U.S. Catholic bishops are urging parishioners to notify senators and representatives of their opposition to the Freedom of Choice Act, draft legislation the church is calling “the most radical and divisive pro-abortion bill ever introduced in Congress.”
President Barack Obama has said he would sign the act, which states every woman has a fundamental right to an abortion and that no government may deny or interfere with that right.
The Archdiocese of Denver is distributing 150,000 postcard packets among its 118 parishes, which serve 525,000 registered Catholics.
Each postcard packet has three pre-addressed, postage-paid cards — one for each parishioner’s two U.S. senators and one representative.
“We’re very pleased with the number of people who have requested the postcards,” archdiocese spokeswoman Jeanette DeMelo said. “It’s important for Catholics to have a voice on life issues right up front in this new administration.”
The U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops voted in November to mount the national postcard campaign to retain current laws against federal funding and promotion of abortion.
The conference says FOCA or any similar measure would overturn existing laws, including those protecting parental involvement and those preventing partial-birth abortion and taxpayer funding of abortion.
Conference officials said the 111th U.S. Congress includes the largest number of members supporting abortion rights.
The conference statement also said the anticipated legislation goes far beyond the Supreme Court’s 1973 Roe vs. Wade decision legalizing abortion.
There have been six other national campaigns since 1993 directed by the conference, mostly concerning abortion issues, according to spokeswoman Deirdre McQuaide.
Supporters of FOCA, such as NARAL Pro-Choice America, say it’s needed because a woman’s right to choose has been systematically eroded by recent court decisions and the more than 500 anti-abortion measures enacted since 1995.
“By enacting FOCA, we will establish a federal law guaranteeing reproductive freedom for future generations of American women,” says NARAL’s policy statement.
“Here’s a chance for those Catholics who did vote for Obama and claim to be pro-life to speak out,” DeMelo said.
Electa Draper: 303-954-1276 or edraper@denverpost.com
