Contact: Peggy Hamill, State Director
Katherine Ribnek, Communications Director
262-796-1111, 414-416-0489 or info@prolifewisconsin.org

Busloads of Wisconsinites to Travel to Washington, D.C.,
to March for Life – and Ask Tough Questions

Pro-Life Wisconsin (PLW) is sponsoring two busloads of pro-life advocates for the 31st annual March for Life in Washington, D.C. Pro-lifers from across the state will be departing from Necedah and Milwaukee on Tuesday, January 20. They will join hundreds of thousands of Americans who will be participating in the annual march and rally on Thursday, January 22 – the 31st anniversary of the deadly Supreme Court Roe vs. Wade decision legalizing the crime of abortion.

While in Washington, D.C., Pro-Life Wisconsinites will be challenging the Bush administration on two important issues affecting the physical and moral well-being of children across the nation.

“We implore President Bush to stop the FDA’s recent move to make the morning-after-pill available over-the-counter,” said Peggy Hamill, state director of Pro-Life Wisconsin. “This abortion-causing drug regimen is also harmful to women. It will undoubtedly aggravate the epidemic of sexually transmitted disease among our teens. And there are no long-term studies that show whether women will be permanently damaged, or risk such diseases as cancer, from these chemicals being given in such high doses.”

PLW is also concerned about the recent proliferation of Medicaid family planning waiver programs. Because of federal waivers granted by the Bush Administration, taxpayers across the country are now being forced to subsidize birth control more than ever before. For example, on June 15, 2002, Health and Human Services Secretary Tommy G. Thompson approved a Wisconsin plan to extend Medicaid family planning services for females ages 15 to 44.

“We are calling on President Bush to cancel Medicaid family planning waivers that line Planned Parenthood’s pockets and expand the provision of “contraceptive” drugs and devices to our children,” said Hamill. “Federal law prohibits parents from being notified that their minor children are receiving free birth control under this program. This undermines parental authority and increases underage pregnancy, abortion, and STDs by encouraging sexual promiscuity.”

PLW contends that the current debate over the morning-after-pill and so-called family planning has focused much needed attention on the personhood of every preborn baby, from the first moment of fertilization. “We can’t be satisfied with simply regulating surgical abortion,” continued Hamill. “We must be about restoring legal protection for every human life, without exception – including our tiny, embryonic brothers and sisters.”

On Tuesday, January 20, PLW buses will depart from St. Francis Church in Necedah at 10:00 a.m. and St. Mary’s Church in Elm Grove at 1:30 p.m. Many additional pro-lifers will be traveling from our state by car or plane. At home, thousands of Pro-Life Wisconsinites will gather at various affiliate events throughout the state. To arrange local interviews or D.C. interviews, please contact Katherine Ribnek at the Pro-Life Wisconsin State Office, 262-796-1111.
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