Contact: Eric Scheidler, Director of Communications, Pro-Life Action League, 630-896-1200, 773-251-8792 cell; Amber Dawe, TC Public Relations, 312-422-1333

CHICAGO, April 3 /Christian Newswire/ -- Chicago-based Pro-Life Action League says grassroots efforts to defeat HB-2354, or the Illinois Reproductive Health and Access Act, have stopped the bill from coming to a vote today.

Today was the deadline for the Illinois House of Representatives to vote on the act, which pro-lifers have referred to as Illinois' version of the Freedom of Choice Act (FOCA).

"The bill did not pass by the House deadline for sending bills to the Senate," said PLAL communications director Eric Scheidler. "The sponsors of the bill can still try for an extension on the deadline, among other things -- but clearly, they don't have the votes. They don't have the votes because pro-lifers came together as never before in Illinois to oppose this pernicious bill."

In March, PLAL and other pro-life groups formed a coalition to fight HB-2354, launching a Web site, StopIllinoisFOCA.com, and rallying supporters to call and write letters to state representatives. They said the bill would sweep away common-sense restrictions on abortion, such as the state's Parental Notification Act, in addition to funding thousands of abortions with taxpayer dollars and forcing pro-life health care professionals to cooperate in abortion.

"This is a great victory for life and a blessing from God, but that doesn't mean we can sit back and take it easy," Scheidler said. "This victory only energizes our pro-life work -- including protesting the scandal of Obama speaking at Notre Dame, defending health care conscience protections and saving babies slated for abortion in cities and towns all across the State of Illinois."

The full text of HB-2354 is available at http://tinyurl.com/hb2354.

About Pro-Life Action League:
Pro-Life Action League was founded by Joseph M. Scheidler in 1980 with the aim of saving unborn children through non-violent direct action.

Since July 2007, the League has been at the center of the controversy surrounding Planned Parenthood's flagship abortion facility in Aurora, Ill., dubbed, "Ground Zero" of the abortion battle by abortion supporters and opponents alike. The League has closed eight abortion clinics in Chicago alone and nearly a hundred across the country.

The Pro-Life Action League is a nonprofit organization, supported solely by private donations. For more information, visit www.prolifeaction.org.

Media contacts:

Eric Scheidler, Pro-Life Action League: (630) 896-1200, (773) 251-8792 (cell)

Amber Dawe, TC Public Relations: (312) 422-1333