Capitol Hill (CNSNews.com) - A new Congressional initiative to promote so-called "emergency contraception" is under fire from pro-life advocates who say the drugs sometimes induce chemical abortions.

Members of the "Pro-Choice Caucus," a congressional group that promotes abortion and related issues, introduced the "Emergency Contraception Education Act," a bill intended to inform health care providers and women about the purpose and availability of the medications "Preven" and "Plan B."

"We are here today for one reason, education," said Sen. Patty Murray (D-Wash.) announcing the introduction of the bill Wednesday afternoon. "Our bill authorizes a public education and outreach effort to provide women with information on the availability of safe and effective emergency contraceptives."

The bill designates $10 million a year for five years to create the program through the Department of Health and Human Services "in consultation with health care providers."

Dr. Paul Blumenthal, associate professor of gynecology/obstetrics at Johns-Hopkins University, says the effort is a perfect response to ignorance of the availability of "emergency contraception."

"This is a public health problem," he said. "Unintended pregnancy is a public health problem and one of the best ways to prevent it is through a public health initiative such as this emergency contraceptive media information campaign. "

Murray believes the availability of the drugs is being ignored by many medical professionals.

"Providing emergency contraceptives is still not standard protocol in many instances," she claimed. "By educating women, they will not be at the mercy of overworked health care providers."

The coalition would eventually like to see the "emergency contraception" products available over-the-counter, without any intervention by health care professionals.

"That obviously is the goal that we have in mind here," said Rep. Louise Slaughter (D-N.Y.).

Slaughter says there is a great deal of confusion about the purpose of the two drugs and the legislation she is sponsoring in the House.

"This is not an abortion bill. This is not RU-486. It is contraception," she said. Regardless of one's position on abortion, we should all be able to support emergency contraception."

But Ed Szymkowiak, national director of Stop Planned Parenthood, International, an affiliate of the pro-life American Life League, questions Slaughter's characterization.

"Emergency contraception sometimes acts to prevent the already conceived human being, about five to seven days old, from implanting in his or her mother's womb. That's one of the actions that this 'emergency contraception' is designed to do," he explained.

"Therefore calling it just 'contraception' is misleading. Sometimes it might act as contraception, sometimes it acts as an abortifacient," Szymkowiak added.

Blumenthal, who supports the legislation, sides with Slaughter.

"Emergency contraception is exactly that. It prevents an unintended pregnancy," he said. "Mifepristone, trade name Mifeprex, previously known as RU-486 terminates an established pregnancy. Big difference. Is that clear?"

But Szymkowiak says promoters of the products want to confuse the issue by changing the definition of "pregnancy" to include only a fertilized egg, after implantation in the uterus. They then claim, he says, that no abortion occurs, because the destroyed egg was not yet implanted.

"The facts are that a human being is created at fertilization, when the sperm meets the egg," Szymkowiak said. "The fact is this drug, which is just a heavy dose of regular oral contraceptive drugs, kills a human being in between fertilization and implantation. In fact, it prevents implantation."

He argues that it is not ignorance, but knowledge that causes more doctors not to offer the drugs to their patients now.

"I think [doctors] they're a little bit touchy about giving out these types of drugs without scrutiny, because there are some side effects from these things," Szymkowiak said. "Don't forget that these are powerful drugs."

The potential for overdosing is one reason he believes the drugs should not be available over-the-counter.

"This is not like the typical oral contraceptives, which have a well-known dosage that will occur during the month. If a girl is unsupervised by a doctor, what's to prevent her from getting this thing quite a few times during the month," Szymkowiak asked. "I don't think that any of those questions have been adequately answered."

The bill is co-sponsored in the Senate by Sens. Barbara Boxer (D-Calif.), Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.), and Jon Corzine (D-N.J.) House co-sponsors include Reps. Diana DeGette (D-Colo.), Connie Morella (R-Md.), and Jim Greenwood (R-Pa.).