In response to John Kerry’s selection of John Edwards as his running mate, NRLC Political Director Carol Tobias said, “With John Edwards, Kerry has selected a running mate whose position is as extreme as his own, even opposing the ban on partial-birth abortions.”

In 1999 Edwards voted against the Partial-Birth Abortion Ban Act, and in 2003 he attacked President Bush for signing the bill, which would ban partial-birth abortions unless necessary to save a mother's life.

"Laci and Conner's Law" would recognize unborn children as murder victims when they are killed by criminals in violent federal crimes. This bill, also known as the Unborn Victims of Violence Act, was enacted this year despite Edwards' votes against it.

Edwards also voted in favor of tax subsidies for abortion on demand for federal employees.

"During his nearly six years in the U.S. Senate, John Edwards -- like John Kerry -- has consistently voted according to the dictates of hard-line pro-abortion advocacy groups, and contrary to the policies favored by most Americans," said Douglas Johnson, NRLC legislative director.

Whenever Edwards has been present to vote, he has supported the ongoing filibusters against President Bush's judicial nominees. He voted six times in favor of the filibuster that blocked the confirmation of Miguel Estrada, who would have been the first Hispanic ever to sit on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia. Edwards also has voted in favor of the filibusters of Texas Supreme Court Justice Priscilla Owen and former Alabama Attorney General William Pryor, who were nominated to federal courts of appeals.

For more specific information on Edwards' voting record on life issues, review the U.S. Senate scorecards at the NRLC website at www.capwiz.com/nrlc/home/ or visit www.nrlc.org.

The National Right to Life Committee is the nation's major pro-life organization, representing affiliates in all 50 states.

VSHL is the Virginia affiliate of the National Right to Life Committee.