Washington, DC – Nancy Keenan, president of NARAL Pro-Choice America, today announced that her organization's political action committee made its first round of endorsements in key U.S. House races across the country.

NARAL Pro-Choice America PAC endorsed four pro-choice incumbents for the 2010 election cycle: Rep. Martin Heinrich in New Mexico's 1st District, Rep. Betsy Markey in Colorado's 4th District, Rep. Scott Murphy in New York's 20th District, and Rep. Mark Schauer in Michigan's 7th District, all of whom are first-term members of Congress from politically competitive districts.

"We are proud to stand behind such an outstanding slate of pro-choice leaders," Keenan said. "Reps. Heinrich, Markey, Murphy, and Schauer all have strong records of protecting and defending a woman's right to choose and we are committed to mobilizing our members in support of their respective reelection efforts."

Keenan said Reps. Markey and Schauer unseated staunchly anti-choice incumbents in 2008. Rep. Heinrich is likely to face an anti-choice opponent. Rep. Murphy won his seat in a close special election after pro-choice Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand was appointed to the open Senate seat vacated by Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton. Murphy's special-election anti-choice challenger is considering another run in 2010.

NARAL Pro-Choice America PAC contributed $5,000 each to Reps. Heinrich, Markey, Murphy, and Schauer for their respective primary elections.

Overall, NARAL Pro-Choice America's political program has helped produce enormous gains for pro-choice forces in Congress, including the combined net gain of 44 pro-choice seats in the House and nine new pro-choice senators in the 2006 and 2008 election cycles. In its 2008 post-election analysis, National Journal ranked NARAL Pro-Choice America second among the nation's top 21 political organizations for its impressive win rate among endorsed congressional candidates in hotly contested races. For more information about NARAL Pro-Choice America's electoral work, please visit www.ProChoiceAmerica.org/Elections.