President Obama and another massive turnout of pro-life Americans gained attention in Washington as the country passed the 39th anniversary of the Supreme Court's legalization of abortion. The president reaffirmed his commitment to abortion rights, even urging continued efforts to protect those rights for "our daughters." The White House issued his statement Jan. 22, the date in 1973 on which the Supreme Court issued companion decisions -- Roe v. Wade and Doe v. Bolton -- that struck down all state abortion restrictions and effectively legalized the procedure for any reason throughout pregnancy. '[I have] no doubt that we are going to see Roe versus Wade overturned in this country.' -- Barrett Duke Meanwhile, tens of thousands of pro-lifers joined together Jan. 23 for the annual March for Life that followed a weekend of pro-life events in the Washington area. The march drew its usually immense crowd in spite of intermittent rain and a temperature in the mid-30s. Young people, especially teenagers, dominated the march. "Every year the crowd gets younger," said Barrett Duke, vice president of public policy for the Southern Baptist Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission. Duke joined in the march, which stretched along the National Mall to the Supreme Court. "There was probably only one gray head for every 40 or 50, maybe more, this year," said Duke, whose first March for Life came in 2004. "I've watched that change every year I've been in the marches, and this year was utterly astonishing to me. Not only are the young people there -- elementary grade kids, high school kids, college kids -- but they're there with a vibrancy, just an excitement about them being part of a movement that is about saving innocent human life. They're singing; they're chanting; they're doing calls back and forth to each other. One of them was: 'I love babies, yes I do, I love babies, how 'bout you?'" He said, "I saw what almost certainly could be described as an emerging pro-life culture among young people in this country." Duke said he has "no doubt that we are going to see Roe versus Wade overturned in this country." Young people "will change the culture in this country, and they will be part of a movement that will rein in abortion on demand," he said. Rep. Chris Smith, R.-N.J., one of Congress' leading pro-life advocates, said preventing Obama from winning re-election in November was vital. "The past three years of abortion extremism by President Obama is a mere foretaste -- a mere foreshadowing -- of what will be if he is re-elected," Smith told marchers, according to prepared remarks. "Given four more years, Mr. Obama will further pack the courts -- including and especially the U.S. Supreme Court -- with litmus-tested pro-abortion judges perched to retain the infamous holdings of Roe. "Unhindered and unfettered by any concern over a future election, Mr. Obama will aggressively use the coercive power of the state to compel abortion conformity and complicity," Smith said. "The predictable consequence: more dead babies, more wounded moms." Citing Obama's intention to call for a "return to American values" in his State of the Union speech the next night, Smith said, "Mr. President, abortion is not, never was and never will be an American value." The National Right to Life Committee, one of the country's leading pro-life organizations, announced Jan. 23 its political action committee's top priority for the year "is defeating Barack Obama and electing a pro-life president." With the aid of a Democratic Senate, Obama has opposed pro-life legislation approved by the House of Representatives. His administration has: -- enacted health-care reform that permits federal funds to subsidize insurance plans that cover abortion. -- restored grants to a United Nations organization that supports China's coercive population control program. -- approved money for stem cell research that destroys human embryos. -- ordered religious employers to pay for coverage of contraceptives that can cause abortions even if to do so would conflict with their consciences. -- nominated two Supreme Court justices who, both sides of the debate agree, likely would uphold Roe. In his Jan. 22 statement, Obama said: "As we mark the 39th anniversary of Roe v. Wade, we must remember that this Supreme Court decision not only protects a woman's health and reproductive freedom, but also affirms a broader principle: that government should not intrude on private family matters. I remain committed to protecting a woman's right to choose and this fundamental constitutional right. While this is a sensitive and often divisive issue, no matter what our views, we must stay united in our determination to prevent unintended pregnancies, support pregnant woman and mothers, reduce the need for abortion, encourage healthy relationships, and promote adoption. And as we remember this historic anniversary, we must also continue our efforts to ensure that our daughters have the same rights, freedoms, and opportunities as our sons to fulfill their dreams." It was the first time in three years the president expressed a determination to "reduce the need for abortion." After doing so in 2009, Obama dropped the comment the following two years in his Jan. 22 affirmation of abortion rights. Contact: Tom Strode Source: Baptist Press
The Obama administration announced Jan. 20 that it will not expand an exemption for religious groups that object to its requirement for health insurance plans to cover sterilization and contraception – including abortion-causing drugs – free of charge. Kathleen Sebelius, secretary of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, said in a Jan. 20 statement that religious employers who object to providing the coverage will be required to comply with the new law by Aug. 1, 2013, one year later than the initial deadline. Sebelius noted that "important concerns" had been "raised about religious liberty." Those speaking out against the mandate included many Catholic organizations, such as schools, hospitals and social agencies, which serve all people in need, regardless of their religious affiliation. During the comment period that followed the announcement of the rule, the administration received an outpouring of criticism from believers of various religious backgrounds. Cardinal Daniel N. DiNardo, chairman of the U.S. bishops' pro-life committee, argued against the regulation, warning that Jesus himself would not qualify for the religious exemption. In December, a group of more than 60 evangelical, Baptist and Jewish leaders voiced their objection to the mandate in a letter to President Obama. They observed that "religious organizations beyond the Catholic community have deep moral objections" to the proposed mandate. Sebelius said that those concerns were given "very careful consideration" and asserted that the final rule "strikes the appropriate balance between respecting religious freedom and increasing access to important preventive services." While the rule will take effect for most employers on Aug. 1, 2012, Sebelius said that there will be a one-year "delayed implementation" of the mandate for nonprofit employers who do not currently provide contraceptive coverage in their insurance plans due to religious beliefs. "This additional year will allow these organizations more time and flexibility to adapt to this new rule," she said. Sebelius added that these employers will be required to inform employees "that contraceptive services are available at sites such as community health centers, public clinics, and hospitals with income-based support." The announcement comes one day after Pope Benedict XVI warned of "grave threats" to religious liberty in the U.S. In an address to a group of U.S. bishops visiting the Vatican, the Pope voiced great concern over "certain attempts being made to limit that most cherished of American freedoms, the freedom of religion." He said that it is "imperative" for "the entire Catholic community" in the U.S. to realize that the threats are "hostile to Christianity." Concerns about freedom of conscience were raised in Aug. 2011, when Sebelius issued an interim final rule outlining the initial "preventive health services" requirement. Although the interim rule included an exemption for religious employers, many religious organization said it was too narrow and would not include many church ministries. To qualify for the exemption, an employer must have the purpose of teaching religious values, and must employ and serve primarily those who share its religious beliefs. The Health and Human Services Department is currently being sued by attorneys for The Becket Fund in separate lawsuits on behalf of Belmont Abbey College and Colorado Christian University. Hannah Smith, senior legal counsel for The Becket Fund, called the move "a shameless attempt to kick the can down the road in an election year." Smith said that the Obama administration knows that the mandate "cannot survive constitutional scrutiny" and is therefore "trying to delay the inevitable judgment day." Contact: Michelle Bauman Source: CNA/EWTN News
Julia Holcomb was forced to reveal a secret she had been keeping for 35 years after her son came across one of the unflattering -- and untrue -- statements that Aerosmith singer Steven Tyler had written about her, their relationship, and their abortion. "I had to become Silent No More right in my own home, I had no choice," said Ms. Holcomb, whose life hit a low point in 1975, when she nearly died in an apartment fire and was then convinced to abort her baby at five months. Now Ms. Holcomb is a spokeswoman for the Silent No More Awareness Campaign by choice. On Monday, Jan. 23, in front of the U.S. Supreme Court building, she will publicly share the story of her abortion and how it was the catalyst that prompted her to turn her life around. She is a married mother of six sons, a devout Roman Catholic and a pro-life activist. Ms. Holcomb will join dozens of other women and men from the campaign who will tell their stories at the annual event that immediately follows the March for Life. She was convinced to go public with her story after reading a piece written by Kevin Burke, Pastoral Associate of Priests for Life and co-founder of Rachel's Vineyard, about the abortion regret that Tyler – who last night began his second season as an "American Idol" judge -- has expressed in two books. "In spite of everything, I do not hate Steven Tyler, nor am I personally bitter." Ms. Holcomb said. "I pray for his sincere conversion of heart and hope he can find God's grace, as I have." Ms. Holcomb also will speak at a March for Life Youth Rally, to take place from 7 to 10 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 21, in the Hyatt Regency Hotel on Capitol Hill, 400 New Jersey Ave NW. For a video interview with Ms. Holcomb, click here: www.silentnomoreawareness.org/video/index.aspx?cid=7,9267 Contact: Georgette Forney, Andre Kim Source: Silent No More Awareness Campaign
National Pro-Life Leaders Express Support for the Law of Life Summit 
Ave Maria School of Law (AMSL) announced support from national pro-life leaders today in advance of the first-ever "Law of Life Summit," being held at the National Press Club in Washington, D.C. on Saturday, January 21, 2012 at 4:00 PM. The event will gather established individuals and organizations from the American pro-life movement together with pro-life law students for a visioning discussion focused on the coming final phase of the fight against the Roe v. Wade legalized abortion regime. More information can be found at: www.LawLife.org. "Life Legal Defense Foundation shares the goal of seeing Roe overturned," said Dana Cody, President and Executive Director of the Life Legal Defense Foundation. "Despite Roe, we intend to keep defending the civil rights of pro-life advocates until their message is accepted by the culture and abortion, whether legal or not, is not an acceptable choice." "The Law of Life Summit is an awesome synergistic mix of Pro-Life leadership, grass-roots action, and mentorship that will fuel our final push to overturn Roe," said Dr. Pat Castle, Co-Founder and Coach of the National LIFE Runners, who will also serve as MC for the Summit. "This inspired, mission-focused group realizes the infinite value of each life, which does not allow for any exceptions or truces. To overturn Roe, we need a unified group that is willing to take the Gospel of Life into the streets and halls of justice. This Summit is not a one-time event, but the first step down the homestretch to cross the finish line of abortion." Contact: John Knowles Source: Ave Maria School of Law
Approximately 2,000 people will gather in Bethesda, Md., on Sunday for the 2012 Students for Life of America National Conference — the largest pro-life youth rally in the world. The date is the 39th anniversary of the Roe v. Wade decision legalizing abortion on demand, which has claimed some 49 million lives since then. Several U.S. congressmen, attorneys, activists, and other leaders in the pro-life movement will be attending, including The Alliance Defense Fund. A few of the activities on the schedule include a special screening of the film "The Gift of Life," and an award presented to Chai Ling, founder of the group All Girls Allowed. Late last year, a U.S. House subcommittee heard testimony from Ling and other pro-life leaders about how sex-selective abortions are skewing birth rates among some Asian populations — both in the U.S. and abroad. "Every innocent life deserves to be protected," said ADF Senior Counsel David Cortman. "ADF is again proud to stand with students as they promote this truth and resist the aggressive pro-abortion agenda and censorship that exists on many campuses." Contact: Karla Dial Source: CitizenLink
The Obama administration is hearing strong objections to its decision to block over-the-counter sale of the "morning-after" pill to underage children. Currently, anyone 17 years old or older can buy Plan B without a prescription. But in recent weeks, proponents of selling the drug to children -- or to their molesters -- have been knocking on doors, including Obama's science advisor, demanding to know why Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius' recent decision on the matter was not in their favor.Janice Crouse of Concerned Women for America (CWA) believes the ruling was nothing more than political strategy."They are working towards a second term, and if Obama wins, they know that he won't care what kind of fallout there is," she says. "He probably will do what they want him to do if they make enough fuss about it."Crouse points out that proponents of the drug are outraged at the health agency, and they simply will not give up on getting the decision changed."So those of us who are conservative don't typically engage in those kinds of arm-twisting politics, but it's interesting to see," the CWA spokesperson offers. "And I think it's a warning to us that it doesn't matter what the science says -- they are very determined to get what they want, regardless of the impact on little children ...."Plan B is a high-powered dose of birth control that is used as emergency contraception. There is no research to show what it might do to adults, let alone the children for whom the proponents want it to be available.Contact: Charlie Butts Source: OneNewsNow
The year 2011 was great for the pro-life movement Louisiana, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Nebraska and Arkansas. According to an annual ranking released Thursday by Americans United for Life (AUL), on the eve of the 39th anniversary of Roe v. Wade, those are the most pro-life states in the nation. In fact, it was a banner year for the pro-life movement all across the country, as 32 states introduced 86 bills based on AUL model legislation. Even better, 47 states considered 460 pro-life bills, ultimately adopting more than 70 of them. "As the legal arm of the pro-life movement, the AUL legal team has created the architecture for reversing Roe v. Wade," said AUL CEO and President Dr. Charmaine Yoest. "The states are preparing for the day after Roe. And as the Life List documents, we're seeing tremendous gains in defending life in law." According to the list, Arizona, Indiana, Kansas, North Carolina and Utah were the "most improved" states from 2010; Washington, California, Hawaii, Vermont and Montana rounded out the bottom as the least life-affirming states in the union. Follow this link to view the entire list: http://www.aul.org/auls-life-list Contact: Karla Dial Source: CitizenLink
Pro-lifers are thrilled that a notorious abortion clinic in Illinois that the state shut down last September will apparently remain closed for good. Last June, when inspectors visited the Northern Illinois Women's Center in Rockford for the first time in 14 years, they found filthy conditions in both operating rooms, sterilization equipment that did not work, and no registered nurse on duty for surgical abortions."It truly was one of the most notorious in the country," says Eric Scheidler of the Pro-Life Action League. "Owner William Webster used to hang a rubber chicken on a crucifix in one of the windows. We've seen him prancing about the property in a devil's suit. There's a truly demonic presence there."He believes the clinic's permanent closing is a testament to the dedication of local pro-life prayer warriors."The pro-life community was resisted by the Rockford police. They had all kinds of problems with their civil rights being violated by police there," Scheidler recalls. "The city council was unwilling to protect those rights, and yet the community continued to soldier on bravely, reaching out to people, sidewalk counseling to the women at the abortion clinic, [and] doing church outreach."The clinic could not find local people to hire to staff the abortuary for the reopening it had hoped for. Owners have paid a $1,000 fine and will keep the doors locked.Contact: Charlie Butts Source: OneNewsNow
American Life League’s STOPP International released a significant report today listing the salaries of Planned Parenthood CEOs.
Occupy Wall Street protesters may want
to move their tents over to 434 W. 33rd Street in New York City, where
Planned Parenthood Federation of America headquarters are located, and
where the top eight officers of this supposed nonprofit made over $2
million altogether in 2010, none less that $245,000:
•Cecile Richards, President (pictured below right): $353,819
•Maryana Iskander, Chief Operating Officer: $288,886
•Maria Acosta, Chief Financial Officer: $263,443
•Vanessa Cullins, VP of Medical Affairs: $257,115
•Barbara Otten, VP of General Counsel: $251,379
•Laurie Rubiner, VP of Public Policy: $248,438
•Karen Ruffatto, VP of Operations: $247,932
•Lisa David, VP of Affiliates: $245,322
PPFA is an entirely administrative organization. It operates no clinics. No salaries are billable; they are all overhead.
Across the country are 81 Planned Parenthood affiliates. Altogether they made $12,862,560 in 2010.
According to ALL’s report, the average
annual salary of a PP affiliate CEO is $158,797. Twenty-two (27%) made
over $200,000 in 2010. The top dozen were:
1.PP North Texas, Dallas, TX (salary of previous CEO): $324,381
2.PP Mar Monte, San Jose, CA (Linda Williams): $315,950
3.PP Illinois, Chicago, IL (salary of previous CEO): $302,014
4.PP Hudson Peconic, Hawthorne, NY (Reina Schiffrin): $296,908
5.PP Northern New England, Williston,VT (Steve Trombley): $292,297
6.PP Orange & San Bernadino, Orange, CA (Joe Dunn): $278,i871
7.PP Treasure Coast, West Palm Beach, FL (Lillian Tamayo): $275,238
8.PP MN, SD & ND, St. Paul, MN (Sarah Stoesz): $268,710
9.PP Heartland, Des Moines, IA (Jill June): $265,389
10.PP Southern New England, New Haven, CT (Judy Tabar): $264,766
11.PP Great Northwest, Seattle, WA (Chris Charbonneau): $259,405
12.PP League of MA, Boston, MA (Dianne Luby): $256,474
Some interesting statistics on the 81 CEOs:
•52 (64%) are women
•9 (11%) have a political background
•10 (12%) have a health background
•2 (2%) have an educational background
•The remaining 75% have backgrounds in management
Thus, over one-third of all Planned
Parenthood CEOs are men (pictured right is PP of AZ CEO Bryan Howard),
and 88% of PP CEOs have no healthcare background.
ALL’s report goes into detail on each affiliate and each state.
Cecile Richards’ salary is now “close to $400,000 per year,” according to wweek.com.
The next time Cecile or a PP
spokesperson complains that defunding the abortion giant will hurt
women, the astute mainstream journalist (who doesn’t exist) should ask
why PP salaries don’t reflect their austerity concerns.
I don’t mind private industry CEOs making whatever the market will bear.
But it is wrong on so many levels for
the officers of this top-heavy supposed nonprofit – to which you and I
now contribute almost $500,000,000 annually, and which makes a large
part of its profits from abortion – to make the salaries they do.
Contact: Jill Stanek
Source: JillStanek.com
The move to declare a person a
"person" at all stages continues in Mississippi -- in spite of the
convincing defeat of a proposed constitutional amendment in November
that would have done exactly that.
A recent meeting with lawmakers in the
state capitol in Jackson dealt with proposed legislation to protect all
human life. Les Riley of Personhood Mississippi attended the meeting
and says one proposal before lawmakers will be the Adoption and Humane
Treatment of Human Embryos Act.
"Which will deal with embryonic
stem-cell research, human/animal hybrid bans, and things that the
pro-life movement didn't have to worry about 20 years ago [because]
they're now coming to fruition," he shares. "But [this act] also
provides the provision to make Mississippi the most embryo
adoption-friendly state in the nation."
In addition, legislation is being proposed to deal specifically with the life issue.
"We've proposed an amendment to the
legislature called the Life at Conception Amendment that basically
defines life as beginning at conception and specifically deals with the
objections that people had during the [recent personhood] campaign and
clarifies things."
During that campaign, opponents had
charged among other things that the amendment would ban in vitro
fertilization and birth control.
If the proposed bill does not pass the
state legislature, Riley says his group is fully prepared to again go
through the process of putting a constitutional amendment before voters
in the Magnolia State.
Contact: Charlie Butts
Source: OneNewsNow
Life Legal Defense Foundation Challenges Antagonistic Banners Lining City's Market Street in Violation of Code
It goes without saying that "politics
happen" -- but they should not happen on the taxpayer dime on lampposts
along Market Street in San Francisco. The Life Legal Defense Foundation
has challenged the City of San Francisco with a blatant violation of its
own city code. This month, inflammatory political statements promoting a
Ms. Magazine-initiated pro-abortion campaign now waft over foot and
auto traffic, as this municipal local marketing tool is abused, allowing
feminist rhetoric to take the place intended for promotion of farmers'
markets and neighborhood festivals.
The city regularly authorizes the
display of banners to promote "city-sponsored," "city-funded," or
"city-wide" events or "series of related events of interest to a
significant portion of the residents of San Francisco and/or tourists."
San Francisco does allow some non-event banners to be posted on
city-owned utility poles, but they are restricted to "city convention
facility banners" and "city neighborhood banners." A typical non-event
banner would be the non-controversial San Francisco State University
banners urging San Franciscans to "Support Public Higher Education: The
Future Depends On It."
The offending banners, issued by the
Trust Women Silver Ribbon Campaign, bear blatantly political statements,
including "U.S. Out of My Uterus," "Reproductive Rights are Human
Rights," and "San Francisco is Pro-Choice," slogans which are clearly
designed to provoke the ire of those who do not share the printed
sentiments. The authors of the Silver Ribbon Month website reference a
2011 pro-abortion Ms. Magazine blog as the impetus behind the project,
which is actually an event only in the virtual sense.
"The city minions who 'approved' these
illegal banners might have thought that the public would ignore the
challenge, but they are in error," said Dana Cody, Executive Director,
Life Legal Defense Foundation. "We also believe this puts a stick in the
eye of pro-life advocates who will be marching down Market Street on
January 21 for the annual March for Life."
Contact: Tom Ciesielka
Source: The Life Legal Defense Foundation
A watchdog group that speaks "the
truth about the Girl Scouts" has proof that the youth organization is
linked to Planned Parenthood.
Earlier this week, it was reported
that Renise Rodriguez, an employee for the Girl Scouts of Southern
Arizona, was ordered to turn her pro-life T-shirt inside out while she
was at the Tucson headquarters. She resigned because of the incident
that once again raises a question about the Girl Scouts' attitude on
sexuality and abortion. Christy Volanski, whose daughters co-founded
SpeakNowGirlScouts.com, says the Arizona group is linked to Planned
Parenthood.
"That group has a sex-ed program for
teens called 'Real Life. Real Talk,' and on the website of this Planned
Parenthood sex-ed program, there is a live link to Girl Scouts of
Southern Arizona because they are one of Planned Parenthood's partners
in that program," Volanski reports, noting that other regional councils
are also included.
Plus, the council is partnered with
other abortion rights advocacy groups, which is documented on its
website. And the Girl Scouts watchdog points out the problem with that
association.
"In my opinion, it promotes
promiscuity. They've distributed materials to children [that is]
considered to be pornographic by government agencies. Planned Parenthood
is basically grooming future abortion and birth-control clients," she
concludes.
Volanksi stresses that her daughters'
website lists a number of alternatives to the Girl Scouts that teach
Christian values, chief of which is American Heritage Girls.
Contact: Charlie Butts
Source: OneNewsNow
Adult Stem Cell Researchers Ask Federal Appeals Court to Reverse
District Court Ruling That Federal Law Does Not Ban Federal Funding of
Illegal, Unnecessary, and Unethical 'Research in Which' Human Embryos
are 'Knowingly Subjected to Risk of Injury or Death'
The U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia asked to reverse
federal district's ruling dismissing action to enjoin federal funding of
human embryonic stem cell research.
Today, on behalf of the adult stem researchers it represents, the
Jubilee Campaign's Law of Life Project and their co-counsel at the
Alliance Defense Fund and Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher, filed their
opening Appellants' Brief asking the United States Court of Appeals to
"reverse the district court's judgment in favor of Defendants, reverse
the grant of Defendants' Motion for Summary Judgment and the denial of
[Appellants'] Motion for Summary Judgment, and remand with directions to
enter summary judgment for [Appellants]." Appellants argue that The
National Institutes of Health (NIH) Guidelines for funding human
embryonic stem-cell research "are invalid because they violate [the
federal law known as] the Dickey-Wicker Amendment" and because they were
promulgated in violation of the Administrative Procedure Act.
Accordingly, Appellants argue that they -- "not Defendants -- are
entitled to summary judgment."
Appellants are appealing the United States District Court for the
District of Columbia's July 27, 2011, decision dismissing their
challenge to the Obama administration's unprecedented and unlawful
federal funding of destructive human embryo research. Appellants argue
that the district court erroneously interpreted and applied the Court of
Appeal's April 29, 2011, ruling vacating the district court's August
23, 2010, preliminary injunction of the NIH Guidelines that the Obama
Administration promulgated to permit the federal funding of "research in
which" human embryos are "knowingly subjected to risk of injury or
death." While again affirming the standing of adult stem-cell
researchers to challenge these regulations, the federal district court
dismissed the case saying that it had no choice under the "mandate rule"
but to follow the Court of Appeal's April 29 ruling that Congress' ban
on human embryonic research was written in a sufficiently "ambiguous"
fashion to ban the use of federal funds that risked the "injury or
death" of human embryos, but not the use of federal funds to do research
on the embryonic stem cells that were derived from such injury or
destruction. In the words of U.S. District Court Judge Royce Lamberth
explaining his July 27 decision: "While it may be true that by following
the Court of Appeals' conclusion as to the ambiguity of 'research,' the
Court has become a grudging partner in a bout of 'linguistic jujitsu,'
Sherley, 2011 WL 1599685, at 22 (Henderson, J. dissenting), such is life
for an antepenultimate court."
The case began almost two years ago when, in response to President
Obama's March 9, 2009 Executive Order, the NIH published and noticed for
public comment regulatory guidelines allowing federal funds to be used
for the first time for the creation of new stem cell lines (hESC)
requiring the destruction of living human embryos. Before these
guidelines became law, the Law of Life Project's General Counsel, Sam
Casey, with his co-counsel Tom Hungar of Gibson, Dunn and Crutcher,
representing the DO NO HARM Coalition, formally filed over 140 pages of
legal and scientific comments objecting to what many people saw as the
grossly irresponsible use of public funds to support research which is
illegal, unnecessary, and an unethical breach of long-standing
Congressionally-acknowledged principles barring such human subject
experimentation. When NIH patently ignored and prejudged these comments
and approximately 30,000 other comments opposing federal funding of
destructive human embryonic stem cell research, the ongoing legal action
was required.
LOLP's General Counsel, Sam Casey, who has been arguing the issues in
this case for more than a decade, said: "Each time grant-awarding
officials and federally funded scientists support or engage in hESC
research, living human embryos are 'knowingly subjected to risk of
injury or death,' in violation of the federal law known as the
Dickey-Wicker Amendment. The federally sponsored hESC research that the
Guidelines support inevitably creates a substantial risk -- indeed, a
virtual certainty -- that more human embryos will be destroyed in order
to derive more hESCs for misdirected research purposes at the unwilling
taxpayers' expense."
"The NIH chose to ignore both our DO NO HARM et. al. Comments, as well
as approximately 30,000 other comments -- 60% of those received in the
mandatory guideline review process -- which raised serious and highly
relevant questions about the ethics and scientific merits of human
embryonic stem cell research," said Gibson, Dunn and Crutcher partner,
Tom Hungar, Mr. Casey's co-counsel. Hungar added, "the challenged NIH
Guidelines clearly violate the Dickey-Wicker Amendment, but NIH's
decision to turn a blind eye to tens of thousands of comments
demonstrating that human embryonic stem cell research can't be justified
even under the government's own criteria means that the NIH's
guidelines were promulgated in violation of the Administrative Procedure
Act and must be struck down for that reason as well."
After the NIH took any real consideration of the merits of hESC research
"off the table" during its pre-ordained review process, effectively
pushing a very specific and controversial policy despite laws designed
to prevent exactly that action, the Law of Life Project and its
co-counsel were left with no recourse but direct litigation, and the
hope that the judicial system will ultimately rectify the injustice the
NIH continues to unlawfully perpetrate at the taxpayers' expense. Since
that time, after going to the Court of Appeals the first time in 2009
to establish their clients' "standing" to assert their claims, and a
second time in 2010 unsuccessfully defending a preliminary injunction
entered by the District Court on the strength of only the first of their
three claims for relief, Casey says, "the Law of Life Project now must
return to the Court of Appeals to respectfully ask it to give full
consideration to all of plaintiffs' arguments, including those that it
has not previously addressed. Given the legislative intent and legal
history involved in this case and the enormous destruction of human
embryonic life costing hundreds of millions of dollars Congress never
intended to permit in passing the Dickey-Wicker amendment banning such
expenditures, we have no choice but to now exhaust all of our judicial
remedies before returning to the Congress, if necessary."
Contact: Samuel B. Casey
Today, a three-judge panel of the
Fifth Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals lifted the preliminary injunction on
the Texas Sonogram Law on the grounds that the plaintiff did not have a
likelihood of winning their argument. The Texas Sonogram Law, that was
passed last year with the support of National Right to Life’s affiliate,
Texas Right to Life, ensures that abortionists display an ultrasound
image of the unborn child for the mother to view before an abortion
decision. Abortionists are further required to allow mothers to hear the
child’s heartbeat, and provide information about the development of the
unborn baby.
“This breakthrough decision from the
Fifth U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals recognizes, in the words of the
Court, ‘the physicians obligations to display the sonogram images’ of
the unborn child before an abortion,” said Mary Spaulding Balch, J.D.,
director of state legislation for National Right to Life. “In practice,
an ultrasound law that does not require the ultrasound to be displayed
can become almost meaningless because virtually every abortion facility
will slip a waiver form into the stack of papers mothers are asked to
sign.”
In addition to Texas, both North
Carolina and Oklahoma have also passed measures requiring an abortionist
display an ultrasound image of the unborn child before an abortion.
Both laws have been challenged.
Writing the decision for the court,
Chief Judge Edith Jones clearly laid out the responsibility of the
abortion provider: “The woman seeking an abortion may elect not to
receive these images, sounds, or explanations. This election does not
obviate the physician’s obligations to display the sonogram images or
make audible the heart auscultation; the woman may simply choose not to
look or listen.”
Added Balch, “We commend the work of
Texas Right to Life for their hard work in ensuring that the abortionist
must display the ultrasound image of the unborn child for the mother.
Today, their tireless efforts have paid off, and we are so pleased by
this success.”
Source: National Right to Life
Two doctors running a secret abortion
clinic in Maryland are being charged with murder under the state’s fetal
homicide law for aborting babies that could have survived outside the
womb.
“This is a ground-breaking case that
could have implications across the nation,” said Troy Newman, president
of the pro-life group Operation Rescue.
Newman explained that the outcome “could blaze a legal trail that could eventually lead to major reforms in abortion laws.”
Doctors Steven C. Brigham of New Jersey and Nicola I. Riley of Utah were arrested on Dec. 28.
Brigham has been charged with five
counts of both first-degree and second-degree murder, while Riley faces
one count of each. Both physicians have also been charged with one count
of conspiracy to commit murder.
Brigham secretly ran a late-term
abortion clinic in Elkton, Maryland, despite not having a license to
practice in the state. He hired Riley to work with him.
After beginning late-term abortions in
his New Jersey office, Brigham would then move the laboring women to
Maryland – which has more permissive abortion clinic laws – to complete
the procedures.
Police who searched the Elkton abortion clinic said they found the remains of 35 aborted babies in a freezer.
Although late-term abortions are not
illegal in Maryland, a 2005 fetal homicide law allows the intentional
killing of a viable fetus to be prosecuted as murder.
While the law has previously been used
to prosecute those who beat or kill pregnant women, this appears to be
the first time it has been used against an abortionist.
Operation Rescue filed a complaint
against Brigham with the Elkton State Attorney after a teenage girl
suffered a ruptured uterus in a botched abortion in August, 2010.
The organization then launched grassroots efforts to ensure that the case would move forward.
An investigation conducted by
Operation Rescue revealed Riley’s criminal background and the fact that
both Brigham and Riley had previously lost their licenses to practice
medicine and had been banned from performing abortions in any state.
Brigham and Riley are both currently being held without bail as they await upcoming extradition hearings.
“We have worked for over a year to
make sure Brigham and Riley were brought to justice,” said Newman. “This
is a victory for the pro-life movement.”
Source: CNA
When a woman donates her eggs for one
purpose–to help another woman have a child–is it right and ethical to
instead use embryos made from her gametes for destructive research
without her knowledge or consent? A survey of IVF clinics has discovered
that this is precisely what is happening ubiquitously in the IVF
industry. From the Reuters story:
Many U.S. fertility clinics don’t tell
egg donors that embryos made from their eggs may end up being used in
stem cell research, according to a new government survey. That’s despite
widespread opposition to such research, which is considered morally
offensive by a third of Americans, researchers write in the journal
Fertility and Sterility.
They found that among 100 fertility
clinics, two said they didn’t have a consent form for women donating
eggs. Of the 66 clinics that sent in a consent form and said they used
excess embryos for research, just 20 told women about that. And only
three of 38 clinics that used some embryos for stem cell research in
particular disclosed that to donors. “The survey shows that only a
minority of IVF (in vitro fertilization) clinics mention to egg donors
who are donating for the sake of treatment (as opposed to research) that
resultant embryos might ultimately be used in research,” said study
co-author Gerald Owen Schaefer of the National Institutes of Health in
Bethesda, Maryland. “An even smaller minority mention stem cell research
explicitly.”
This is a profound violation of
trust. Women risk their health and future fertility–and in very rare
cases, lose their lives–to allow others to bear children. They have a
right to know if some of the embryos made from their eggs, which after
all, are their biological progeny, could instead be destroyed for an
instrumental purpose, an issue that could be material issue in the
decision of some to become donors. As the Center for Bioethics and
Culture’s movie Eggsploitation makes clear, too often egg donors (or
sellers) are seen by IVF clinics as mere means to an end. This is yet
another example.
Contact: Wesley J. Smith
Source: Secondhand Smoke
According to a pro-family group, most
parents don't know that many health organizations and schools are
offering websites and texting services to reach adolescents with
information about sex.
Smaller school budgets and other
factors have reportedly inspired the creation of sites and services like
Sex-Ed Loop or the Planned Parenthood-run text-chat program, ICYC (In
Case You're Curious). These texting and web services provide young users
with information on sexual acts, diseases, and contraception. While
critics say the information only promotes unsafe sex, advocates claim
research proves the contrary. Peter Sprigg of the Family Research
Council (FRC) says he is troubled by the fact they are set up to elude
parental scrutiny.
"Even beyond that, these sources of
information do not have the kind of oversight that schools might have,"
he notes. "Certainly we have problems with some of the sex education
that goes on in public schools, but at least there is a certain amount
of vetting that takes place there."
According to The New York Times,
Stephanie Cisneros, a Denver-area high school junior, likes ICYC because
of its "immediacy and confidentiality." But as Sprigg points out, it is
difficult, if not impossible, for parents to monitor this activity.
"If their children have their own
cell phone with texting capability, or particularly with Internet
capability, then I'm not sure they can protect them," he laments.
To counteract the barrage of risk
reduction-only messages, Valerie Huber of the National Abstinence
Education Association hopes her organization will kick off its own
online service by next year.
Contact: Bob Kellogg
Source: OneNewsNow
According to its latest annual report,
the Planned Parenthood Federation of America (PPFA) received $487.4
million in tax dollars over a twelve-month period and performed 329,455
abortions.
Planned Parenthood Federation of America President Cecile Richards and President Barack Obama. (AP Photo)
In addition, the number of adoption referrals made by the organization continued to decline.
The latest annual report covers the
period from July 1, 2009 to June 30, 2010, the PPFA’s fiscal year. The
report states that the organization received “government health services
grants and reimbursements” totaling $487.4 million.
Previous Planned Parenthood annual
reports showed total funding from “government grants and contracts”
(which were $363.2 million in 2009), while this year’s report also
accounts for payments from Medicaid managed care plans among the
payments the group receives from government .
When compared with previous annual
reports, the latest one shows an almost steady increase in the number of
abortions performed at its clinics: In 2006, Planned Parenthood did
289,750 abortions; in 2007, it did 305,310; in 2009, it did 331,796;
and, in 2010, it did 329,445--a small decrease from the previous year.
The annual report for fiscal year
2008-2009 does not include abortion or adoption figures, but a PPFA Fact
Sheet posted on its Web site and said to be current as of September
2010, states that 324,008 abortions were performed at Planned Parenthood
clinics around the country in 2008.
According to PPFA’s annual report for
fiscal year 2007-2008, in 2007 Planned Parenthood’s “adoption referrals
to other agencies” totaled 4,912. In Fiscal Year 2010 that number was
841, a decrease of 82.8 percent.
The PPFA Fact Sheet states that
adoption is included in 1 percent of services in 2008 (primary care and
“other services” are included in that 1 percent), or 2,405 adoption
referrals.
The latest annual report claims that
abortion services make up 3 percent of “medical services,” but PPFA
states it served 3 million people and performed 329,445 abortions –
numbers that show 11 percent of customers received an abortion.
The Fiscal Year 2009-2010 annual
report also shows that PPFA’s net assets as of June 30, 2010 topped $1
billion, specifically $1,009,600,000.00.
Planned Parenthood supporters at a rally in Philadelphia, Pa. (AP photo/Matt Rourke)
Marjorie Dannenfelser, president of
the Susan B. Anthony List, a pro-life organization that lobbies Congress
to defund Planned Parenthood, called the organization an “abortion
giant.”
“With over a billion in net assets and
a business model centered on abortion and government subsidies, it is
time for Planned Parenthood to end its reliance on taxpayer dollars,”
Dannenfelser said in a statement. “Despite an unprecedented effort by
statewide and federal leaders to defund them, a wave of former employees
willing to testify against them, and uniform agreement amongst
Republican presidential candidates that they should be defunded, Planned
Parenthood continues full-steam ahead.”
“They are unwilling to answer to the pro-life American majority that wants out of this business,” Dannenfelser said.
As reported earlier by CNSNews.com, a
spokesperson with Planned Parenthood told Bloomberg’s Businessweek last
year that 90 percent of government funding the organization gets is from
the federal government or from Medicaid.
Contact: Penny Starr
Source: CNSNews.com
The owners of a Rockford, Ill.,
abortion clinic agreed to pay a $9,750 fine in order to resume doing
business in a settlement with the state health department today.
The Northern Illinois Women’s Center
had its license suspended last September, after the state found it
neither had admitting privileges at licensed hospitals nor an
experienced operating-room nurse on staff.
But the Thomas More Society, which
represents the Rockford Pro-Life Initiative, said in a Nov. 23 letter to
the health department the clinic owners were guilty of much more,
including maintaining unsanitary surgical equipment, allowing the
presence of dogs and rats and keeping shoddy records.
Though the clinic has since met the
health department’s standards, spokeswoman Melanie Arnold said today it
has no more room for error: Should NIWC repeat any of its previous
violations, its license will be revoked permanently.
“There’s also another option,” Arnold
said. “If the facility chooses to remain closed, it must surrender its
license to the Department of Public Health, but the fine will be reduced
to $1,000 because the risk of harm to the public is no longer there.”
Contact: Karla Dial
Source: CitizenLink
The Illinois Federation for Right to Life wishes you and your family a very blessed Christmas!
In order to help pro-life pilgrims
plan their trip for the upcoming national March for Life in Washington
D.C., below a list of events in and around D.C. Please check back
frequently as this list will be updated as more details become
available. If you know of an event that is not included on this list,
contact us here .
Saturday, January 21
Mass for Life - Georgetown University
5:30 p.m. - 6:30 p.m.
March for Life Convention
12:00 p.m. - 5:00 p.m., 7:00 p.m. – 9 p.m.
Hyatt Regency Hotel, Washington D.C.
March for Life Youth Rally
7:00 p.m. – 10:00 p.m.
Hyatt Regency Hotel, Washington D.C.
Regency Ballroom
Sunday, January 22:
Official March for Life Youth Conference
7pm-10pm
Hyatt Regency Capitol Hill
Cardinal O’Connor Conference on Life
8:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.
Georgetown University, Washington D.C.
See full schedule.
March for Life Convention
8:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.
Hyatt Regency Hotel, Washington D.C
Students for Life of America National Conference
8:00 a.m. - 9:00 p.m.
North Bethesda Marriott
5701 Marinelli Road
Bethesda, Maryland 20852
March for Life White House Mini-Rally
3:00 p.m. - 5:00 p.m.
Lafayette Park, Washington D.C.
Opening mass for National Prayer Vigil for Life
6:30 p.m. – 9:30 p.m.
Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception, Washington, D.C.
All night prayer vigil to follow. See schedule for details.
Monday, January 23
Giant 2010 Youth Rally and Mass for Life
7:30 - 11:30 a.m.
Verizon Wireless Center - Washington, D.C.
Closing mass for National Prayer Vigil for Life
7:30 a.m.
Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception, Washington D.C.
National Memorial for the Preborn and Their Mothers and Fathers
8:00 – 10:30 a.m.
Capitol Hill Visitor’s Center – Rm. HVC-201
March for Life Convention
8:00 a.m. – 11:00 a.m., 3:00 p.m. – 6:00 p.m.
Hyatt Regency Hotel, Washington D.C.
Lutherans for Life Worship Service
9:00 a.m.
Immanuel Lutheran Church
1801 Russell Rd.
Alexandria, VA 22301
Rally for Life
12:00 p.m.
National Mall and 7th Street
Washington D.C.
Ignatian Pro-Life Network March for Life Mass
9:30-11:00am
St. Aloysius Church 19 I (“Eye”) St NW, Washington, DC 20001
March for Life
1:30 p.m.
Washington D.C. National Mall
See details and route map.
National Pro-life Youth Rally
2:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m.
Upper Senate Park, Washington D.C.
Silent No More Awareness Campaign - testimonies
4:00 p.m.
Steps of the Supreme Court, Washington D.C.
Immediately following the March women
from the Silent No More Awareness Campaign will be giving testimonies of
their experiences with abortion.
March for Life Rose Dinner
6:00 p.m.
Virginia Attorney General Ken Cuccinelli to Deliver Keynote Address
Hyatt Regency Hotel, Washington D.C.
Source: LifeSiteNews.com
