Focus on the Family CitizenLink reports:
Unborn Victims of Violence Act Needs Your Support
Bill that would recognize preborn babies injured in attacks on their mothers must not be weakened.
Nearly 30 states have laws that allow a separate penalty when a preborn child is injured or killed in the commission of a crime against the mother. It is California's "fetal homicide" law, in fact, that enabled prosecutors to charge Scott Peterson with two counts of murder in connection with the deaths of his wife and preborn son.
Unfortunately, if Laci and Conner Peterson's deaths had occurred during the commission of a federal crime -- like bank robbery -- Conner's death would not merit a separate charge. Currently, neither the federal criminal code nor the Uniform Code of Military Justice recognizes both victims under law. Legislation pending in Congress, the Unborn Victims of Violence Act, would amend federal and military codes to recognize the "two-victim" principle.
The Unborn Victims of Violence Act, also known as Laci and Conner's law, passed the House of Representatives on Feb. 26, on a vote of 254-163. It is currently pending in the Senate.
Some members of Congress oppose this legislation, claiming incorrectly that it will erode access to abortion by establishing legal rights for the preborn. Opponents are offering a weakening amendment (rejected in the House and expected to be offered in the Senate by Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif.) that only recognizes one victim: the mother. This amendment disregards and disrespects the second victim, and Focus on the Family opposes it.
Use our Take Action page to contact both of your senators and ask them to vote for the Unborn Victims of Violence Act without the amendment.
Focus on the Family has also set up a utility for e-mailing your best wishes to Attorney General John Ashcroft, who was recently hospitalized with a severe case of gallstone pancreatitis.
(If you find this site useful and would like to help make political devotions a mass movement, please tell others about PoliticalDevotions.com or place a link to it on your website. Then when you've done so, be sure to e-mail me so I can thank you personally! - Tim.)
