Ad in USA Today Challenges Lawmakers to Back Commonsense Ways to Prevent Unintended Pregnancies

Washington, D.C. - Today, NARAL Pro-Choice America published an ad in USA Today that challenges federal and state lawmakers to back commonsense measures to prevent unintended pregnancies and reduce the need for abortion.

The ad is part of the national organization and its state-based affiliates' Prevention First: Challenge for Common Ground. The challenge calls for an end to divisive attacks on women's reproductive freedom, such as South Dakota's ban on abortion, and instead focuses on sensible, effective ways to prevent unintended pregnancies.

"Today's USA Today ad outlines three ways that federal and state lawmakers could do more to prevent unintended pregnancies and reduce the need for abortion," said Nancy Keenan, president of NARAL Pro-Choice America. "We should improve women's access to birth control, including the 'morning-after' pill; give our teenagers honest, realistic sex education; and increase support for family-planning services. These proposals enjoy strong support from pro-choice and pro-life Americans alike. Our message is simple: Stop playing politics with women's reproductive freedom and unite behind these commonsense measures." 
 
Later today, Keenan will join members of Congress on Capitol Hill where they will call on Speaker Dennis Hastert to hold votes on three bipartisan proposals that would achieve these prevention goals. In addition, state-based affiliates are sponsoring a variety of actions urging their legislators to focus on these common-ground initiatives.

The USA Today ad and the Prevention First: Challenge for Common Ground is the next phase in an effort that NARAL Pro-Choice America launched last year. Last February, the group published an open letter to President Bush and another to anti-choice groups in the conservative Weekly Standard, challenging those who oppose abortion to join in supporting efforts to prevent unintended pregnancies.

"In addition to our work to protect a woman's right to choose, pro-choice Americans have long supported prevention programs as well," Keenan said. "Public opinion is on our side. Americans want abortion to be kept safe, legal and rare. At the national and state levels, voters want elected officials to back this prevention-based, commonsense agenda all Americans can agree with."

To view the NARAL Pro-Choice America ad, please visit our website. The site also includes a list of state-based activities and additional information on prevention-related legislative proposals.

Contact:
Ted Miller, 202.973.3032