Date: Wed, 28 Apr 2004 15:19:41 -0400 From: "The American Civil Liberties Union" To: "The American Civil Liberties Union" Subject: oppose HR 1755 / S 851, the Child Custody Protection Act Thank you for using The American Civil Liberties Union Mail System Message sent to the following recipients: Senator Kennedy Senator Kerry Representative Capuano Message text follows: Matthew Belmonte [address] April 28, 2004 [recipient address was inserted here] [recipient name was inserted here], I urge you to oppose HR 1755/S 851 the "Child Custody Protection Act", a bill that should be called the "Teen Endangerment Act." This legislation would allow for federal prosecution of anyone - including a friend, sister or aunt - who transports a minor across state lines for an abortion, unless the young woman has already met the obligation of her home state's parental involvement law. It would also put young women who are facing the crisis of an unintended pregnancy in the position of having to travel alone or perform dangerous and desperate acts because of a lack of safe and legal alternatives. The legislation would endanger the health of pregnant teens. Many teenagers cannot satisfy a state parental involvement law because they cannot tell a parent (or in some states, both parents) about a pregnancy, and in some areas obtaining a judicial bypass is not a real alternative. This law would force these young women to travel alone across state lines to obtain an abortion and deny them support as they travel home after surgery. Further, passage of this bill would turn people who assist teens in need into criminals. The bill would impose federal criminal penalties on any person other than a parent who "transports" a young woman across state lines to obtain an abortion even if the young woman's health would be seriously harmed if medical care were delayed. In short, this bill criminalises caring, responsible behaviour on the part of adults concerned with a young woman's well-being. Sincerely, Matthew Belmonte