To add insult to injury, von Eschenbach, who currently serves as acting FDA commissioner, has refused to heed calls for the removal of RU-486, a drug designed for the purpose of abortion which was hastily approved by the FDA in the last days of the Clinton administration in an apparent farewell gesture toward President Clinton's many friends and supporters in the abortion industry.

The U.S. Senate is in the process of considering Dr. von Eschenbach's nomination, and pro-life Senator Jim DeMint (R-SC) has placed a hold on the nomination unless and until steps are taken to suspend sales of RU-486.

The Rev. Thomas J. Euteneuer, president of Human Life International (HLI) and a courageous and committed champion of a no-exceptions pro-life philosophy, called attention to Senator DeMint's action in a statement released from his Front Royal, VA headquarters on September 22, 2006.

"It is a rare thing indeed to witness profiles in courage in the halls of Congress. We salute the courage that Sen. DeMint is displaying by placing a hold on the nomination of Andrew von Eschenbach. This is a bold stand by the Senator in defense of the innocent unborn and their mothers. We are grateful for his stance and we pray that he will remain steadfast in this effort."

Pointing out that RU-486 is known to be "deadly not only to the babies it chemically aborts, but to many of the unsuspecting mothers who have used it," Father Eutenauer said, "The FDA has been given a mandate to protect consumers from dangerous drugs. Unfortunately, it appears that von Eschenbach is willing to abandon this mandate in the name of political expediency and under the pressure of the powerful abortion lobby. If the president will not withdraw this nomination, then we implore the Senate to reject this nomination when it is brought to a vote."

We agree. Please call the Capitol Switchboard at 202/224-3121, ask for Senator DeMint's office, and express your support for his action on this nominee. You can also send a faxed message of support to 202/228-5143.

SENATE OBSTRUCTS CHILD CUSTODY PROTECTION ACT 
Just a few days remain before Congress adjourns prior to the November elections. The House passed the Child Custody Protection Act (S.403) on September 26th by a vote of 264-153. After considerable delay, Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist (R-TN) has scheduled a cloture vote on the bill for tomorrow, Friday, September 29th. Our sources on Capitol Hill tell us the votes are there. President Bush would sign the bill, which would make it a federal crime for a minor child living in a state with a parental consent-for-abortion law, to be spirited across state lines by an adult other than her parent, in order to procure an abortion without her parents' knowledge. The Child Custody Protection Act is the only pro-life legislation considered by Congress this session. Republicans and Democrats alike must not fail to protect young girls from those who would violate the rights of parents who are, after all, responsible for the physical, emotional and psychological well-being of their minor children.