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October 2001
OCTOBER IS RESPECT LIFE MONTH
Terrorist Attacks Change Congressional Agenda By Douglas Johnson, NRLC Federal Legislative Director
WASHINGTON (Oct. 8, 2001) -- The September 11 terrorist attacks have changed the agenda of Congress, at least for the rest of this year. Legislation dealing with many important issues has been set aside for the time, as Congress concentrates on bills dealing with national security and with the economic disruptions growing out of the attacks. In addition, lawmakers are working to pass the 13 appropriations bills that are needed to fund federal agencies for fiscal year 2002, which began on October 1. The government is currently operating on a temporary funding measure that expires on October 18. Many lawmakers wish to adjourn for the year as soon as the
appropriations process is completed. BATTLING PRO-ABORTION ATTEMPTS TO EXPLOIT UN CONFERENCES
By Jeanne E. Head, R.N. Due to the horrendous September 11 terrorist attacks on the United States, the United Nations Special Session for Children, scheduled for September 19-21, 2001, in New York, has been postponed until 2002. In the meantime, informal consultations may be held to try to forge agreement on the unresolved issues which have deadlocked the conference since June. The unresolved issues include disagreement over language that could be interpreted to involve the right to abortion for children as young as 10. It is ironic and sad that a UN conference convened to find ways to make "A World Fit for Children" finds itself deadlocked over inclusion of language that could definitely make the world unfit and unsafe for unborn children.
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From the President
Wanda Franz, Ph.D. BEING REALISTIC ABOUT EFFECTIVE PRO-LIFE WORK NRLC's goal is to secure the full legal protection of the right to life. A constitutional amendment guaranteeing the right to life and the personhood of children in the womb would be the most desirable way to achieve such legal protection. Another way, less ideal but still vastly preferable to the current situation, is to persuade the Supreme Court to reverse the Roe v. Wade and Doe v. Bolton decisions and get Congress and the state legislatures to pass laws safeguarding the right to life. Working towards these goals is the pro-active part of our work. The defensive part is to combat all attempts to promote and expand anti-life policies. Moreover, the battle is in the "public square" because it deals with public policy and laws and judicial decisions. As a moral right--as an endowment from God--the right to life already exists; what we are fighting for is the public and legal recognition of that right. This requires us to participate in the process of formulating public policy--and to work with "real" public officials and candidates for public office. Some pro-lifers have reservations about that. Complete
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