Message from Assist Pregnancy Center
January 25, 2020
Your Voice Needed for Moms and Babies in Virginia
Hi, friends. I am writing with an urgent update on the most significant changes to Virginia policy on abortion considered in decades.
Assist Pregnancy Center is not a political organization. Our focus is on serving women and men in the midst of an unexpected pregnancy, providing the medical, counseling, and relational support they need to choose life instead of abortion. Yet, we cannot stay silent with the Virginia General Assembly poised to rollback longstanding, vital protections for women and unborn children next week.
That's why I spent much of this past week in Richmond speaking directly with legislators and testifying before House and Senate Committees on the profound harm two major bills (HB980 and SB733) would inflict on families. These bills radically alter Virginia’s protections for women and children by doing the following:
Eliminating the requirement for women to get an ultrasound prior to having an abortion. Women should always be given the opportunity to see their own ultrasound, since an ultrasound contains vital information a woman needs before she can truly give informed consent to a life-altering abortion procedure. If a woman no longer has access to ultrasound, how will she get the critical information she needs for her decision?
Allowing almost any medical professional – not just physicians – to perform abortions. Abortions can have unexpected complications that threaten the health and life of a woman. What happens if someone without proper medical training perforates a woman’s uterus during a surgical procedure and cannot provide emergency follow-up care because of lack of expertise?
Removing the 24-hour waiting period between seeing an ultrasound and having an abortion. These bills radically limit what information a woman is given about abortion and now push her to immediately have an abortion without any opportunity to learn more about her options. Why would our leaders not want women to have at least 24 hours to think about such an irreversible decision?
Eliminating all health and safety regulations and oversight for abortion facilities. It’s only common sense to have basic health and safety requirements at a surgical facility. How does removing these safeguards help further the health and safety of the women who visit these locations?
If these bills pass, the increased destruction of innocent children in the womb and devastation to their families is unimaginable. However, we have the privilege of living in a society in which we can influence the policies that impact lives - and NOW is the time to act on behalf of the vulnerable. I ask you to do the following three things in the next two days as HB980 and SB733 come to the full House and Senate floors for a final vote THIS TUESDAY:
PRAY: Pray with your family and church this weekend that SB733 and HB980 would be defeated. Ask that God would have mercy and protect the innocent lives of women and children from the profit-hungry abortion industry.
SEND AN EMAIL THIS WEEKEND: Look up your state delegate and state senator at this link: Email them today or tomorrow and urge them (in your own words) to oppose HB980 and SB733.
CALL MONDAY MORNING: Call your state representatives first thing Monday morning and tell them to vote no on HB980 and SB733 (Use this link to identify your state legislators:
Thank you for speaking out now in defense of the innocent!
Leanna Baumer