"I Thank You for Your Persistence and Your Prayers"

The following is the text of President Bush's message to NRLC 2006.

I'm pleased to join you for National Right to Life's 34th Annual Convention. I send greetings to you President Wanda Franz and to all the pro-life leaders gathered in Nashville for this important meeting. You represent more than 3,000 local affiliates with chapters in all 50 states, you come from many backgrounds, and faith traditions, yet you are united in this common belief: human life is the gift of our creator and it deserves protection in all its stages.

I believe as you do that we have a sacred obligation to defend the vulnerable and the weak, and to ensure that unborn children in America are welcomed in life, and protected in law.

Thanks to your efforts our nation is making progress towards meeting these noble goals.

As President, I signed the Born Alive Infants Protection Act, the Partial Birth Abortion Ban Act, and the Unborn Victims of Violence Act also known as Laci and Conner's Law. I oppose the destruction of human embryos for Stem Cell Research and I have refused to spend tax payer money on international programs that promote abortion overseas. I have vigorously promoted adoption, teen abstinence and crisis pregnancy programs, and the vital work of faith based groups. These are important steps forward but there's still more work to do. The House has passed a bill to ensure that State Parental Involvement Laws are not circumvented by those who take minors across state lines to have abortions. I've urged the United States Senate to pass this bill so I can sign it into law.

Congress also needs to pass a comprehensive and effective ban on human cloning. Human life is sacred and it should never be used as research material for reckless experiments. I share the hope of millions of Americans who desperately want to find treatments, and cures for terrible diseases such as juvenile diabetes and Parkinson's disease. I believe America must pursue the tremendous possibilities of science in a manner that fosters and encourages respect for human life. Even now, researchers are exploring alternative sources of stem cells such as adult bone marrow and umbilical cord blood, as well as different ethical ways of getting the same kinds of cells that are taken from embryos without violating human life or dignity.

With the right policies and the right techniques we can pursue scientific progress to save human lives while building a culture of life at the same time. Ultimately to build the culture of life we must change hearts and minds, and advances in technology are helping us to do so by allowing us to see into the womb as never before. Today instead of grainy black and white images, advanced sonograms can show an expectant mother clear images of her unborn child in full color, and three dimensions. With these technological advances the humanity of the unborn child is becoming more clearly evident, and the thought of ending that life is becoming unthinkable to more Americans.

I ask you to continue working with respect and civility to persuade our fellow citizens of the humanity of the unborn. I thank you for your persistence and your prayers. I stand with you as you continue to fight for the protection of human life. Our cause appeals to the conscience of our citizens, and it's rooted in America's deepest principles, and History tells us that such a cause cannot fail. Thank you and May God bless you all.