27 “Pro-Choice” Ohio Democrats Vote Against Places Helping Women Choose Life

State   |   Steven Ertelt   |   Nov 26, 2014   |   1:46PM   |   Columbus, OH

In theory, “pro-choice” supposedly means respecting the choice of pregnant women to carry their pregnancy to term or to have an abortion practitioner kill their baby in an abortion. So why did 27 “pro-choice” Democrats in Ohio vote against pregnancy centers that help women choose life?

pregnancycenters13That’s what happened in the Ohio House of Representatives when it passed House Concurrent Resolution 52 to honor Ohio’s pregnancy help centers, which number more than a hundred and serve women in rural and urban communities across the state. The resolution, which acknowledges the “life-affirming impact” of pregnancy resource centers, was sponsored by Representatives Peter Stautberg and Barbara Sears and passed with a vote of 64-27.

Rep. Connie Pillich, a Cincinnati Democrat, opposed the legislation on the House floor, saying the resolution contains inaccurate information. She falsely claims that pregnancy centers mislead women by telling them of the scientific facts behind fetal development and ensuring they know the medical and mental health risks associated with abortion.

Eight Democrats joined Republicans in voting for the resolution, which pro-life groups praised in an email to LifeNews.

“The role of pregnancy help centers in our communities is vital,” said Stephanie Ranade Krider, executive director of Ohio Right to Life. “In an age when Ohio faces an infant mortality crisis, especially among African American babies, it’s difficult to understand why anyone would oppose the life-affirming work being carried out in just about every corner of our state.”

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Pregnancy resource centers provide women, as well as men, with myriad resources, including but not limited to: diapers, baby food and formula, baby clothes, maternity clothes, cribs, car seats, books and parenting classes. Oftentimes, they provide assistance long after the child is born.

“The pro-life community truly is a giving one,” said Krider. “We often hear the contention that pro-lifers don’t care about babies after they’re born. What more do you need than the 125 pregnancy centers to disprove that claim on a daily basis? This is what being pro-life is all about.”

Ohio Right to Life thanks Representatives Stautberg and Sears for sponsoring this bill, as well as Ohio’s vast pregnancy resource network for the services they provide to Ohio families.