Some 120 women from around the country descended on Capitol Hill on Wednesday, April 26, to lobby on bills vital to the sanctity of life cause at the second-annual Real Women’s Voices event. 

Several pro-life groups, including Concerned Women for America (CWA), sponsored the event, along with the Susan B. Anthony List, National Right to Life, Family Research Council, Eagle Forum and Priests for Life.

“CWA was proud to participate in the lobby day to show that there is a large pro-life movement with widespread support around the country,” said Lanier Swann, CWA’s Director of Government Relations. 

The day before the event, the Susan B. Anthony List released a poll showing that a majority of Americans, 54 percent, identify with pro-life stances on abortion compared to 41 percent as “pro-choice.”

Also on April 26, the sponsoring groups hosted a panel discussion of pro-life leaders at the National Press Club to help kick off the event.  CWA President Wendy Wright spoke, as did Kate O’Beirne and Ramesh Ponnuru of National Review and others.

Lobbyists met for a morning training session and briefing before visiting their U.S. senators to express their support for three key bills that were lobbied throughout the day:

• The Child Custody Protection Act of 2005 (S. 8, S. 403) was introduced over one year ago by Sen. John Ensign (R-Nevada) and has 38 co-sponsors.  Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist (R-Tennessee) designated the bill as one of Congress’ “top ten” priorities at the beginning of this session. This bill would make it a crime to transport minors across state lines for an abortion.

• The Human Cloning Ban of 2005 (S. 658), sponsored by Sen. Sam Brownback (R-Kansas) more than one year ago, has 31 Senate co-sponsors and is currently in the Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions.

• The Unborn Child Pain Awareness Act of (S. 51) would require that women past the 20^th week of pregnancy be informed about the excruciating pain that their unborn baby will undergo during an abortion.  Sen. Brownback introduced his legislation one year ago. It has 34 co-sponsors and is also in the Health Committee.

CWA strongly supports these bills and will continue to lobby and work toward final passage.  CWA thanks all those who participated in the Real Women’s Voices lobby for their contribution to its great success.