Posted on Jul 28, 2010 | by Staff

WASHINGTON (BP)--Proposed federal legislation to regulate advertising by pregnancy centers is "just another attempt to shut down the competition," according to Care Net, a network of more than 1,100 such centers.

Rep. Carolyn Maloney, D.-N.Y., introduced the Stop Deceptive Advertising for Women's Services Act, H.R. 5652, to direct the Federal Trade Commission to issue new rules prohibiting advertising that intends to give the impression a center provides abortions when it does not.

While many pregnancy centers are "forthright and respectful," Maloney asserted that "some take a more underhanded approach to lure in women seeking abortions by using tactics that should be illegal."

Nancy Keenan, president of NARAL Pro-choice America, applauded the proposed legislation, saying many pregnancy centers "use deceptive and manipulative tactics." NARAL is one of the country's leading abortion rights organizations.

Care Net President Melinda Delahoyde denied the charges, saying affiliates with her organization and other national groups, such as Heartbeat International and the National Institute of Family and Life Advocates, abide by a document that commits them to advertise and communicate truthfully.

"What's happening is that pregnancy centers have become an integral part of a community's support network for women and children," Delahoyde said. "With such holistic support available, women are empowered to choose abortion alternatives and the abortion industry simply doesn't like losing business."

In the Senate, Sen. Robert Menendez, D.-N.J., offered a companion bill. Both bills were introduced June 30.
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Compiled by Baptist Press Washington bureau chief Tom Strode.