NRLC Position Statement

Introduction

National Right to Life Committee, Inc. has not issued an alert to their members across the country regarding the PRRA. However, they have been opposing the PRRA for the reason given below. It is a classic example of the tunnel vision that so characterizes the right to life movement on issues of education reform, demonstrating a clear lack of understanding of how the PRRA can and will backfire on right to life issues as discussed in detail in our March 1996 issue. This memo was sent to Senators and Representatives.

TO: Interested Parties

FROM: Douglas Johnson, NRLC Legislative Director
(202)626-8820, fax (202)347-3668

DATE: Friday, April 19, 1996

RE: proposed anti-coerced-abortion amendment to S. 984/HR 1946, the Parental Rights and Responsibilities Act

For reasons that are discussed in detail in memoranda over the past year, the National Right to Life Committee (NRLC) has concluded that S. 984/HR 1946 would seriously diminish the remedies that are currently available to a minor who is being coerced by a parent or guardian into submitting to an abortion.

Therefore, NRLC opposes S. 984/HR 1946 unless the bill is rendered harmless with respect to parent-coerced abortions. This could be accomplished by the addition of language such as the following to the list of exclusions contained in the bill:

This Act shall not apply to: any action of a parent to coerce a child to obtain an abortion.

Please feel free to contact us at (202)626-8820 for more information on this matter.

For more information, read the March 1996 issue of The Christian Conscience. See "Additional Information" below.