`CHOICE' BILL WON'T ENCOURAGE ABORTIONS

                         Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: SUNDAY, April 11, 1993                   TAG: 9304120264
SECTION: EDITORIAL                    PAGE: C2   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: 
DATELINE:                                 LENGTH: Medium
`CHOICE' BILL WON'T ENCOURAGE ABORTIONS
AS WAYNE Brackenrich noted in his March 15 commentary, the Freedom of Choice Act is making its way through Congress. I hope this important piece of legislation will be resoundingly passed and quickly forwarded to President Clinton to be signed into law. It is intended to protect the reproductive rights of women.
Contrary to Brackenrich's statements, this bill would not encourage more abortions or promote abortion on demand. It specifically states that "a State may restrict the freedom of a woman to choose whether or not to terminate a pregnancy after fetal viability unless such a termination is necessary to preserve the life or health of the woman." The bill does help to guarantee an individual's fundamental right to choose when or whether to have children.
His commentary contains other very misleading statements regarding the issues of abortion notification and use of our tax dollars. The Freedom of Choice Act includes rules of construction. They state explicitly that "nothing in this Act shall be construed to: prevent a State from declining to pay for the performance of abortions; or prevent a State from requiring a minor to involve a parent, guardian, or other responsible adult before terminating a pregnancy; or prevent a State from protecting unwilling individuals from having to participate in the performance of abortions to which they are conscientiously opposed."
Like Brackenrich, I think we need to do all that we can to decrease the number of abortions performed. We can do that by reducing the need for them and by channeling the energy used to decry abortion into educating people on how to prevent unintended pregnancies. Then they will not find themselves in the untenable position of having to choose between the alternatives of having an abortion or bearing an unwanted child. At least until that time, this bill will guarantee the right to make that choice. JANE H. BENDER ROANOKE

by Bhavesh Jinadra by CNB