New Marist Poll Says Most Americans Oppose Taxpayer-Funded Abortion

photo credit: American Life League / Flickr

A new poll released by Marist Poll and the Knights of Columbus on Wednesday suggests that most Americans oppose the use of federal tax dollars to fund abortions both overseas and in the US. 

77% of respondents said that they either opposed or strongly opposed the use of federal funding to pay for foreign abortions. Only 19% supported federal tax dollars being used for that purpose. 

53% of respondents said they were pro-choice, but almost 60% of respondents from that subset still said that they opposed using federal funds to pay for abortions in other countries. 55% of Democrats responded this way as well.

Respondents were also asked their opinion on abortion restrictions. The findings show that 76% wanted abortion either banned or limited to the first three months of pregnancy. Only 58% of Americans agreed, however, that federal tax dollars should not be used to fund abortion in the US.

Marist Poll director Dr. Barbara Carvalho said in a press release accompanying the poll results that the statistics show a "consensus" between Americans on abortion restrictions.

“While the number of people who identify as ‘pro-life’ and ‘pro-choice’ tends to fluctuate with the public debate, when given a broader choice of policy options, there is a strong consensus among Americans on abortion,” Carvalho said. “Survey results reveal support for abortion restrictions and an aversion for use of taxpayer funding for abortions abroad.”

Click here to read more.

Thousands of Advocates Across the Midwest Participate in March for Life Chicago Tour

On Jan. 23, 2021, almost 600 cars filled with pro-life advocates paraded through downtown Chicago in the culminating event of March for Life Chicago's Moving the Movement tour. The rallies may have been different this year, but organizer Kevin Grillot still calls the tour a success.

The organizers of March for Life Chicago, rather than holding one large event in Chicago, took to the road this year to bring the pro-life movement across the midwest. The Moving the Movement Tour held rallies and processions at six tour stops in four states: Wisconsin, Nebraska, Indiana, and Illinois.

Event organizer and Executive Director of weDignify Kevin Grillot said,

“Our intention this year was to unite and inspire pro-life communities in Chicago and across the Midwest. We faced pandemic restrictions, denial of city permits, and weather challenges, yet the turnout at our stops in Wisconsin, Nebraska, Indiana, and Illinois exceeded our expectations. We were blown away by the dedication of speakers, volunteers and, most of all, the thousands of pro-life advocates who turned out en masse.”

Between in-person and livestream participants, March for Life Chicago estimates that over 8,000 people attended the tour.

The tour also collected diapers for donation to pregnancy resource centers. Organizers set the goal to collect 130,094 diapers, the same as the number of children aborted each year in the midwest. Amazingly, in-person and online donations exceeded that goal by over 25,000 diapers. In total, 156,518 diapers were distributed to 20 pro-life pregnancy resource centers.

March for Life Chicago 2022 is scheduled for Jan. 8, 2022. Organizers plan to once again feature the March for Life Chicago Convention, which was hosted to a capacity crowd.

Click here to read more.

200 House Republicans Sign Letter Showing Refusal to Repeal Hyde Amendment

On Tuesday, a letter signed by 200 U.S. Representatives from the Republican Study Committee was sent to Congressional leadership, declaring their “unified opposition to Congressional Democrats’ efforts to repeal the Hyde Amendment and other current-law, pro-life appropriations provisions.”

The Hyde Amendment is a pro-life measure that has been added to federal spending bills for decades. The language is designed to prevent federal tax dollars from being used to pay for elective abortions.

The Republican Study Committee's letter targeted pro-abortion legislators, accusing them of trying to destroy “long-standing, bipartisan protections that generally prevent the federal government from using taxpayer dollars to support abortion procedures.” It continued, “Repealing these pro-life provisions would destroy nearly half a century of bipartisan consensus.”

Republican Study Committee Chairman Jim Banks wrote in a statement of his own, “Despite decades of consensus on this issue, radical Democrats have signaled they no longer have an interest in protecting the conscience rights of millions of Americans who do not want their hard-earned money used to pay for abortions. My colleagues and I demand congressional leaders protect the ban on taxpayer-funded abortions and save the Hyde Amendment.”

Carol Tobias, President of the National Right to Life Committee, voiced her strong support of the Hyde amendment. “The life-affirming impact the Hyde Amendment has had cannot be overstated. The Hyde Amendment has proven to be the greatest domestic abortion-reduction measure ever enacted by Congress. The Hyde Amendment has enjoyed bipartisan support for over 40 years and is widely recognized as having saved over two million American lives since it was first adopted in 1976.”

“Not surprisingly, the Biden-Harris Administration, which enthusiastically embraced the pro-abortion movement’s agenda during the campaign, will be extremely hostile to the unborn child and her mother,” Tobias continued. “We can expect that the Hyde Amendment—which has had overwhelming public support over the years—will only be the first of many pro-life policies targeted.”

Click here to read more.

Supreme Court Dismisses Ruling in Texas's Temporary Abortion Ban During Pandemic

photo credit: Ben Schumin / Flickr

The Supreme Court on Monday ordered the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals to dismiss a Texas abortion case. This means that in the future, this case will not be seen as a precedent for future decisions if similar situations arise.

Texas Gov. Greg Abbot ordered in March for non-essential medical procedures to be halted temporarily due to the pandemic. This was so medical resources could be preserved to help patients with COVID-19. The limited supply of equipment like gloves and masks at the time made it essential to make sure hospital workers had access first.

Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton said that the order included all types of abortions since abortion is an elective procedure rather than an essential one.

Planned Parenthood sued, and rulings went back and forth in federal court. A federal judge ruled against the temporary ban, but the Fifth Circuit restored the order in early April. The Fifth Circuit opinion argued that since states could temporarily restrict constitutional rights (such as worship and assembly) during the pandemic, there was no reason why abortion should be treated differently.

Gov. Abbott partially lifted the order on April 22, allowing abortions to resume in Texas, but Planned Parenthood went to the Supreme Court regardless. The abortion business was afraid that leaving the Fifth Circuit's ruling intact could negatively impact future cases. The Supreme Court granted their wish on Jan. 25, vacating the Fifth Circuit's ruling.

Click here to read more.

Biden and Harris Promise to Codify Roe v. Wade

photo credit: Gage Skidmore / Flickr

In a statement on Jan. 22, the anniversary of Roe v. Wade, President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris again committed themselves to the pro-abortion agenda.

Last week was the 48th anniversary of Roe v. Wade; the court decision that legalized abortion in 1973. In their statement marking the anniversary, the president and vice president affirmed that “The Biden-Harris Administration is committed to codifying Roe v. Wade and appointing judges that respect foundational precedents like Roe.”

If Roe was codified into federal law, abortion would become legal on the federal level; regardless of whether Roe v. Wade was overturned by the Supreme Court.

“In the past four years, reproductive health, including the right to choose, has been under relentless and extreme attack,” Biden and Harris said, criticizing the pro-life strides made by state governments and pro-life President Donald Trump.

The Biden administration has also stated that it plans to end the Hyde Amendment and Mexico City Policy, which prevent federal tax dollars from being used to promote or directly fund abortions domestically and abroad.

Click here to read more.

Kentucky Passes Abortion Survivors Protection Bill

Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear (D)

Last week, a Kentucky bill designed to protect the lives of abortion survivors was passed into law without pro-abortion Gov. Andy Beshear's signature.

Senate Bill 9 was neither signed nor vetoed by Beshear. Because he took no action, the bill became law after ten days.

The bill requires medical professionals to take action to protect the lives of all infants who survive abortion, including those born with disabilities or who are not wanted by their parents. Doctors will be required to provide “medically appropriate and reasonable medical care, medical treatment, or surgical care” to save abortion survivors and “take all medically appropriate and reasonable steps to preserve the life and health of a born-alive infant.”

It also forces doctors to provide “medically appropriate and reasonable medical care, medical treatment, or surgical care” to abortion survivors as well as to “take all medically appropriate and reasonable steps to preserve the life and health of a born-alive infant.”

Doctors who fail to provide care to abortion survivors would be subject to felony charges.

Explaining why he took no action on the bill, Beshear falsely claimed babies never survive abortion. “Everybody on the side related to Senate Bill 9 agreed that it never happens,” he said. “And so this being something that never happens and would likely be illegal under other statutes, we ultimately did not sign it but did not feel the need to veto it.”

LiveAction News reported that CDC statistics from just five states (Arizona, Florida, Michigan, Minnesota, and Texas) showed over 100 instances in which babies survived abortions over the last ten years.

Click here to read more.

Planned Parenthood of New York Now Lobbies for Assisted Suicide

photo credit: American Life League / Flickr

Similar to how Planned Parenthood of Illinois released its lobbying plans for Illinois in 2021, which included repealing the state's Parental Notice of Abortion Act and mandating sex education for grades K-12, Planned Parenthood of New York shared that it will advocate for yet another way to end human lives.

On a webpage listing the legislative priorities for Planned Parenthood Empire State Acts (PPESA) in 2021, the abortion business revealed that it will be advocating for legislation to support assisted suicide in addition to abortion-promoting bills:

"The right to bodily autonomy and self-determination is not constrained to one aspect of being, but rather the spectrum of life. PPESA supports passage of the Medical Aid in Dying Act, to provide adults with the agency to make end-of-life decisions for themselves, with dignity and compassion."

Sadly, Planned Parenthood doesn't want to consider the idea that unborn children should have a similar right to bodily autonomy and self-determination; instead, allowing them to be killed completely at the whim of others.

New York Assemblyman Kevin Cahill announced that he is going to submit the Medical Aid in Dying Act, which would legalize the practice of assisted suicide, for reconsideration by the state legislature. Previous versions of that bill have failed in 2018 and 2019.

Click here to read more.

2021 National March for Life will be Held Virtually

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the annual March for Life on Jan. 29 in Washington D.C. will be held virtually this year, organizers announced last Friday.

Select pro-life leaders will be attending the event in-person, including National Right to Life President Carol Tobias.

A statement released by March for Life President Jeanne Mancini reads,

"The protection of all of those who participate in the annual March, as well as the many law enforcement personnel and others who work tirelessly each year to ensure a safe and peaceful event, is a top priority of the March for Life. In light of the fact that we are in the midst of a pandemic which may be peaking, and in view of the heightened pressures that law enforcement officers and others are currently facing in and around the Capitol, this year’s March for Life will look different.

The annual rally will take place virtually and we are asking all participants to stay home and to join the March virtually. We will invite a small group of pro-life leaders from across the country to march in Washington, DC this year. These leaders will represent pro-life Americans everywhere who, each in their own unique ways, work to make abortion unthinkable and build a culture where every human life is valued and protected.

We are profoundly grateful for the countless women, men, and families who sacrifice to come out in such great numbers each year as a witness for life – and we look forward to being together in person next year.  As for this year’s march, we look forward to being with you virtually."

If you would like to watch the broadcast, you can register for an email alert from the March for Life website here. On Jan 29th, you will receive an email with a link to watch the rally and march at the Capital.

Dr. Fauci says U.S. will Rejoin WHO and Repeal Mexico City Policy

According to Dr. Anthony Fauci, the Biden administration will end the Mexico City Policy very soon.

On Jan. 21, Dr. Fauci told board members of the pro-abortion World Health Organization (WHO) that president Biden would be ending the Mexico City Policy in the "coming days." The policy prevents federal tax dollars from funding abortion or its promotion in other countries.

“It will be our policy to support women’s and girls’ sexual and reproductive health and reproductive rights in the United States, as well as globally,” Fauci said at the executive board meeting of the WHO. “To that end, President Biden will be revoking the Mexico City Policy in the coming days, as part of his broader commitment to protect women’s health and advance gender equality at home and around the world.”

He also told the board that the United States would not be leaving the WHO as the Trump administration was originally intending to do. Trump had planned for the US to leave the organization, claiming that the WHO protected China and misinformed the world about the dangers of the COVID-19 when the disease first broke out. The WHO also consistently uses its humanitarian relief funding to promote abortion in countries that don't recognize it as a right.

Fauci now serves as the Biden administration's chief medical advisor on COVID-19 and is continuing his role as director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID).

Click here to read more.

Appeals Court Judges Ask Supreme Court to Allow States to Ban Abortion Before Viability

photo credit: Joe Gratz / Flickr

In their Jan. 5 opinions in Little Rock Family Planning v. Rutledge, Eighth Circuit Court of Appeals Judges Ralph Erickson and Bobby Shepherd both lamented that Supreme Court precedent required them to rule against two Arkansas pro-life laws. As a result, they also wrote that the Supreme Court should revise its stance on pre-viability abortion bans.

The two laws that the judges ruled against banned abortion after 18 weeks gestation and banned abortions done purely because a child was diagnosed with Down Syndrome.

Judge Erickson wrote that the Supreme Court should “revisit its precedent in Planned Parenthood of Southeastern Pennsylvania v. Casey,” which effectively banned states' ability to ban abortion before viability.

Erickson expressed concern that the inability of states to ban abortion before viability will lead to an increase in the practice of eugenic abortions, such as those done to kill unborn children with Down Syndrome.

Erickson wrote,

“The great glory of humanity is in its diversity. We are a species remarkably variant in our talents, abilities, appearances, strengths, and weaknesses. The human person has immense creative powers, a range of emotional responses that astound the observant, and a capacity to love and be loved that is at the core of human existence. Each human being possesses a spirit of life that at our finest we have all recognized is the essence of humanity. And each human being is priceless beyond measure. Children with Down syndrome share in each of these fundamental attributes of humanity.”

 Shepherd, who also voiced concern about the eugenics movement, wrote,

“Act 619, which prohibits a physician from performing or attempting to perform an abortion based on a diagnosis or suspicion of Down syndrome involves significant and, as yet, unconsidered issues regarding the balance of interests when the sole reason a woman seeks an abortion is what she deems an unwanted immutable characteristic of the unborn child. And Casey directs that we resolve this inquiry by considering viability alone.”

 Click here to read more.

Biden Inauguration Committee Sends Donor Funds to Planned Parenthood

 Vladimir Solomyani / Unsplash

Planned Parenthood, which spent $45 million in 2020 to help pro-abortion politicians like President Biden get elected, saw benefits from its relationship with the president on day one.

The Biden Presidential Inauguration Committee (PIC) listed Planned Parenthood among the number of political organizations that would receive a part of the donations received to create a display of 191,500 flags on the National Mall. The flags are supposed to represent Americans who will not attend the inauguration due to the pandemic and other safety concerns. There are also 56 pillars of light on the display to represent the 50 U.S. States and six U.S. territories.

Supporters were encouraged by the PIC to donate and become a “symbolic sponsor of the Field of Flags in exchange for a donation to PIC’s partners in service.”

Planned Parenthood was one of 96 organizations benefitting monetarily from PIC donations according to Breitbart, but that was not the only benefit that the abortion business received. Donors were also automatically placed on a Planned Parenthood email list. Using this email list, the organization will be able to garner support for more pro-abortion legislation and ask for additional donations.

The Biden team has already said it plans to take a number of steps to cancel out the pro-life progress made under former President Trump's administration. Given that this move was taken less than 24 hours into President Biden's term, abortion businesses could potentially benefit in many more ways over the course of a four-year term.

Click here to read more.

Trump Executive Order Honors March for Life Founder Nellie Gray in Garden of American Heroes

photo credit: American Life League / Flickr

In another one of his final acts as President of the United States, Donald Trump issued an executive order on Monday, Jan 18 listing historical figures to be represented in the new National Garden of American Heroes. One of these people was March for Life founder Nellie Gray.

The National Garden of American Heroes is a new national park that Trump ordered the creation of in July 2020. At the time, he called it a vast outdoor park that will feature the statues of the greatest Americans to ever live.”

Gray founded March for Life in 1974 in response to the 1973 decision in Roe v. Wade. That year, pro-life activists gathered at the nation's capital to peacefully protest the decision. March for Life is now the largest annual peaceful protest in the United States.

In 2012 at the age of 88, Gray passed away. She is remembered for her uncompromising belief in the protection of unborn lives. Now, Gray's memory will be honored through the National Garden of American Heroes.

“What we have seen is that there was an effort to compromise on this basic subject of life for which there is no compromise,” she said in 1994. “You’re either for or against it. There is no neutrality and there is no in-between. You can’t have a little bit of abortion. You can’t be a little bit pregnant. You must understand that life must be protected in total. And once those principles were broken, more and more education was done that it is alright to kill some babies and unfortunately that came from those who were trying to defend life. And when that wrong message got through then unfortunately we’ve had 22 years of going downhill.”

Click here to read more.

President Trump Proclaims Jan 22 National Sanctity of Human Life Day

On Sunday, as one of his final actions as president, Donald Trump signed a proclamation declaring this Friday, January 22 to be National Sanctity of Human Life Day.

At the beginning of his proclamation, the president stated:

"Every human life is a gift to the world.  Whether born or unborn, young or old, healthy or sick, every person is made in the holy image of God.  The Almighty Creator gives unique talents, beautiful dreams, and a great purpose to every person.  On National Sanctity of Human Life Day, we celebrate the wonder of human existence and renew our resolve to build a culture of life where every person of every age is protected, valued, and cherished.

This month, we mark nearly 50 years since the United States Supreme Court’s Roe v. Wade decision.  This constitutionally flawed ruling overturned State laws that banned abortion, and has resulted in the loss of more than 50 million innocent lives.  But strong mothers, courageous students, and incredible community members and people of faith are leading a powerful movement to awaken America’s conscience and restore the belief that every life is worthy of respect, protection, and care.  Because of the devotion of countless pro-life pioneers, the call for every person to recognize the sanctity of life is resounding more loudly in America than ever before.  Over the last decade, the rate of abortions has steadily decreased, and today, more than three out of every four Americans support restrictions on abortion."

In response to the declaration, National Right to Life President Carol Tobias thanked President Trump for what he has done for the pro-life movement during his four years in office. “President Trump has been a champion in seeking to protect unborn children,” Tobias said. “We are grateful for his dedication to the right to life and the work his administration has done on behalf of the most vulnerable among us.”

Concluding his proclamation, Trump wrote,

"Since the beginning, my Administration has been dedicated to lifting up every American, and that starts with protecting the rights of the most vulnerable in our society — the unborn.  On National Sanctity of Human Life Day, we promise to continue speaking out for those who have no voice.  We vow to celebrate and support every heroic mother who chooses life.  And we resolve to defend the lives of every innocent and unborn child, each of whom can bring unbelievable love, joy, beauty, and grace into our Nation and the entire world.

...Today, I call on the Congress to join me in protecting and defending the dignity of every human life, including those not yet born.  I call on the American people to continue to care for women in unexpected pregnancies and to support adoption and foster care in a more meaningful way, so every child can have a loving home.  And finally, I ask every citizen of this great Nation to listen to the sound of silence caused by a generation lost to us, and then to raise their voices for all affected by abortion, both seen and unseen."

Click here to read the full proclamation.

Pro-Life Hero Joe Scheidler Dies at Age 93

Joseph M. Scheidler
photo credit: Pro-Life Action League

Joe Scheidler, the 93-year-old founder of the Pro-Life Action League, passed away from pneumonia on the morning of Monday, January 18. The pro-life movement will sorely miss his passion to protect the lives of the unborn.

Below is a copy of a press release by the Pro-Life Action League.

Pro-Life Action League Mourns the Death of Founder Joe Scheidler

Chicago, January 18, 2021 — The Pro-Life Action League is mourning the death of founder Joseph M. Scheidler, widely known as the “Godfather of Pro-Life Activism.” Joe began his life’s work fighting abortion in 1973, shortly after the Roe v. Wade decision, and founded the League in 1980 to recruit and equip pro-life Americans to be a voice for unborn children in their own communities throughout the country and the world. Countless pro-life volunteers and leaders alike credit Joe with having inspired them to join the movement.

“My father’s proudest accomplishment was the pro-life work of those he inspired to take an active role in the fight against abortion, the greatest injustice of our time,” said Eric Scheidler, Joe’s oldest son, who serves as the League’s executive director. “For years, people have been telling me about the talk or protest where they met my father, and how his words and example prompted them to do more than just talk, but to take responsibility for addressing the injustice.”

Joe was born on September 7, 1927, in Hartford City, Indiana. After serving in the U.S. Navy as a military policeman at the end of World War II, he earned a bachelor’s degree in communications at the University of Notre Dame and a Master’s Degree at Marquette University. He spent eight years in religious life, studying for the Catholic priesthood at St. Meinrad Seminary in Indiana. After discerning that God was not calling him to the priesthood, he served as a teacher at Mundelein College, during which time he chaperoned a group of students on a pilgrimage to march with Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. from Selma to Montgomery in 1965. 

“It’s fitting that my father died on the day when Americans remember the legacy of Martin Luther King,” said Eric Scheidler. “Seeing the impact that regular Americans could have by taking action against racial injustice inspired my father to mobilize Americans in the same way in the fight against the injustice of abortion.” That story and many others from his five decades of pro-life activism are recounted his 2016 memoir Racketeer for Life: Fighting the Culture of Death from the Sidewalk to the Supreme Court.

Joe’s career as a pro-life activist took him to every state in U.S. and countries on four continents, as well as through countless court battles, including the notorious NOW v. Scheidler RICO case, the longest case in U.S. federal court history and the only one to make three trips to the U.S. Supreme Court, including 8-1 and 8-0 rulings in 2003 and 2006 that fully vindicated him. His 1985 book CLOSED: 99 Ways to Stop Abortion, a centerpiece of the NOW v. Scheidler trial, became the manual for pro-life activists throughout the world. 

Joe Scheidler died of pneumonia at the age of 93 at 9:45 a.m. on Monday, January 18, 2021, surrounded by his family at his home on Chicago’s northwest side. Joe is survived by his wife Ann, seven children, twenty-six grandchildren, and one great-granddaughter. Funeral arrangements will be announced shortly in his official obituary.

March for Life Chicago "Moving the Movement" Tour Holding Events in Indianapolis and Chicago this Weekend

March for Life Chicago is gearing up to end its pro-life bus tour with a bang by holding rallies in Indianapolis and Chicago this weekend.

Last weekend, March for Life Chicago continued its "Moving the Movement" tour by holding rallies in Fort Wayne, IN and Mundelein, IL. Videos of those rallies can be found here and here respectively.

This weekend, however, the pro-life events will be held in Indianapolis on Friday, Jan. 22 and in Chicago on Saturday, Jan. 23. At each event, there will be a diaper drive to help pregnancy resource centers in each city, as well as rallies featuring inspiring pro-life speakers.

At the Chicago event, attendees will also be able to participate in a car procession through downtown Chicago. The procession will move past important city, state, and federal buildings before ending at a diaper dropoff at Southside Pregnancy Center.

Caravans are scheduled to travel to each of these rallies. Click here to read information about each caravan group.

To see more details about these events and register to attend, click here.

Martin Luther King Jr. Day

Today, we celebrated the life of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., who inspired the nation to take action and ensure the rights of others are recognized. Just as the nation took action to fight against the injustice of racism, we must remember to continue fighting for the rights of those without voices. It takes effort to protect the rights of the unborn, and the pro-life movement must never forget to speak up for those who can't yet speak for themselves.

He who passively accepts evil is as much involved in it as he who helps to perpetuate it.  He who accepts evil without protesting against it is really cooperating with it. - Dr. Martin Luther King Jr

Ohio Governor Signs State Telemedicine Abortion Ban

Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine

On January 9, Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine signed SB 260, effectively banning telemedicine abortions in the state. 

SB 260 requires that a physician be present when mifepristone, the first drug of the abortion pill regimen, is administered. Physicians who fail to adhere to the law could be found guilty of a fourth-degree felony and could lose their medical license if they repeatedly neglect the law.

The rules put in place by the Ohio law closely mirror the FDA's Risk Evaluation and Mitigation Strategy (REMS) regulations, which similarly prohibit the distribution of mifepristone via telemedicine. The enforcement of those requirements was temporarily blocked by a district judge until earlier this week, when the Supreme Court ruled to have them reinstated.

While they may be redundant for the time being, it is certainly possible that the FDA'S regulation of abortion will change under the incoming Biden administration, and the passage of this law will be able to protect women and unborn children throughout Ohio.

“To me this bill is about safety,” said physician and state senator Stephen Huffman, who sponsored the bill. “It’s not about limiting access. It’s about the safety of that woman.”

Click here to read more.

Class Action Lawsuit Challenges New York Reproductive Health Act

photo credit: Wilhelm Joys Andersen / Flickr

On Tuesday, January 12, a class-action lawsuit was filed against the New York Reproductive Health Act (RHA), alleging that the legislation is unconstitutional and violates the rights of women and viable unborn children.

An important change in New York's RHA was a new definition of "person." By changing this definition, the state excluded viable unborn children from being considered legal "persons," thereby preventing them from being considered victims of homicide.

The new lawsuit alleges that changing this definition “escalates the threat of harm to women and unborn children and incentivizes deadly violence against women.” Christen Civeletto, one of the attorneys fighting against the RHA, said “New York has stripped women and their families of their ability to pursue justice for those deaths. That’s outrageous. In fact, it is contrary to the stated policy of the RHA itself: to affirm the ‘fundamental right [of women] to choose to carry the pregnancy to term, to give birth to a child.'”

The challenge “asks the court to acknowledge First Amendment rights for women whose unborn children are killed by assailants, to clarify dangerous ambiguities in the RHA that impact women, and to affirm existing, but previously unrecognized, rights for near-term unborn children and children who survive abortion.”

The lawsuit also challenges the fact that the RHA allows the abortion of viable preborn children. The RHA allows abortion through 24 weeks of pregnancy (which is already past the age of viability), but also allows exceptions for the benefit of the mother's broadly defined "health." This provision has been interpreted to include “physical, emotional, psychological, familial, and the woman’s age,” essentially meaning that any abortion can be justified.

Click here to read more.

After Hospital's Appeal to End Life Support was Rejected, Pro-Lifers Await District Court Decision

Tinslee Lewis

After the Supreme Court denied Cook Children's Medical Center's appeal to remove life support from 23-month-old Tinslee Lewis against her mother's will, the case will return to the 48th District Court.

Tinslee Lewis has been the subject of a legal battle for over half of her life. In November 2019, Cook Children's Medical Center attempted to invoke Texas's 10-Day Rule, allowing it to remove life-support from the child in 10 days if her family did not find another hospital willing to treat her.

Unable to do so, Tinslee's mother sued the hospital and is challenging whether the 10-Day-Rule is constitutional. A previous district court ruling prevents the hospital from removing life support from Tinslee until a decision is made. The district court has not yet announced when it will hear arguments on the case's merits, since it was waiting on the Supreme Court to rule on the hospital's appeal.

“T.L.’s life has value,” attorneys for Tinslee and her mother wrote in a brief to the Supreme Court. “Withdrawal of life-saving treatment would kill T.L., who has normal brain function, interacts with Mother, and experiences joy from living. Mother acknowledges that certain medical procedures, such as IV insertions, can cause T.L. pain, but T.L. is not in agony.”

According to Texas Right to Life, a judge will consider whether Tinslee’s rights have been violated, if a hospital should have unilateral authority to withdraw life-sustaining medical treatment from a patient against the will of the parents, if patients have any due process rights in these cases, and if the 10-Day Rule is unconstitutional.

Click here to read more.

Supreme Court Restores FDA Regulations on Abortion Pill Distribution

The Supreme Court ruled on Tuesday that the Trump administration can once again enforce FDA guidelines regarding the distribution of abortion pills.

The court ruled 6-3 that District Judge Theodore Chuang did not have the authority to order the FDA to lift abortion pill regulations. “My view is that courts owe significant deference to the politically accountable entities with the ‘background, competence, and expertise to assess public health,’ ” Chief Justice John Roberts wrote, adding, “In light of those considerations, I do not see a sufficient basis here for the district court to compel the FDA to alter the regimen for medical abortion.

Stephen Breyer, Sonia Sotomayor, and Elena Kagan were the dissenting votes in the decision.

The American College of Obstetrician-Gynecologists (ACOG) sued the FDA in 2020 to halt the enforcement of federal Risk Evaluation and Mitigation Strategy (REMS) requirements. REMS restrictions require women to first see a doctor in-person before they receive the abortion drug Mifepristone. By doing so, a doctor can confirm the woman's pregnancy and determine whether abortion via the abortion pill regimen would be safe. Using the abortion pill regimen during later-term pregnancies or ectopic pregnancies could pose significant health risks to women.

In July, ACOG successfully convinced Judge Chuang that the requirements posed an undue burden to women during a pandemic, so he ordered the FDA to lift those requirements for the pandemic's duration. This allowed companies to sell abortion pills online and distribute them over mail to people across the country.

For the time being, however, REMS rules regarding abortion pill distribution have been restored.

Carol Tobias, president of National Right to Life, commented on the decision: “We are pleased that the U.S. Supreme Court recognizes the serious nature of chemical abortions and the need for the FDA to have protocols in place to protect women from potentially life-threatening and devastating side effects.”

Click here to read more.

As One-Fourth of Free-Standing Abortion Clinics in PA. Violate Health Rules, What Could be Happening in Illinois?

photo credit: Hush Naidoo / Unsplash

Data from the Pennsylvania Health Department website reveals that a quarter of free-standing abortion businesses in the state have violated health and safety rules in the past four months.

The health department website lists 16 free-standing abortion clinics in Pennsylvania, four of which were found to be “not in compliance” with state requirements during the past four months.

Pennsylvania legislators were motivated to require regular inspections of abortion clinics after the infamous abortionist Kermit Gosnell was convicted of murdering three newborn babies and the involuntary manslaughter of a female patient, but state health officials apparently suspended those inspections for five months last year due to the pandemic. When legislators pushed for those inspections to resume, they quickly found several violations, suggesting that the lack of inspections allowed clinics to relax their health protocols.

Illinois is well-known for having some of the most relaxed abortion laws in the nation, allowing clinics to go long stretches of time without being inspected. According to Illinois Right to Life (not to be confused with the Illinois Federation for Right to Life), many Illinois clinics have never been inspected since they opened.

If the violations of Pennsylvania abortion businesses and the language of the Illinois Reproductive Health Act are any indication, Illinois abortion businesses likely have an easy time hiding safety hazards from the public. As time goes on, this only puts more and more vulnerable women at risk.

Click here to read more.

Students for Life Wins Free Speech Lawsuit Against Oregon Community College

screenshot from Chemeketa Community College YouTube video

To end a federal lawsuit filed by a Students for Life chapter against Chemeketa Community College in Oregon, the college has agreed to revise its free speech policies.

On May 5, 2020, attorneys from Alliance Defending Freedom filed the lawsuit against Chemeketa Community College on behalf of students Marcos Sanchez and Emma Howell, co-presidents of the school's Students for Life chapter. Due to the school's "speech zone" policy, which restricted controversial student speech to certain areas on campus and required students to obtain permission from the college to use their voices, the pro-life organization was prevented from pursuing its goals.

Now, as part of a settlement, the college has agreed to end these speech-restricting policies and paid $25,000 in attorneys' fees.

“Across the nation, we are seeing incredible opposition to the pro-life speech of our student leaders and volunteers as they speak for the defenseless and educate their fellow students on abortion,” said Students for Life of America President Kristan Hawkins. “But the law and the Constitution are clear on the matter: Public schools cannot silence pro-life groups or force them to self-censor. We are thankful that Chemeketa Community College clarified that Students for Life—and all students—can participate in the open exchange of ideas and ensure that the entire college community is a ‘free speech zone’ for pro-life students and their peers.”

Click here to read more.

Planned Parenthood Reveals Lobbying Plans for Illinois in 2021

The Illinois state capitol building
photo credit: Jeff Sharp / Flickr

The Planned Parenthood Action Fund affiliate webpage for Illinois was recently updated to reveal the organization's legislative goals for 2021. Among the abortion business's top priorities are passing REACH Act and Repealing the Parental Notice of Abortion Act.

The REACH Act would mandate "that comprehensive, inclusive, and age-appropriate sex education is taught in grades K through 12 in public and charter schools statewide." It's a strong possibility that Planned Parenthood would lobby government officials to have its own sex education materials used in the law's implementation.

The Parental Notice of Abortion Act, on the other hand, is something that Planned Parenthood would like to get rid of. The law requires abortion clinics in Illinois to notify a minor's parent or guardian at least 48 hours before they have an abortion. According to Planned Parenthood, "Decades of research show that laws like this hurt young people and serve no valid purpose." In reality, allowing parents to be involved in a minor's decision to have an abortion saves lives and helps expose pregnancies resulting from rape.

Click here to read more.

Louisiana Makes Record-Breaking Vote to Accept Love Life Amendment

photo credit: American Life League / Flickr

While the outcome from the recent Georgia Senate elections might be discouraging for pro-life advocates, it's good to know that pro-life candidates and ballot initiatives found success across the country during last year's election. One of these successful votes was Louisiana's Love Life Amendment.

The vote on the Love Life Amendment broke state records, receiving more favorable votes than any ballot initiative or candidate in Louisiana history. In total, the initiative received 1,274,167 votes.

Benjamin Clapper, the Executive Director for Louisiana Right to Life, wrote that this vote was despite $250,000 spent by out-of-state groups in the final weeks before the Nov. 3 election.

The amendment, as it appeared on the Louisiana ballot, read:

“To protect human life, nothing in this constitution shall be construed to secure or protect a right to abortion or require the funding of abortion.”

Because the amendment was accepted by the people of Louisiana, the state will now be within its legal rights to make abortion illegal if the Supreme Court chooses to do away with Roe v. Wade.

Click here to read more.

Texas to Stop Awarding Medicaid Funding to Planned Parenthood in February

Texas state capitol
photo credit: Jonathan Cutrer / Flickr

Following a ruling by the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals, the state of Texas will stop giving Medicaid funds to Planned Parenthood on February 3.

After the court ruled that Texas could legally choose not to provide Medicaid funding to Planned Parenthood, the abortion giant asked the court to provide a six-month grace period for the decision. The fifth circuit denied that request, but it did grant a 30-day grace period.

Texas made its original decision to end Medicaid funding to Planned Parenthood after the abortion business came under fire for its involvement in the trafficking of aborted baby body parts in 2015. Only now will this decision actually be enforced.

In a statement responding to the Fifth Circuit's decision, Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton wrote,

“The Fifth Circuit correctly rejected Planned Parenthood’s efforts to prevent Texas from excluding them from the state’s Medicaid program. Undercover video plainly showed Planned Parenthood admitting to morally bankrupt and unlawful conduct, including violations of federal law by manipulating the timing and methods of abortions to obtain fetal tissue for their own research. Planned Parenthood is not a ‘qualified’ provider under the Medicaid Act, and it should not receive public funding through the Medicaid program.”

Click here to read more.

Georgia Mom Wakes from Coma the Day Life Support would be Removed

Lisa Martin leaving the hospital
screenshot from Memorial Satilla Health video

On Dec. 31, Lisa Martin, a 49-year-old mother of four from Waycross Georgia, awoke after spending 40 days in an induced coma. It was also the day that her ventilator was set to be removed, but she defied the doctors' expectations and is set to make a full recovery.

Martin entered the hospital on Sept. 27 due to pain in her lungs associated with COVID-19. She spent a total of 95 days in the hospital, 40 of them in a medically-induced coma. After Martin had spent a month in a completely comatose state, her family decided to give her 11 days before removing her from the ventilator and allowing her to die.

“But God had other plans,” reads a Facebook post from the hospital, Memorial Satilla Health. “On the eleventh day, Lisa broke through the sedatives and began tracking Jeff with her eyes and she moved her hand.”

“I can’t wrap my head around what all has happened,” she told PEOPLE. “I am shocked but amongst all the overwhelming feelings, I feel like this is definitely a God thing. I got to a point where I felt like no one cared for me. I didn’t have a lot of friends, my kids are all grown up and independent, and my husband works all the time. I was lonely, but this experience has shown me how loved I truly am.”

Click here to read more.

Ohio Unborn Child Dignity Act Signed into Law

Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine

On Dec. 30, Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine signed the Unborn Child Dignity Act into law, requiring the Ohio Department of Health to create rules to treat the bodies of aborted children with respect.

Under the new rules, "humane disposal" of aborted children's bodies would be defined as burial or cremation.

 “After years of hard work and dedication, the Unborn Child Dignity Act has finally been signed into law,” said Mike Gonidakis, President of Ohio Right to Life. “No longer will the tiny bodies of babies whose lives have been tragically taken by abortion be treated like trash. In Ohio, we respect life and we bury our dead. The abortion industry, which has for decades tried to convince women that the lives of their children don’t matter and should simply be thrown away, will now be unable to hide behind this blatant lie.”

The Unborn Child Dignity Act was introduced after an investigation by then-Attorney General Mike Dewine found that Planned Parenthood was simply sending the bodies of aborted children to landfills. The administration was unable to take legal action against Planned Parenthood at the time since the Ohio Revised Code did not define "humane disposal."

Click here to read more.

Eight Circuit Court of Appeals Upholds Injunction Against Two Pro-Life Arkansas Laws

On Tuesday, the Eighth Circuit Court of Appeals upheld a district judge's injunction that blocked two pro-life laws in Arkansas.

The first of the 2019 laws bans abortions that would take place after the 18th week of pregnancy, and the second law bans elective abortions that target an unborn child purely because they were diagnosed with Down syndrome. Both laws have exceptions for medical emergencies and cases of rape or incest.

In its ruling, the court wrote, “Before viability, a State ‘may not prohibit any woman from making the ultimate decision to terminate her pregnancy. It also may not impose upon the right an undue burden, which exists if a regulation’s ‘purpose or effect is to place a substantial obstacle in the path of a woman seeking an abortion before the fetus attains viability.”

Click here to read more.

Report Shows Missouri to be First Abortion-Free State

Photo Credit: Paul Sableman / Flickr

According to a survey of the nation's abortion facilities conducted by Operation Rescue, Missouri has become the nation's only abortion-free state for the time being.

The Reproductive Health Services Planned Parenthood in St. Louis remains open, but abortion appointments and abortion pills have not been available there for months. The facility risked permanent closure after the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services had revoked its license for violations of safety regulations, but an Administrative Court Judge ordered that it be relicensed. Rather than work to comply with state regulations, the facility opts to simply refer abortion-minded women to the Planned Parenthood mega-clinic in Fairview Heights, IL.

While the RHS Planned Parenthood remains open and licensed for abortions, we confirmed that none are being done there.  That means this facility is currently acting only as an abortion referral center.  There is no operational abortion facility in the State of Missouri, making it the first Abortion-Free State at this time,” said Operation Rescue President Troy Newman.

“It is obvious that Planned Parenthood of the St. Louis Region, which operates RHSPP, seeks to avoid having to comply with Missouri’s strong pro-life laws, and has opted to abort in Illinois where abortion facilities are essentially unaccountable. This shows a gross disrespect for the lives and safety of the women Planned Parenthood purports to serve,” she continued.

Illinois abortion laws are important not only because they endanger the lives of Illinois preborn children, but also because they directly undermine the pro-life legislation of nearby states.

Click here to read more from Operation Rescue's survey.

Dan Lipinski Calls on New Congress to Protect the Lives of the Vulnerable

Former Rep. Dan Lipinski
photo credit: American Life League / Flickr

Former Illinois Rep. Dan Lipinski (D) has now left Congress after being defeated in his primary by now-Congresswoman Marie Newman. He tweeted several messages regarding his departure this week, urging Americans to "protect life and liberty every day for all, especially the most vulnerable."

Lipinski was defeated in his primary by a slim margin of fewer than 3,000 votes. While his voting record showed that he compromised on pro-life ideals more than advocates would have liked, his departure is representative of an ongoing shift in the Democratic party to cast out pro-life voices.

“I want to thank the people of Illinois’ Third District for giving me the honor and privilege to serve you and our nation for 16 years,” former congressman Dan Lipinski (D-Ill.) tweeted Jan. 3.

“America is not perfect, because humans can never be perfect. But we must pray and work every day that each of us and our nation better uphold the principle of equality, and that we better protect life and liberty every day for all, especially the most vulnerable.”

In a Nov. interview with CNA, he said that Democrats would be committing a “terrible political mistake” by repealing Hyde Amendment. The amendment is an addition to congressional spending bills which is designed to prevent federal tax dollars from funding abortions. He also lamented the fact that the pro-life movement is concentrated in one political party, arguing that pro-life groups should do more to push pro-life candidates through Democratic primaries.

Lipinski served for eight terms before losing the March 2020 primary to Rep. Newman. Pro-abortion advocates pushed heavily to remove him from the seat, but a spokesperson for his campaign claimed that his primary loss was heavily influenced by the early scare from the COVID-19 pandemic, which may have kept older Catholic voters home.

Click here to read more.

Indiana Ultrasound Law Goes Into Effect After Four Years

photo credit: Viviana Rishe / Unsplash

Four years after being signed into law, an Indiana law requiring women seeking an abortion to have an ultrasound 18 hours beforehand went into effect on Jan. 1.

The law was passed and signed by then-Governor Mike Pence in 2016. Planned Parenthood quickly took legal action to prevent the law from being enforced. In 2017, U.S. District Judge Tanya Walton Pratt placed a preliminary injunction against the law's enforcement, and that injunction was upheld by an appeals court. After Indiana Attorney General Curtis Hill filed to appeal the ruling, the Supreme Court sent the case back to the appeals court.

In August 2020, Planned Parenthood and the state of Indiana agreed to have the injunction vacated on Jan. 1. Planned Parenthood dropped its lawsuit, saying that it now had functional ultrasound machines at all of its locations.

In addition to showing pregnant women the humanity of the unborn children they are carrying, ultrasounds are also used by abortionists to accurately date the gestational age of the pregnancy. An abortionist who assumes an incorrect gestational age might choose a method of abortion that has a larger risk of medical complications for the mother. Additionally, ultrasounds will allow abortionists to diagnose abnormal pregnancies such as ectopic pregnancies. Certain abortion techniques can have major medical complications, including death, when used on a woman with an ectopic pregnancy.

Click here to read more.

45 Pro-Life Representatives Sworn into U.S. House of Representatives

Congresswoman Michelle Fischbach (R-MN)
accompanied by her husband while being sworn in
by GOP Leader Kevin McCarthy

While pro-life President Donald Trump's chances of staying in office for another term are questionable at the very least, pro-life advocates can at least celebrate the fact that 45 new pro-life congress members were sworn into the House of Representatives on Monday.

Of the new pro-life congress members sworn in on Jan. 4, 18 are women, 27 are men, and a total of 13 seats were flipped from pro-abortion politicians to pro-life ones. If challenger Claudia Tenney defeats pro-abortion Rep. Anthony Brindisi in New York’s 22nd Congressional District, that number will increase to 14.

“I’m very excited about the new GOP members in the 117th Congress!,” said Karen Cross, National Right to Life Political Director. “Every one of them is pro-life and will work with us to protect unborn children!”

While the new pro-life representatives are certainly good for the pro-life movement, they don't flip the House in favor of pro-lifers. All eyes are on Georgia's Senate run-off elections as they will determine which party (and likely which side of life issues) controls the senate during the upcoming administration.

Click here to read more.

Planned Parenthood Celebrates after Financing Efforts to Legalize Abortion in Argentina

Argentina Capitol Building
photo credit: Will Russell / Flickr

After Argentina legalized abortion in the early morning of December 30, an international branch of Planned Parenthood posted a celebratory message on its website. In addition to celebrating the now legal killing of preborn Argentinian children, the post also boasted about how the American abortion giant helped finance the political push to pass the controversial legislation.

The International Planned Parenthood Federation/Western Hemisphere Region (IPPFWHR) posted on its website:

"Argentina’s Senate just voted to legalize abortion up to 14 weeks! This is a historic moment for our region, our incredible partners in Argentina, and the countless activists and organizers who formed “the green wave” to advocate relentlessly for the rights of women and girls.

IPPFWHR has nurtured an ecosystem of feminist organizations and activists for more than 15 years that contributed to make today possible. IPPFWHR directly supports seven partners in Argentina, who in turn sub-grant funds to 20 other grassroots organizations from around the country. They have been coalescing around shared activities, such as advocating with policymakers and ensuring strong communications in favor of abortion rights stayed prominent in the public discourse. They’re also actively planning how to best support the implementation of the new law."

Argentinian President Alberto Fernández, who introduced the law, denied pro-life claims that the push to legalize abortion was coming from international organizations rather than the Argentinian people.

Further casting doubt on this claim, November polling by Giacobbe & Asociados found that 60% of Argentinians opposed the law, and only 26.7% were in favor.

Pro-life citizens from many nations in which abortion is not yet legal have complained that political forces from other countries often attempt to interfere with their abortion laws. That is the case with the United Nations, and will certainly continue to be true for Planned Parenthood as well.

Click here to read more.

Indiana Abortion Clinic Sues to Overturn Laws Requiring Respectful Treatment of Fetal Remains

Indiana State Capitol
photo credit: J. Stephen Conn / Flickr

The Indianapolis Women's Center in Indiana, along with three anonymous women who claim to be patients, has sued the state of Indiana over laws requiring abortion clinics to treat the bodies of aborted babies with respect.

The lawsuit claims that Indiana fetal disposal laws cause emotional damage to women, and should therefore be overturned.

“These laws also send the unmistakable message that someone who has had an abortion or miscarriage is responsible for the death of a person,” the lawsuit says. “As a result, they have caused many abortion and miscarriage patients, including Jane Doe Nos. 1, 2, and 3, to experience shame, stigma, anguish, and anger.”

Indiana Attorney General Curtis Hill successfully defended the same laws in 2019 in front of the Supreme Court when Planned Parenthood challenged them. He says he is confident that, while these challenges may be different in nature, the law will be upheld again.

“We took our fight for Indiana’s law on the disposition of fetal remains all the way to the U.S. Supreme Court, and we won,” Hill said. “We are now reviewing this latest lawsuit, but I can tell you now that we will once again defend humanity, and I am quite confident that Indiana’s law will continue to stand strong.”

Click here to read more.

Happy New Year from the IFRL!

Indiana AG Finalizes Investigation into Deceased Abortionist who Hoarded 2,000+ Aborted Babies at Illinois Home

Ulrich Klopfer

Indiana Attorney General Curtis Hill announced on Wednesday that his department's investigation into deceased abortionist Ulrich Klopfer has finished.

After he died of natural causes on Sept. 3, 2019, Klopfer was found to have hoarded the bodies of 2,411 abortion victims between his home in Will County, Illinois and the trunk of a stored vehicle. When Klopfer's attorney visited the home to go through Klopfer's property, he discovered the bodies and reported his findings to the government officials, who began an investigation.

AG Hill said that his investigation did not find evidence that Klopfer worked with anyone else to collect and transport bodies from the Indiana abortion clinics he worked at to his Illinois home. Because Klopfer is already dead, Hill did not recommend any criminal charges or licensing actions.

While incredibly disturbing, this story did lead to a push across the country for legislation requiring abortion clinics to cremate or bury aborted children.

Klopfer lost his license in 2016 after multiple complaints. The bodies of the aborted children he hoarded were buried in South Bend, Indiana on February 12.

Click here to read more.

Reports from Five States Alone Show over 100 Babies Born Alive During Attempted Abortions Since 2008

photo credit: Daiga Ellaby / Unsplash

The pro-abortion movement, when confronted with the idea of legal protection for children born during a failed attempt at abortion, often argue that this never happens. Abortion survivors do exist, however. Information Live Action News gathered from just five states showed that 108 children were born alive after an attempted abortion since 2008.

Live Action accessed reports from Arizona, Florida, Michigan, Minnesota, and Texas to come to this conclusion. Note that high-population pro-abortion states often don't report these kinds of statistics, so the average number of abortion survivors is likely greater than this data might suggest.

Between the years 2008 and 2020, the data collected by Live Action showed that 37 preborn children from Arizona, 27 from Florida, 12 from Michigan, 19 from Minnesota, and 13 from Texas were born alive after attempted abortions.

A report from the pro-life Charlotte Lozier Institute cited the CDC for another estimate of abortion survivors, saying:

"The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimate that nationwide, between 2003 and 2014 at least 143 babies died after being born alive during botched abortions, though the CDC also states this could be an underestimation."

While some abortion survivors go on to live normal lives, others are left to die; either killed directly by an abortionist after the failed abortion or simply refused medical treatment until they eventually die. The CDC reports that the majority of children who die after surviving an abortion attempt live between 1-4 hours before they pass away.

If you would like to hear directly from abortion survivors, Faces of Choice created a series of short videos in which abortion survivors tell their stories and expose the truth about failed abortions.

Click here to read more from Live Action News.