NASHVILLE, Tenn. – Today, on the fourth anniversary of the United States Supreme Court overturning Roe v. Wade, Tennessee Republicans unveiled a monument at the State Capitol in Nashville to recognize children whose lives have been ended by abortion.
Located on the southeast grounds of the Capitol, the Tennessee Monument to Unborn Children honors the sanctity of life and serves as a reminder of the horrors of abortion. Its inscription reads, “In memory of the unborn: The baby whose life was lost; the mother who regrets; the father who couldn’t protect; the child who lost a sibling; and society, which is coarsened by every deliberate attack on innocent human life.”
The General Assembly authorized the monument in 2018, with all construction and maintenance costs funded entirely through private donations. Last year, the Tennessee State Capitol Commission granted final approval after funding was secured to complete the project.
“The Monument to Unborn Children affirms the fundamental truth that every human life is created in the image of God and possesses inherent worth and dignity,” said House Majority Leader William Lamberth, R-Portland. “This memorial will provide a sacred place for Tennesseans to pray, reflect and honor the lives tragically ended by abortion. Tennessee remains steadfast in its commitment to protecting the unborn and advocating for those who cannot speak for themselves.”
The National Right to Life Committee estimates that more than 63.4 million unborn children lost their lives to abortion between the 1973 Roe v. Wade decision, which prohibited states from banning abortion, and its reversal in 2022.
Tennessee Republicans in 2019 laid the groundwork to ensure life is protected at conception with the passage of the Human Life Protection Act, a conditional trigger law to take effect 30 days following the overturning of Roe v. Wade. In a landmark ruling on June 24, 2022, the high court overturned its 1973 decision, automatically prohibiting all elective abortions in the Volunteer State.
The Tennessee Right to Life estimates that the Human Life Protection Act has saved approximately 10,000 lives annually since Roe v. Wade was overturned. In the first half of 2023, births in Tennessee increased by 3.3%, or 2,573, as a result of the Volunteer State’s pro-life laws, according to a 2023 report from the IZA Institute of Labor Economics.
Tennessee ranks among the most pro-life states in the nation. Republicans continue to encourage strong families and protect the most vulnerable in our society.