Jim Ryun: “expecting a baby should be a joyous time, but tragically some mothers and their preborn children are being attacked.…”

“expecting a baby should be a joyous time, but tragically some mothers and their preborn children are being attacked. Often the express purpose is to kill the baby. To make matters worse, the preborn child is not protected under Federal law. Most of my colleagues know the story of Laci and Conner Peterson. Laci and her preborn son, Conner, were both killed in California last December. Conner was then in the 8th month of development. Twenty-six States have fetal homicide laws. California is one of them. Unthinkably, had this attack occurred on Federal property or in a State without a fetal homicide law, prosecutors would not have been able to press charges for the murder of little Conner. While this Chamber has considered the Unborn Victims of Violence Act before, a Federal provision to protect both victims has yet to be enacted. We must change this inconsistency in our law. At the request of Laci and Conner's family, the Unborn Victims of Violence Act is now appropriately called Laci and Conner's Law. Now is the time to act. Support Laci and Conner's Law.”