Hart, Author of House Bill, Praises Senate for Recognizing Two Victims, Two Crimes

Hart, Author of House Bill, Praises Senate for Recognizing Two Victims, Two Crimes

Washington- At a press conference celebrating Senate passage of H.R. 1997, the Unborn Victims of Violence Act or "Laci and Conner's Law," Congresswoman Melissa Hart (R-PA), author of the House version of the Bill which passed with an overwhelming bi-partisan majority on February 26, made the following statement as Senators Frist and DeWine and families of victims looked on:

"I am pleased that the Senate has recognized that there are two victims when a pregnant woman and her child are attacked. Like my House colleagues, our Senators understand the need for justice and closure for the families of victims of violence against pregnant women and their unborn children."

Hart continued, "Too many families, the Peterson family, the Lyons family, the Marciniak family to name but a few, have told Congress what the real loss is in victimization of pregnant women and their unborn children. We cannot restore their loss, but it is time we respect the lives of the children, grandchildren, brothers, and sisters as well as those of the women bringing them into the world. Also, it is overdue to bring some sense of closure and justice to the families who suffer the injury and loss caused by this violence."

"Recent multi-state studies have uncovered a disturbing statistic: one quarter of the pregnant women who die are victims of homicide. Pregnant women have become targets, and sadly, the unborn child is often what motivates the attack on the pregnant woman. Such attacks on pregnant women are attacks on two individuals - the mother and her baby. The law must respect the life of the mother and the child, and allow prosecution for the actual crimes."

"Under current law, an individual who commits a federal crime of violence against a pregnant woman receives no additional punishment for killing or injuring the woman's unborn child. Twenty-nine states have passed laws similar to Laci and Conner's Law to correct this injustice. The Senate today took an important step toward correcting this injustice," Hart concluded.