Ryan touts bill aimed to curtail abortions

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No Republicans were asked to co-sponsor the bill, but they will be next week.

By DAVID SKOLNICK

VINDICATOR POLITICS WRITER

U.S. Rep. Tim Ryan, a Democrat who opposes abortion, introduced legislation in the U.S. House with an abortion-rights Democrat that is aimed at reducing abortions by preventing unintended pregnancies, supporting pregnant women and assisting new parents.

Ryan, of Niles, a member of the Congressional Pro-Life Caucus, and U.S. Rep. Rosa DeLauro, a Connecticut Democrat and member of the Congressional Pro-Choice Caucus, are the lead sponsors of the bill, known as the Reducing the Need for Abortions and Supporting Parents Act.

There are 10 co-sponsors of the bill, including U.S. Rep. Ted Strickland of Lisbon, D-6th, who is running for Ohio governor. All the co-sponsors are Democrats.

"Solving problems often requires us to build new coalitions," said Ryan, D-17th. "Democrats are united in our efforts to significantly reduce the number of abortions in America by broadening the stagnant political debate that too often accompanies this issue."

Heading to house

No Republicans were asked to co-sponsor the bill, but it will be sent to all members of the U.S. House next week, said Ryan Keating, Ryan's spokesman.

"It's hard enough to get Democrats on board with this," Keating said in explaining why Republicans weren't asked to be co-sponsors.

The legislation contains initiatives including expanded access for contraception for low-income women, adoption tax credits, increased funding for health care for low-income mothers and children, home visits by nurses for new mothers, grants for unintended pregnancy reduction and funding for day-care programs and child-care centers on college campuses.

National Abortion Rights Action League Pro-Choice, a leading national abortion-rights organization, praised Ryan for introducing the bill Thursday. NARAL gave Ryan a score of 15 out of 100 last year on abortion-rights issues, the lowest number of any of the six Ohio Democrats in Congress.

skolnick@vindy.com

Friday, September 15, 2006