National Council of Catholic Women at 200 N. Glebe Road, Suite 703, Arlington, VA 22203 US - NCCW APPLAUDS PASSAGE OF UNBORN VICTIMS OF VIOLENCE ACT 

Washington, D.C. – The National Council of Catholic Women (NCCW) applauds the U.S. Senate’s passage of the Unborn Victims of Violence Act (also known as "Laci and Conner’s Law") and looks forward to President Bush signing the bill into law. The U.S. Senate gave final approval to the bill today.

Maggie Gray, President of the NCCW, said, "The Unborn Victims of Violence Act closes a ‘justice gap’ for unborn children by recognizing their injuries and providing legal redress if they are harmed by violent crimes directed toward their mothers. Common practice, government programs, and even employment policies rightly accept the needs of an unborn child for good nutrition, a non-toxic environment or pre-natal medical care. We look forward to President Bush signing this legislation, and in doing so, joining Congress in recognizing the unborn child’s rightful claim to justice when victimized by violence."

Under the Unborn Victims of Violence Act, if a third-party assailant attacks a pregnant woman and kills or injures her unborn child during the commission of a federal crime of violence, federal authorities will now be able to prosecute the assailant for both the injury to the woman, and bring a second charge for the injury or death to the unborn child. The U.S. House of Representatives passed the Unborn Victims of Violence Act in February by a vote of 254-163.