Bush Signs Measure Outlawing Injury to Fetus During Crime

http://www.nytimes.com/2004/04/01/po...D-BUSH.html?hp

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Originally Posted by NY Times

Bush Signs Measure Outlawing Injury to Fetus During Crime
By DAVID STOUT

WASHINGTON, April 1 — President Bush signed a law today making it a separate offense to harm the fetus in a federal crime committed against a pregnant woman, a law he said shows that "the United States of America is building a culture of life."

Today's signing ceremony, originally scheduled for the Rose Garden but moved inside the White House because of a chill rain, fulfills a promise he made to his conservative supporters.

"With this action, we widen the circle of compassion and inclusion in our society," he said. The Senate passed the measure by 61 to 38 one week ago. The House passed it on Feb. 26 by 254 to 163.

Opponents of the legislation have denounced it as an effort to undermine the constitutional right to abortion by recognizing the fetus as a person.

Its backers said the sole objective was to establish in criminal law the principle that a fetus injured in an assault was just as much a victim of the crime as the expectant mother.

Senator John Kerry of Massachusetts, the presumptive Democratic presidential nominee, voted against the measure and was criticized by family members of crime victims for doing so.

The bill signed by the president does not have wide application, since it would cover only harm done to a fetus during commission of a federal crime. But today's signing ceremony was the second major victory in the Republican controlled Congress for the anti-abortion movement, which had sought this legislation since 1999.

Last November, Mr. Bush signed into law a ban on the procedure that critics call partial-birth abortion. He strongly supported the latest legislation, referred to as the Unborn Victims of Violence Act.

Mr. Bush invoked a notorious killing, that of Laci Paterson, who disappeared late in 2002 while eight months pregnant. Her husband, Scott, is charged with murder. The victim's parents were present today.

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Those tricky right-to-lifers. :)

Does anyone think that this will be used like naysayers are thinking? I can understand the concern, since this sort of establishes rights for things not born, but if the law is as specific as they say it is, I think it's just a small piece in the right-wing chess game to get rid of abortion.

Anyone else have an opinion?

Yes, I do have an opinion:

I really like chocolate.

If by "opinion" you meant "on topic opinion," then here:

I like this bill, and I'm glad Bush signed it. In you're little "the right is wrong" quip, however, you neglect to mention that this bill passed the House 62 to 38. So there!

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Originally Posted by Bush

"the United States of America is building a culture of life."

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Am I the only one who finds that ironic?

Even though it's most likely an April Fool's Day joke. I believe NOTHING on this day.

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Originally Posted by Captain Vegetable

I like this bill, and I'm glad Bush signed it. In you're little "the right is wrong" quip, however, you neglect to mention that this bill passed the House 62 to 38. So there!

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I didn't say that the right was wrong. I was just pointing out that this is their agenda. They happen to have support outside their circle, though, because it sounds like a great idea. I need to look at the exact wording, however. Does the bill specifically mention murder, or is it ANY crime against a pregnant woman?

The bill passed the Senate, too, right? Or did it not need to?

EDIT: I'm not paying attention to numbers. Heh.

The bill had to pass both houses. This bill sucks, Bush sucks, a fetus is not a person, etc.

Good news here, though:

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Senator John Kerry of Massachusetts, the presumptive Democratic presidential nominee, voted against the measure and was criticized by family members of crime victims for doing so.

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Originally Posted by burgundy

The bill had to pass both houses. This bill sucks, Bush sucks, a fetus is not a person, etc.

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Boy, you really are in a raw mood today, huh?

So wait, if it passed the Senate 62-38, what was the Congressional split?

One of my bosses seems to think that the bill doesn't specifically mention murder. If that's the case, then it will be interesting to see how a major court rules on the law when it is eventually applied to a doctor performing an abortion.

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Originally Posted by Mike

Boy, you really are in a raw mood today, huh?

So wait, if it passed the Senate 62-38, what was the Congressional split?

One of my bosses seems to think that the bill doesn't specifically mention murder. If that's the case, then it will be interesting to see how a major court rules on the law when it is eventually applied to a doctor performing an abortion.

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Not really raw. I'm agreeing with you here, I'm just saying we've beaten this Yossy to death. Funny how people assume I'm being a jackass, when I'm not.

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The House passed it on Feb. 26 by 254 to 163.

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I don't see why you're stuck on the murder issue. The only way this law gets violated is during the course of commission of a federal offense against the pregnant woman.

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Originally Posted by Captain Vegetable

Yes, I do have an opinion:

I really like chocolate.

If by "opinion" you meant "on topic opinion," then here:

I like this bill, and I'm glad Bush signed it. In you're little "the right is wrong" quip, however, you neglect to mention that this bill passed the House 62 to 38. So there!

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chocolate sucks, i prefer caramel. oh, and i like the bill, big surprise i know. pro-lifers will like it , pro choicers probably wont, yadda-yadda,move along.

Great, here come the pregnant women driving in the fucking carpool lane...

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Originally Posted by Mike

One of my bosses seems to think that the bill doesn't specifically mention murder. If that's the case, then it will be interesting to see how a major court rules on the law when it is eventually applied to a doctor performing an abortion.

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The bill applies only to federal crimes and carves out a specific exception for abortion providers.