AUL's Dr. Charmaine Yoest Notes that the Abortion Industry Now Attempts "to impose through coercion what they could not win through choice"

At AUL Legal Symposium, Experts Weigh in on the Future of Roe in America

WASHINGTON, Jan. 24, 2013 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- At a prestigious legal symposium at the National Press Club sponsored by Americans United for Life, AUL President and CEO Dr. Charmaine Yoest addressed media, lawmakers and legal guests during an event titled: The Future of Roe: Women, Health and Law in the Obama Era, and noted that the pro-life movement has successfully bypassed the gridlock of Washington, D.C. "to develop increasing prolife momentum through significant legislative and legal victories throughout the states. These successes have been achieved as the abortion industry has changed its model. What Big Abortion could not win through choice, they intend to impose through coercion, forcing Americans to engage in support of abortion and the policy goals of a highly profitable business that puts their bottom line ahead of the health of American women."

Dr. Yoest made her remarks during a half-day event in which AUL Legal experts joined a distinguished series of guests, which included commentator Bill Kristol of The Weekly Standard, Professor Gerard Bradley of Notre Dame Law School, Professor Helen Alvare of George Mason Law School and Dr. Laura Garcia, Scholar in Residence, Department of Philosophy, Boston College. Panel conversations and remarks will be available at the AUL website. Click here to learn more.

On the eve of the March for Life, Dr. Yoest observed: "It's a tremendous irony that this week brings together in close proximity the second inauguration of the most aggressively pro-abortion President in American history one day before the 40^th anniversary of Roe v. Wade, and just prior to the annual March for Life.  These events tangled together in time reflect the strange state of play in abortion politics today.  While the abortion-rights side of the ledger has been tallying up the marquee victories – the Presidency and the Senate in November – the pro-life movement has been developing enough momentum under the radar to make our antagonists queasy. We won't see much of anything happen at the national level in the next several years, but there is a rising tide of pro-life legislation passing at the state level that is dramatically changing the contours of abortion policy in this country. 

"For example, in the last two years alone the legal team at Americans United for Life has helped enact nearly 50 new pro-life laws – that's about one-third of the unprecedented number of pro-life laws enacted in that time period. In addition, we have a tremendous tidal wave of life-affirming legislation in the pipeline. Notably, over the past two years, we had 2,500 requests for our model legislation and our legal team was at work in 39 states.  While most attention focused on the President's re-election and the maintenance of the political status quo nationally, at the state level we saw modest improvements in pro-life representation. Where it counts – closest to the grassroots – the momentum is building.  There's a storm surge coming."

The template for pro-life change can be found in Defending Life, AUL's annual publication of model legislation and tools that equips office holders with the tools to achieve pro-life protections. For more on AUL's cutting-edge, model legislation, click here.

SOURCE Americans United for Life