FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: February 11, 2015
Contact: Mallory Quigley, [email protected], 202-223-8073
SBA List Praises State Efforts, Urges Congress to Advance Federal Bill
WASHINGTON, D.C. – This afternoon both the West Virginia House of Delegates and the South Carolina State House passed state versions of the Pain-Capable Unborn Child Protection Act – legislation to protect unborn children after five months, more than halfway through pregnancy.
Marjorie Dannenfelser, president of the national pro-life Susan B. Anthony List (SBA List), praised the legislation and the women lawmakers who led the effort in both states. She also called on Congress to advance a federal bill.
“It is encouraging to see our women allies in South Carolina and West Virginia lead in the fight to protect unborn children from brutal abortions after five months. Their efforts reflect the reality that women support this measure in even higher numbers than men,” said Dannenfelser. “Americans nationwide are eager to see the United States taken off the list of only seven countries to allow abortion on-demand after the point the child feels pain. That’s why it is critical that the U.S. House move forward with a vote. Earlier this week, a Gallup poll revealed that Republicans have the most lose if Congress cannot change the status quo on the nation’s abortion policies. Moving forward with a vote on this compassionate, sensible legislation is not only the morally responsible thing to do, it is also good politics.”
South Carolina H. 3114 was authored by Rep. Wendy Nanney, a leadership team member of the SBA List’s National Pro-life Women’s Caucus (NPLWC), and sponsored by Reps. Donna Hicks, and Heather Ammons Crawford, both NPLWC members.
West Virginia H.B. 2568 was sponsored by Assistant Majority Whip Kelli Sobonya and by eleven co-sponsors, including Delegates Kayla Kessinger, Saira Blair, Lynne Arvon, Ruth Rowan, Amy Summers, Anna Border-Sheppard and Terry Waxman.
A November 2014 poll from Quinnipiac found that 60 percent of Americans, including 56 percent of Independents and 46 percent of Democrats, support the Pain-Capable Unborn Child Protection Act. The Pain-Capable Unborn Child Protection Act previously passed the House in 2013 by a 228-196 vote. In addition to South Carolina and West Virginia, Ohio and Wisconsin are also expected to advance Pain-Capable legislation this year. To date, 13 states have enacted Pain-Capable laws.
The Susan B. Anthony List and its Political Action Committees, the SBA List Candidate Fund and Women Speak Out PAC, spent $15.25 million in the 2014 election cycle to defeat pro-abortion incumbents and elect pro-life candidates to federal and statewide office. The SBA 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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