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Hinchey Votes No-
Under this legislation, criminals who commit a federal crime of violence against a pregnant woman could be charged with a second offense on behalf of the fetus. While I believe that acts of violence against women, especially pregnant women, are tragic and should be punished, I don't believe that the fetus should be treated as a separate individual under the law. The proponents of the Unborn Victims of Violence Act claim that the bill has nothing to do with the abortion debate and will deter violence against women. If that were true, the bill's supporters would support the substitute bill, the Motherhood Protection Act. I voted in favor of this substitute, which creates a separate offense for any violence or assault against a pregnant woman that terminates her pregnancy, but does not open the door to infringing on a woman's right to choose.
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