The National Right to Life Committee (NRLC), representing right-to-life affiliates across all 50 states and the District of Columbia, has joined forces with over 70 state, national, and international pro-life groups to address a critical issue. Together, they have issued an open letter to state legislators across the nation, urging them to reject any proposed legislation or policy initiatives that seek to impose criminal penalties on women who undergo abortions.
Carol Tobias, president of the National Right to Life, emphasized the dual victims of every abortion: the unborn child losing its life and the mother left grappling with physical, emotional, and psychological aftermath. She stressed that women in such situations require compassion and support, not punishment.
In their collective letter, the organizations underscored this sentiment, stating:
As national and state pro-life organizations, representing tens of millions of pro-life men, women, and children across the country, let us be clear: We state unequivocally that any measure seeking to criminalize or punish women is not pro-life and we stand firmly opposed to such efforts.
If the Supreme Court does overturn Roe v. Wade, they will be honoring the unambiguous division of powers described in the Constitution, returning abortion policymaking back to our elected state and federal legislators. This will be a tremendous opportunity for states to create durable policy that can stand the test of time. But in seizing that opportunity, we must ensure that the laws we advance to protect unborn children do not harm their mothers.
We are America’s leading advocates for life. We come from very different backgrounds and perspectives, but we are united in our mission to protect unborn children and American women from the greed of the abortion industry. We have been in this fight for decades – many of us have dedicated our lives to this cause. We understand better than anyone else the desire to punish the purveyors of abortion who act callously and without regard to the dignity of human life. But turning women who have abortions into criminals is not the way.
“Today, as a collective, we urge state legislators to demonstrate compassion and empathy towards women who have undergone abortions, and to implement policies that enhance the availability of life-affirming resources for women in their states who may be at risk of undergoing an abortion,” Tobias added.
The full letter is available here.
Daniel Miller is responsible for nearly all of National Right to Life News' political writing.
With the election of Donald Trump to the U.S. presidency, Daniel Miller developed a deep obsession with U.S. politics that has never let go of the political scientist. Whether it's the election of Joe Biden, the midterm elections in Congress, the abortion rights debate in the Supreme Court or the mudslinging in the primaries - Daniel Miller is happy to stay up late for you.
Daniel was born and raised in New York. After living in China, working for a news agency and another stint at a major news network, he now lives in Arizona with his two daughters.
