For immediate release: 

Thursday, May 21, 2009

For more information:

Derrick Jones, (202) 626-8825                                                                                                                mediarelations@nrlc.org

SEX-SELECTION ABORTIONS BANNED IN OKLAHOMA
Governor Brad Henry signs two pro-life measures into law

WASHINGTON – The National Right to Life Committee (NRLC), the nation's largest pro-life organization, today praised two pieces of pro-life legislation signed into law by Oklahoma Governor Brad Henry. The first bill prevents abortion for the purpose of sex-selection; the second provides, what is now, the nation's strongest abortion reporting requirements.

The following statement may be attributed to National Right to Life Director of State Legislation Mary Spaulding Balch, J.D.:

We applaud the efforts of our Oklahoma affiliate, Oklahomans for Life, in shepherding these two pieces of legislation to the Governor's desk. Through the guidance and leadership provided by Oklahomans For Life, pro-lifers have enacted a series of laws over the past five years which protect mothers and their unborn children from the abortion industry, which is often highly unregulated.

It is unfortunate, even in this enlightened age of women, that many cultures here and abroad favor males over females. All over the world, millions of females are missing due to sex selection abortions. We congratulate Oklahoma for taking this courageous stand against this invidious discrimination against women by banning the practice of sex selection abortions in Oklahoma.

The comprehensive reporting law passed by the Oklahoma legislature and signed into law by the governor is the most comprehensive reporting law in the nation. Hopefully the information gleaned from this reported information will help us determine some of the reasons women think they need to kill their babies so that we might address those needs and save lives.

The National Right to Life Committee is the nation's largest pro-life group with affiliates in all 50 states and over 3,000 local chapters nationwide. National Right to Life works through legislation and education to protect those threatened by abortion, infanticide, euthanasia and assisted suicide.

# # #