Roe v. Wade - 30 Years Later - A Legislative and Political Perspective

03.30.2003- NJRTL marks thirty years of successful issue advocacy and political victories as the largest and oldest pro-life organization in the state.

"We are intent on continuing the successful strategies of the last decade and we are hoping to bring our legislative and political success to other pro-life groups around the country" said Traude V. Barbiero, President of NJRTL. NJRTL is now considered one of the top state pro-life organizations nationally and the most sophisticated pro-life political operation in the country.

Under the leadership of the NJRTL Board of Directors, NJRTL's Legislative and Public Affairs Director Marie Tasy directed several successful legislative initiatives, including the NJ Partial Birth Abortion Ban, the NJ Parental Notification Bill and the NJ Safe Haven Law. NJRTL's defeat of the first attempt by the NJ legislature to legalize cloning attracted attention across the country and as far away as Australia. Pro-life groups throughout the USA consulted with Marie Tasy and a pro-life organization in Canada used her materials and research to defeat a cloning bill there. NJRTL proudly announces that Marie Tasy received commendations for her valiant efforts from the White House.

NJRTL's PAC added strong voices to the pro-life leadership in Congress with the election of Congressmen Mike Ferguson and Scott Garrett and to the NJ legislature with the election of Assemblymen Michael Patrick Carroll and Mike Doherty. Marie Tasy, NJRTL's PAC spokesperson and chief strategist, extended NJRTL PAC's outreach to other national candidates to help in their elections and to aid President Bush's pro-life efforts.

"Under our direction, NJRTL's state PAC grew to the best-funded non-profit, single-issue advocacy political action committee in New Jersey. The federal PAC became the largest pro-life, state-based poitical action committee in the country and the 5th largest pro-life state-based PAC" said NJRTL's PAC President Barbiero.

This past November, NJRTL partnered with Michigan Right to Life's pro life ad campaign, launching NJRTL's Life Outreach Media Campaign, with the help of NJRTL's growing grassroots membership base and NJRTL's County Chapter Leaders.

NJRTL will celebrate these successes at the 2003 Convention Banquet on May 20th, featuring CNN's political commentator Bob Novak.