One side is talking about reducing abortions — and it’s not the Republicans

It’s been about a week since NARAL Pro-Choice America offered a bold challenge to abortion-rights opponents — let’s reduce abortions by focusing on prevention.

[W]e should agree on an equally fundamental point: America would be a better country if no woman ever faced the difficult choices posed by an unintended pregnancy. What better way to end the debate over abortion rights than by eliminating the reasons women seek abortion?

The time has come to join together in a new campaign to reduce the number of abortions.

Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid — who disagrees with us on the issue of abortion — has offered a commonsense bill called the Prevention First Act which would help reduce unintended pregnancies through better access to birth control. This landmark legislation represents a serious first step in addressing the problem, and I hope you’ll join pro-choice Americans and me in offering your support.

There have been some fascinating discussions about how abortion opponents might respond to this kind of challenge, but I’ve been most interested in watching Reid’s legislation that NARAL referenced. If the right is interested in finding common ground and reducing abortions, this is the kind of initiative — launched by an anti-choice Democrat, no less — that would generate some Republican support.

Except it hasn’t. Reid’s Prevention First Act (S. 20) was introduced a month ago and has slowly picked up support among other senators. As of today, the legislation has 22 co-sponsors — none of whom are Republicans.

So, for the record, let’s make this plain for those concerned about this issue: there’s one side of the political divide offering serious proposals to reduce abortions in this country — and it’s not the Republicans.