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Thank Senator Biden for his Vote to Protect Teens
On July 25, the U.S. Senate voted to pass Senate bill 403. This legislation would make it a federal crime punishable with jail time for anyone other than a parent -- including a grandparent, aunt, or religious counselor -- to assist a minor to cross state lines to obtain an abortion unless the minor first complies with her home-state’s parental involvement laws. This law, known as the Child Custody Protection Act or CCPA, has the potential to endanger the health of the most vulnerable teens. We were very pleased that Senator Biden voted against this legislation. Please thank the Senator for his vote by sending him an email or calling his office at 302-573-6345. If you call, make sure to give your name and where you live to the staff member who answers the phone and leave the message that you want to thank Senator Biden for voting against this dangerous legislation.
Dear [ Decision Maker ] , Thank you for your vote against the Child Custody Protection Act (S.403). The CCPA threatens teens' safety. All parents hope their daughters will come to them when faced with major life decisions, including decisions about an unintended pregnancy. But if, for whatever reason, a teenager felt she could not go to her parents for help when faced with an abortion decision, her parents most of all would want her to be safe. Yet instead of encouraging teens to seek the counsel of trusted, responsible adults, CCPA forces them to face an abortion decision alone. For teenagers who live in unsafe or abusive homes, CCPA creates a dangerous, one-size-fits-all government mandate. CCPA will further isolate abused teens by preventing them from getting the advice and support of a trusted adult. Now that the Senate has passed this bill, it will have to be reconciled with an even more dangerous and extreme law passed in the House. I hope you will do everything possible to minimize the danger to teens as this bill moves through the rest of the legislative process.
Sincerely, |
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| Background Information |
The legislation just passed by the Senate would make it a federal crime for anyone other than a young woman's parent - including a grandparent, aunt, or religious counselor - to accompany a minor across state lines to obtain an abortion unless the minor first complies with her home state's parental involvement laws.
This legislation threatens teens' safety by forcing many teens to face the abortion decision alone. All parents hope that their daughters will come to them when faced with an unintended pregnancy. But if, for whatever reason, a teenager felt she could not go to her parents, she should be able to seek counsel from other, trusted adults. This law would punish the adults teens turn to for help.
For example, if the CCPA were enacted, a grandmother who simply accompanied her teenage granddaughter to get an abortion could spend up to a year in prison, pay a hefty fine, and be the subject of a civil lawsuit.
Planned Parenthood believes parents should be the primary source of information about health and sexuality for their children, and we strongly encourage families to communicate openly about sensitive matters like reproductive health. At the same time, forbidding vulnerable teens from turning to trusted family members when they are in crisis does not prevent unintended pregnancy or the need for abortion.
This bill is not yet law, and the version passed by the House of Representatives is even more extreme and draconian. It is very important to let Senator Biden know we are grateful for his "No" vote because he may have the opportunity to help stop an even worse piece of legislation in the future.
