WASHINGTON, DC – U.S. Senator Roger Wicker (R-Miss.) today spoke in support of protecting the unborn, addressing thousands gathered for the 39th annual Right to Life March.  On Tuesday, Wicker will introduce the Life at Conception Act to define when life begins and extend constitutional protections to the most vulnerable in our society.

“The sanctity of human life for all, including the unborn, is something that is deeply rooted in my beliefs and reflected in the values of Mississippians,” said Wicker.  “I am proud to introduce legislation that would settle this important life issue once and for all.  January is Sanctity of Human Life month, so this is a good time to remember how special the gift of life truly is.”

The Life at Conception Act is a simple and straightforward piece of legislation to establish in law what most Americans believe and what science has long known – that human life begins at the moment of conception - and therefore is entitled to legal protection from that point forward.  A 2008 Zogby International Poll found that 59% of those polled believe human life begins at conception. 

In 1973, when the Supreme Court handed down its now-infamous Roe v. Wade decision, it did not tie the hands of Congress.  The Supreme Court refused to resolve the question of when life begins, but instead specifically acknowledged that if “personhood is established, the appellant’s case, of course, collapses, for the fetus’ right to life is then guaranteed specifically by the [14th] Amendment.”  The Life at Conception Act would ensure that the Constitution’s fundamental right to life is applied to all Americans, particularly those who cannot speak for themselves.

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