Two months before their annual rally against the Roe v. Wade ruling, organizers of the March for Life will lift the curtain on their 2016 theme, “Pro-Life and Pro-Woman Go Hand in Hand,” at a Capitol briefing.  

Geared toward Hill staffers who oppose abortion from either side of the aisle, Wednesday’s lunchtime event will encourage attendees “to be bolder on the issue of life,” said Tom McClusky, vice president of government affairs for the March for Life Education and Defense Fund. Staffers will learn tips to help their bosses “counter the false narrative of, ‘being pro-life means you’re anti-woman,'” McClusky said, adding that he expects a “war on women” narrative to resurface as the presidential race gains speed.  

Speakers include Leanna Baumer, a former House legislative aide who left the Hill to work as an advocate. Baumer now serves as executive director of the Assist Pregnancy Center, a Northern Virginia-based nonprofit that provides free counseling to women facing unplanned pregnancies. Her two years as a staffer make Baumer a savvy source for congressional employees who work on the issue.  

Baumer’s former boss, Rep. Vicky Hartzler, R-Mo., will also address the crowd.  

The Capitol Visitor Center briefing also features Helen Alvaré, co-author of “Breaking Through: Catholic Women Speak For Themselves” and Serrin Foster, president of Feminists for Life, a group that advocates for alternatives to abortion.  

Staffers who register for the 12:30 p.m. event in the CVC’s congressional auditorium will get a free lunch.  

Correction 7:19 p.m. A previous version of this post misspelled Hartzler’s first name.

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