Live as free men, but do not use your freedom as a cover-up for evil; live as servants of God. - 1 Peter 2:16

Q&A on FOCA (Freedom of Choice Act)

QUESTION: Why is there so much interest in the Freedom of Choice Act? I thought the abortion matter was settled in the Roe v. Wade decision.

ANSWER: The Freedom of Choice Act (FOCA) is a very dangerous bill. If passed, it would clearly expand the current abortion environment in the United States.

In 1973 the U.S. Supreme Court declared that women had the legal right to get an abortion at any time during pregnancy and for any reason. In spite of that decision, there were still many issues that were not clarified in Roe v. Wade. For example, were the parents of a minor daughter allowed to be involved in the abortion decision?

Should abortionists receive informed consent from their patients? Could doctors refuse to perform abortions if they were morally opposed? Should tax money be used to pay for abortions? These and other questions were debated, and many were handled through a variety of federal and state laws and court cases. In summary, limitations and safeguards were added over the years that clarified the intent of Roe and reflected the will of the people.

The purpose of FOCA is to reverse all those laws, court decisions, and policies that have been implemented over the past 36 years, and to create a legal structure that prohibits any future constraints on the abortion industry. Here are just a few of the changes that would occur if FOCA became law:

• Partial-birth abortions would again become legal — in spite of the ban that was passed by Congress, signed by the President, and accepted by the U.S. Supreme Court as constitutional;
• Informed consent would no longer be required, so patients would not be given full disclosure before the abortions were performed;
• Parental involvement laws would be dropped, so states that passed these types of laws would be unable to enforce them;
• Conscience clauses would be eliminated so medical professionals would be required to perform abortions even if they are morally opposed;
• The Hyde Amendment, which prohibited the use of federal tax dollars to pay for abortions, would no longer be law, even though it has been in effect since 1976;
• States could not uphold laws that prevent the transfer of minor children across state lines to get an abortion.

These, and other, transitions would take place if FOCA becomes law. Although these changes seem extreme to most people, the abortion industry is concerned that abortion numbers continue to decline, and they blame the efforts of pro-life groups and politicians for causing this trend.

The passage of FOCA would certainly be the most radical pro-abortion law that the United States has ever passed.For these reasons, it is critical that you contact your federal legislators. Let them know that you are opposed to FOCA and tell them to vote against it. After the 2008 elections, we have a legislative and executive branch of government that is willing to pass FOCA, so the threat is serious.

On the positive side, even somepro-abortion legislators will not vote for FOCA, because of the radical nature of this bill. For that reason, don’t assume your representatives have already made up their minds. Letters and phone calls might encourage at least one of them to take a stand and defend the lives of those who cannot speak for themselves.

For more information on FOCA, including a brief history, some Biblical perspectives, and other resources, go to the links below. Also make a point of sharing this information with others who might not understand the full impact of this legislation. When more people know the truth about FOCA, the greater opportunity we have to defeat this bill and protect the lives of preborn children.

Article Shortcut: http://www.christianliferesources.com?8085

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