Bill Bell and Karen Bell

Several states have passed laws that require a minor girl’s parents or a judge to be notified of her intent to have an abortion. In the following viewpoint, Bill Bell and Karen Bell of Indiana testify before a Congressional committee how their daughter Becky died from an illegal abortion because she was too frightened to tell them or a judge that she was pregnant. The Bells argue that their daughter Becky would still be alive if their family had lived in a state that permitted minors to receive confidential abortions without parental notification or consent. Therefore, they conclude, Congress should not make it illegal for an adult to transport a minor across state lines to receive an abortion without her parents’ knowledge.

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