By Susan Brinkmann, OCDS Staff Writer The U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) has written to all U.S. Representatives asking them to support the Pregnant Women Support Act which will provide common sense support to pregnant and parenting women and their families. “The Pregnant Women Support Act reaches out to women with a helping hand when they are most vulnerable, and most engaged in making a decision about life or death for their unborn children,” said Cardinal Justin Rigali, chair of the USCCB Committee on Pro-Life Activities. The Pregnant Women Support Act (PWSA - H.R. 2035) was re-introduced in the House by Rep. Lincoln Davis (D-TN) on April 22. Among other things, the PWSA will establish a nationwide 800 number women in crisis can call for support services; direct the National Institutes of Health to collect "accurate" data on why women choose abortions and present these findings to Congress within five years; provide counseling and daycare on university campuses for pregnant women; provide ultra sound equipment; require women to be counseled on the harmful effects of abortion; ban pregnancy as a “preexisting condition” in the health care industry. Cardinal Rigali called the PWSA “an authentic common ground, an approach that people can embrace regardless of their position on other issues.” “There are some statements that almost everyone can endorse. First, the fact that over a million abortions take place every year in this country is a tragedy, and we should at least take steps to reduce abortions,” said Cardinal Rigali. “Second, no woman should ever have to undergo an abortion because she feels she has no other choice, or because alternatives were unavailable or not made known to her. An abortion performed under such social and economic duress meets no one’s standard for ‘freedom of choice’,” the Cardinal continued. Cardinal Rigali distinguished the Pregnant Women Support Act from controversial proposals involving pregnancy prevention, which raise serious policy questions and in many studies have been shown not to reduce abortions. “Discussion of pregnancy prevention and related issues will surely continue inside and outside Congress. In the meantime, pregnant women need our assistance now so that abortion is not promoted to them as their only choice….I hope you will join Representative Davis in ensuring that the Pregnant Women Support Act will be considered and enacted by this Congress,” he said. To contact your representative, visit http://www.visi.com/juan/congress/ © All Rights Reserved, Living His Life Abundantly/Women of Grace. http://www.womenofgrace.com