We are witnesses to a global movement that is fighting to reclaim the right to life for unborn children. It is invigorating and encouraging to see the tremendous success of the pro-life movement across the nation. Real reform is reaching our states and saving the lives of countless babies. This is not a fruitless fight or a hopeless cause – God is at work in our nation, and with continued prayer we can see the same success found in other states in Washington as well.
New data from Susan B. Anthony Pro-Life America estimates that as many as 200,000 babies will be saved every year now that there is not a constitutional right to abortion. That’s enough individuals to fill a city the size of Vancouver, Washington.
“The best guess that we have is about 200,000 children were born this year that would not have been born” without the overturning of Roe, Senator James Lankford said at a press conference. “That’s 200,000 kids. That’s 200,000 smiling faces on playgrounds. That’s 200,000 silly songs, starting in kindergarten. That’s 200,000 families that will be blessed with looking in the eyes of a child”
Since Roe v. Wade was miraculously overturned by Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization in 2022, numerous states have enacted or enforced laws to protect the unborn. Abortion is completely banned, except to save the life of the mother, in the following 12 states: Alabama, Arkansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, Oklahoma, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, West Virginia and Wisconsin.
An additional five states have gestational limits on abortions – meaning that they are legal only up until a certain point in the pregnancy. Abortion is banned after six weeks in Georgia, and Florida is in the process of enacting a similar ban. Florida’s current law stands at 15 weeks, as does Arizona’s. On July 1st, North Carolina’s ban on abortions after 20 weeks will be reduced to 12 weeks, thanks to the state legislature overriding the governor’s veto. Utah’s law currently stands at 18 weeks with a more restrictive law temporarily blocked by a judge.
In Montana, the legislature passed 10 laws in 2023 to ban or restrict abortion access – four were signed into law by the Governor on May 15th. One of the laws includes an immediate ban on dilation and evacuation (D&E) abortion procedures, which is the most common type of abortion after 15 weeks. It is a violent, traumatic procedure that endangers the life of the mother, ruthlessly kills an innocent baby, and leads to lifelong regret and sorrow. Although Montana may not yet have an outright ban on abortions, putting an end to D&E procedures is a pivotal decision that will protect women and children across the state.
Several states have tried and failed to enact laws protecting unborn babies due to either a liberal legislature or a liberal court system, such as Indiana, Iowa, Ohio, and Wyoming. The pro-life movement is still at work in those states and is hopeful of imminent progress.
“Roe was egregiously wrong from the start. It is time to heed the Constitution and return the issue of abortion to the people’s elected representatives.” – Justice Samuel Alito
We must keep changing hearts and minds to bring rational abortion reform to Washington. It is possible because we know that with Christ, all things are possible. Many thought the scourge of Roe would never leave America – but they were wrong.
