and has more than 40 Senate cosponsors. Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) has said S.1670 is a top priority for Senate Republicans.
The Susan B. Anthony List is dedicated to pursuing policies and electing candidates who will reduce and ultimately end abortion. To that end, the SBA List emphasizes the education, promotion, mobilization, and election of pro-life women. The SBA List is a network of more than 365,000 pro-life Americans nationwide.
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The SBA Pro-Life America National Pro-life Scorecard is a tool that helps hold members of Congress accountable for their legislative records on life and that highlights leadership in the fight to serve women and save babies.
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