Pro-Abortion Groups Vehemently Oppose Bill U.S. House Votes to Recognize Unborn Victims of Violence.(endorsed by National Right to Life Committee and George W. Bush)

WASHINGTON (May 3) - - A bill to recognize unborn children as human victims when they are injured or killed during the commission of federal crimes was approved April 26 by the U.S. House of Representatives. The bill was backed by NRLC and by President George W. Bush.

The House passed the Unborn Victims of Violence Act (H.R. 503) by a vote of 252-172. But that victory came only after a much closer vote on whether to erase the bill and replace it with a radically different measure proposed by pro-abortion lawmakers, the Lofgren Substitute Amendment, which is referred to by pro-life forces as the "one-victim amendment."

The Unborn Victims of Violence Act is sponsored by Congressman Lindsey Graham (R-SC) and Sen. Mike DeWine (R-Oh.).

President Bush supports the bill. In a statement sent to the House two days before the vote, the White House said, "The Administration supports protection for unborn children and therefore supports House passage of H.R. 503... . The Administration would strongly oppose any amendment to H.R. 503, such as a so-called `One-Victim' Substitute, which would define the bill's crimes as having only one victim - - the pregnant woman."

Following the vote, the President commended the House's action and said, "This legislation affirms our commitment to a culture of life, which welcomes and protects children."

The measure now faces an uncertain future in the Senate, where pro-abortion forces are stronger. The House passed the same bill in 1999, but it died without action in the Senate, weighed down by a veto threat from President Clinton.

"I think there will probably be a filibuster in the Senate put on by the Democrats, and it'll be hard to get the votes," said ABC News commentator Cokie Roberts on ABC's This Week on April 29. "And it'll make the Democrats look like extremists on this issue."