Priests for Life Praises House Vote; Challenges Christians and Voters

April 5, 2000

Priests for Life praised the April 5 vote in the US House of Representatives to again ban partial-birth abortion, a procedure whereby a baby, mostly delivered, is punctured in the neck with scissors and emptied of his/her brains.

National Director Fr. Frank Pavone stated after the vote, "This matter is once again being placed in the hands of President Clinton, who has vetoed a partial-birth abortion ban on two previous occasions. The Clinton-Gore administration has proved itself unwilling to ban this procedure, arguably the single most barbaric legal practice in United States history."

"Along with the President himself, many of those who oppose the ban profess to be believing Christians. We vigorously reaffirm today that to tolerate partial-birth abortion, or any abortion, is totally inconsistent with Christian Faith. To those who profess Christ and permit abortion, we say, 'Stop being a scandal to the Gospel of Jesus Christ!'

"Finally, because the barbarity of partial-birth abortion is so contrary to our nation's founding principles, those who have voted to allow it can arguably be considered unworthy of public office. How one responds to an act like partial-birth abortion cannot be disregarded as an indication of character, and of the moral framework whereby one makes decisions about how to treat other people. Voters should inform themselves of the position elected officials and candidates take on this issue, and keep it uppermost in mind in November."