The Abortion Vote

According to this Bob Mercer story from March 1st entitled "Senators in federal battle over protecting unborn" in the Watertown Public Opinion, Daschle faces a dilemma on the Laci Peterson bill. Apparently, the state of South Dakota already has such a law. Also note that the Governor has since said he will sign the state abortion ban with a few slight changes. Excerpt:

While state legislators have finished their fight over banning abortion and now await the governor's decision, South Dakota is in the middle of a second battle over the issue of when life begins and whether unborn children should be protected.

This time the fight is in Congress. U.S. Senate Democratic leader Tom Daschle of South Dakota is being urged to help pass federal laws making it a crime to kill or injure an unborn child, the same as any other person. It would apply to federal crimes, including those committed on tribal lands and U.S. military bases.

Depending which side is talking, the issue has either nothing, or everything, to do with overturning legalized abortion at the federal level.

Among those pushing for Daschle to act is Sharon Rocha. She is the mother of murder victim Laci Peterson, who was pregnant at the time of her disappearance two years ago. Laci's husband, Scott Peterson, faces murder charges in California for the deaths of his wife and their unborn baby, who was to be named Conner.

The federal legislation includes exemptions for abortion, medical procedures and actions by the mother. Even so, national organizations that support abortion rights oppose the Unborn Victims of Violence Act because it would give federal legal protections to unborn persons.

South Dakota passed similar state laws on fetal homicide, fetal assault and fetal battery in 1995. So have 27 other states, including California.

The U.S. House of Representatives last week passed the Unborn Victims of Violence Act, the third time since 1999. The Senate hasn't acted on the legislation, and pressure is mounting on Daschle to allow a Senate vote.

After the House vote Thursday, Rocha issued a statement in which she recalled contacting Daschle by letter last summer.

"Shortly after that, Senator Daschle said publicly that the Senate should consider this issue quickly. Since then, members of his party have been holding up a vote. I ask Senator Daschle, as their leader, to urge them to enact Laci and Conner's Law as soon as possible," Rocha said.

Daschle spokesman Dan Pfeiffer said the senator hasn't taken a final position.