Rep. Hoogendyk, Huizenga, Reeves, Voorhees, Middaugh, Stahl, Hummel, Robertson, Palmer, LaJoy, Garfield, Palsrok, Taub, Vander Veen, Sheen, Nofs, Moolenaar, O'Neil, Wojno, Shaffer, Mortimer, Kooiman, Julian, Pastor, Richardville, Stallworth, Acciavatti, Brandenburg, Casperson, DeRossett, Farhat, Spade, Hunter, Meyer, Pappageorge, Phillips, Vagnozzi, Shulman, Shackleton and Hager offered the following resolution:

            House Resolution No. 167

            A resolution to memorialize the Congress of the United States and the Michigan Department of Community Health to develop collaborative relationships with pregnancy care centers in Michigan.

            Whereas, Pregnancy care centers, which are also known as crisis pregnancy centers, are located in Michigan and across our country and provide vitally needed help to women and families at difficult times in their lives.  These centers offer free, confidential, and compassionate services, which range from pregnancy testing and childbirth classes to help with housing, counseling, and medical referrals; and

            Whereas, Pregnancy care centers encourage women to make positive choices in life by providing them with accurate and complete information.  This information covers such key topics as nutrition, prenatal care, adoption services, and parenting; and

            Whereas, Many pregnancy care centers across the country also offer classes in abstinence education, including programs carried out in schools; and

            Whereas, The work of pregnancy care centers is largely conducted by volunteers, with contributions of time, talent, and financial support from people who see the intrinsic value of helping women and families facing a variety of very personal difficulties.  With the strong societal implications of the good work being done at pregnancy care centers across our state, these centers are performing a great volume of services that clearly are carried out for the public benefit; now, therefore, be it

            Resolved by the House of Representatives, That we memorialize the Congress of the United States and the Michigan Department of Community Health to develop collaborative relationships with pregnancy care centers in Michigan.  We urge that any assistance made available to help with medical and abstinence education programs be administered in a manner that does not compromise the values of the centers; and be it further

            Resolved, That copies of this resolution be transmitted to the President of the United States Senate, the Speaker of the United States House of Representatives, the members of the Michigan congressional delegation, and the Michigan Department of Community Health.

R 0337 '03(H-1)