CATHOLIC NEWS AGENCY: CARDINAL ENDORSES ‘COMMON GROUND’ BILL SUPPORTING PREGNANT WOMEN

Cardinal Justin Rigali has endorsed the the Pregnant Women Support Act (PWSA), which has recently been reintroduced in the House.  The bill includes provisions for:  eliminating pregnancy as a “preexisting condition” that can be used to deny health coverage for women; grants to support centers providing alternatives to abortion; assistance encouraging colleges and universities to provide support for pregnant and parenting students; increased support for the WIC program, and for adoption programs; allowing states to cover unborn children and their mothers under the Children’s Health Insurance Program, providing prenatal care for especially needy pregnant women who may not otherwise be eligible; and improving services for pregnant women who are at risk from domestic violence.  He said that the new bill represents ideas on which Pro-Life and Pro-Choice contingents can find common ground in the goal of reducing the need for abortions. 

Question to the Blogosphere:  Do you think this bill really represents the opinions of both Pro-Choice and Pro-Life groups in the United States? If you could add something to the bill, what would it be?  Is there a balance between progress (however you define that) and the feasibility of passing a bill?  Are there any flaws in this bill that need to be addressed before it potentially becomes law?  Do all women get abortions because they cannot afford to have children or are there other valid reasons for delaying pregnancy?