Congressman Aderholt: Bill Will Help Protect Minors from Uninformed Decisions, Coerced Abortions

CONGRESSMAN ADERHOLT: BILL WILL HELP PROTECT MINORS FROM UNINFORMED DECISIONS, COERCED ABORTIONS

Congressman Robert Aderholt (R-Haleyville) yesterday cast a vote for the Child Custody Protection Act saying that it will help protect minors from being exploited or coerced into having an abortion.

"State laws requiring parental notification or involvement in a minor's abortion decision are intended to protect children from rash or uninformed decisions and from coercion or exploitation at a vulnerable time in their lives," said Congressman Aderholt. "The Child Custody Protection Act will help ensure that parents are involved in their child's abortion decision and protect minors from being coerced into having an abortion."

The Child Custody Protection Act makes it a federal crime to transport a minor across state lines to have an abortion with the intent of evading parental consent or parental notification laws in the minor's home state. The bill also requires abortion providers in interstate abortions to provide notification of the minor's decision to the minor's parents or legal guardian 24 hours before the abortion is performed.

Current Alabama law requires that minors seeking an abortion must have parental consent from either one parent or a decision by the court allowing them to bypass parental consent.

"Parental consent forms are required for school field trips to museums - it's unthinkable that minors should be allowed to undergo a potentially dangerous and life changing medical procedure without their parents' knowledge or consent," concluded Congressman Aderholt.

http://www.house.gov/list/press/al04_aderholt/92706ChildCustodyProtectionAct.html