Creating new criminals won't stop abortion

Our mostly male, majority Republican Congress is at it again, moving to criminalize taking a teen across a state line for an abortion while stonewalling efforts to educate young people about their sexuality. In their attempt to protect vulnerable young, pregnant girls, members of the Senate miss the stark reality that education would head off many an unplanned teen pregnancy in the first place. In late July the Senate passed, 65-34, the so-called Child Custody Protection Act, which would make it a crime to take a pregnant girl across state lines for an abortion without her parents' knowledge. The House has already passed a similar measure. The Senate version makes the act punishable by fines and up to a year in jail. Meanwhile the Senate rejected a bill that called for the federal government to provide funds for more sex education.

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