By Maria Gallagher, Legislative Director, Pennsylvania Pro-Life Federation
With all the justifiable complaints about fake news these days, it is refreshing when a newspaper reports the truth about issues involving the sanctity of innocent human life.
When it comes to support of a ban on the outrageous practice of dismemberment abortion, the Bradford Era in Bradford, Pennsylvania, has gotten the story right.
The newspaper’s headline notes, “Late-term abortion bill has local support.” The article goes on to talk about the local lawmakers who are in favor of Senate Bill 3, a common sense measure which would make it illegal to tear a living child limb by limb from a mother’s womb.
State Rep. Matthew Baker, for instance, the chairman of the PA House Health Committee, calls the practice of dismemberment abortion “gruesome.” Likewise, PA Senate President Pro Tempore Joe Scarnati supported the dismemberment ban when it sailed through the Senate earlier this year. A vote by the full House is expected next week.
Kim Crouse, who works to provide support for pregnant women in challenging circumstances, told the Bradford Era,
“Oftentimes the choices we make in a moment of crisis are not the same choices we would make after assessing the situation and allowing ourselves to come out of ‘crisis mode.’ Women should never feel that abortion is their only option. Abortion on demand is not the answer. Continued support through pregnancy and after is vital.”
Rep. Baker, meanwhile, pointed to a poll which shows widespread support for a dismemberment ban across Pennsylvania, with a 61% approval. The support was even higher among women, with 64% voicing support.
While Gov. Tom Wolf (D)has threatened to veto the measure, pro-life leaders are encouraging citizens to contact the Governor at www.governor.pa.gov/contact/ to urge him to sign Senate Bill 3 into law.
The bill would also change the abortion limit in Pennsylvania from six months to five months gestation to reflect medical advances which allow premature babies to be saved at ever-earlier stages of development. Pennsylvania’s landmark abortion law, the Abortion Control Act, dates back to 1989, long before the medical breakthroughs that are now saving precious micro-preemies on a yearly basis.
The Keystone State was at the cutting edge of legal protection of preborn babies decades ago. One can only hope that government officials in Pennsylvania will have the foresight to fulfill the will of the people and make Senate Bill 3 a matter of law now.