This editorial board always has believed that abortion is a choice that should be made between a woman and her doctor, not the government. But a new federal bill could pave the way for that choice to be eliminated.

The U.S. House of Representatives is looking at a bill that would create a federal law giving victims' rights to unborn fetuses. Under the law, anyone who causes injury or death to an unborn child would be guilty of a separate offense in addition to any offenses against the pregnant mother.

For example, if passed, the bill would charge a drunk driver who kills a pregnant woman in a car accident for her death and the death of her unborn child. This is a noble cause. But the bill could be paving the way for anti-abortion laws.

Though the bill states that it would not call for the prosecution of anyone who legally aborts a fetus, its definition of an unborn fetus, at any stage of development, as a human being is stating indirectly that abortion also should be illegal.

The bill goes too far in defining the unborn fetus as "a member of the species Homo sapiens, at any stage of development." This bill would set the precedent for deeming any abortion a murder of another human being. The bill instead could set special circumstances for the victimization of a pregnant woman.

No matter how someone feels about abortion, we believe it is not up to the law to decide, and this bill is attempting to clear the way for the government to revoke a woman's right to choose.

The government should be up front with its citizens and not mesh different issues into one law by trying to pass things through Congress indirectly.

Regardless of one's belief on abortion, the way the government is handling this issue is wrong.

Initially, it might be easy to get support from pro-choice people for this bill, because most people want someone who victimizes a pregnant mother to face charges for those actions against the woman and her unborn fetus. Upon closer examination, it is obvious, however, that the government is trying to pass anti-abortion legislation in a disguised form.