Heartbeat’s Representation and Defense initiative exists to defend and commend the pregnancy help movement against public slander and unfair legislation, through public relations, direct contact with lawmakers, and events such as Babies Go To Congress™. We’re spreading the message: “PREGNANCY HELP CENTERS ARE GOOD FOR AMERICA!” Will you help us?

A recently introduced congressional bill called the “Stop Deceptive Advertising in Women’s Services Act” seeks to have the Federal Trade Commission craft rules to govern advertising for services to women facing untimely pregnancies. On its face, this seems like a good thing! After all, everyone wants truth in advertising, regardless of where one falls on the abortion debate.

The irony is that the name of this proposed legislation is, itself, designed to deceive! Once one reads the language of the bill, it’s clear that it only targets organizations that do not provide or refer for abortion services. In other words, while prolife groups that conduct any advertising -- yellow pages, web, billboards, fliers, posters, radio, television, et cetera -- would be regulated, pro-abortion groups would not be affected, giving them free reign to continue their own misleading or coercive advertising practices.

Rep. Carolyn Maloney (D - NY) and 11 co-sponsors introduced this bill in the U.S. House of Representatives. Joe Young, Heartbeat International’s Vice President for Ministry Support, recently met with Congresswoman Maloney’s staff to discuss the bill. We wanted to clearly understand why this legislation was being pushed. What are they trying to accomplish? Who are they targeting?

The bill’s sponsors say that their goal is to prevent stressed and vulnerable women from being unfairly tricked into a decision. However, since the bill only applies to prolife organizations and doesn’t address the actions of abortion providers and advocacy groups, we hardly see how the bill could possibly accomplish the sponsors’ goals. Mrs. Maloney’s staffers stated they have no evidence that pro-abortion groups use coercive or unfair marketing tactics. (They went on to say that they “find it hard to believe” that such a thing occurs, revealing a pre-existing bias.) They have agreed, though, to revisit the issue if Heartbeat International provides such evidence.

The challenge has been made and we need your help! Heartbeat International is assembling a portfolio of pro-abortion advertising to present to Rep. Maloney now, and to prepare for the anticipated future hearings on this bill. We need you to send us any advertising from abortion providers or abortion advocacy groups in your area. Any form will work -- phonebook ads that are coercive or in the wrong heading, fliers, billboards, web banner ads -- anything that could be considered manipulative, coercive, or false will work. Even if you are not sure, send it to us. We want to assemble a nation-wide portfolio of abortion advertising, and you can help!

Together, you and Heartbeat International can continue to show that pregnancy help centers are good for America.