For immediate release: Friday, April 21, 2017
For more information: Tatiana Bergum, (202) 626-8825, mediarelations@nrlc.org

NATIONAL RIGHT TO LIFE AND ARKANSAS RIGHT TO LIFE
MOURN THE DEATH OF FORMER CONGRESSMAN JAY DICKEY

WASHINGTON – The National Right to Life Committee today joined with its affiliate, Arkansas Right to Life in mourning the death of former Congressman Jay Dickey. Dickey, who served in the U.S. House of Representatives from 1993 to 2001, died last night at age 77. He had been a member of the Arkansas Right to Life board of directors since 2013.

“Jay Dickey was an outspoken pro-life advocate throughout his tenure in the House of Representatives,” said David N. O’Steen, Ph.D., National Right to Life Executive Director. “Former Congressman Dickey leaves a tremendous pro-life legacy, and his steadfast advocacy on behalf of the most defenseless members of the human family will not be forgotten.”

Among Mr. Dickey’s biggest accomplishments during his tenure, was passage of the Dickey-Wicker Amendment, co-sponsored with then-Rep. Roger Wicker (R-Ms.), which, since 1995, has been a provision of the annual appropriations bills for federal health programs. This law prohibits federal funding of the creation of a human embryo or embryos for research purposes; or research in which a human embryo or embryos are destroyed, discarded, or knowingly subjected to risk of injury or death.

In 2001, Arkansas Right to Life honored Mr. Dickey with its highest honor, the Mary Rose Doe award, in recognition of his leadership for the right-to-life cause.

“Jay Dickey devoted himself to advancing laws that protect unborn children and their mothers, the medically dependent and disabled, and the elderly” said Rose Mimms, executive director of Arkansas Right to Life. “Pro-life Arkansans were proud to call Jay Dickey a dear friend. We will miss his sharp wit, warm smile, and outstanding leadership on behalf of the right-to-life cause.”

Founded in 1968, National Right to Life, the federation of 50 state right-to-life affiliates and more than 3,000 local chapters, is the nation's oldest and largest grassroots pro-life organization. Recognized as the flagship of the pro-life movement, NRLC works through legislation and education to protect innocent human life from abortion, infanticide, assisted suicide and euthanasia.

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