Abortionsafety.com: New website to document safety records of abortion clinics and doctors

You've likely seen a new ad on our home page, as showcased above, with a link to AbortionSafety.com/donors.

The ad is sponsored by Secular ProLife, which plans to launch a new website called AbortionSafety.com in November.  At present the group is seeking donations from the pro-life community to help.

Kelsey Hazzard of SPL explained to me via email:

SecularProLife.org has been around for 2 years, networking and blogging and spreading our message. We feel we're finally in a position where we can directly serve women in crisis pregnancies….

A team of 9 pro-life activists – primarily students, some who've worked with SPL in the past and others who haven't – will be doing research on abortion malpractice cases…. We'll compile information from news reports, court documents, health authority rulings, etc., enlisting the help of local pro-life activists….

The website will be very user-friendly, allowing women to search by the name of the abortionist, the name of the abortion facility, and by state. Each entry will provide a narrative summary of the abortionist's misdeeds, and link to source documents…. The site will also contain a page that goes into more detail about abortion risks and alternatives.

Kelsey adds, "The underlying assumption is that if women actually knew what some of these abortionists had in their pasts, they'd have to be crazy to keep their appointment!"

Contact: Kel
Source: JillStanek.com

State of Health Insurance Abortion Coverage in the States

An overwhelming majority of Americans oppose using taxpayer money to fund abortion.  When asked specifically if they supported or opposed the use of public funds to provide coverage for abortion in health insurance plans created by Obamacare, 72% of Americans were in opposition!  Only 23% percent supported publicly funded abortion coverage in insurance plans, and 5% did not know (Quinnipiac 2009).

In an effort to reflect the will of the people, 9 state governments have passed laws (and at least 16 more have pending legislation) prohibiting the coverage of abortion in any of the state insurance exchange programs instituted by Obamacare.

Several states have gone beyond this and restricted or proposed legislation restricting abortion coverage in all health insurance plans (public and private) except through the optional purchase of a rider.

In addition, several states which have not completely restricted abortion coverage in all insurance plans have restricted it in state-funded (read: taxpayer-funded) insurance plans.

The following map will give you a clear picture of the state of abortion coverage in insurance across the states:

 =  AL (SB183, SB202 and HB 558), AR (SB113), FL (H97 and S1414), GA (SB4 and SB29), IA (HF576, HSB57, and SF38), IN (SB116), KS (HB2292, HB2377), MI (HB4143 and HB4147), (MT SB176), NE (LB22 and LB132), NJ (A3085), OH (HB79), OR (HB3600), PA (SB3), SC (H3406 and S102), TX (HB552, HB636, HB1816, HB3112, HB3419 and SB404)

 = AL (SB201, SB281 and HB557), IN (SB241), KS (HB2292, HB2377), MI (HB4143 and HB4147),  MN (Only state-funded insurance: HF201, SF103), NE (LB22), OR (HB3600), SC (H3406), TX (SB404)

Contact: Brianna Walden
Source: FRC BLog

Futile Care Theory: Baby Joseph’s Father Wants Answers

Baby Joseph is home, and apparently not as unconscious as the London hospital representative stated. From the story:

Baby Joseph napping at home in his crib on Easter Sunday is all the proof his father needs that his Ontario doctors were wrong. Only months ago, the fate of 15-month-old Joseph Maraachli was a question mark. Doctors at London Health Sciences Centre in London, Ont., sought to take the infant off life support as he battled a progressive neurological disease. But on Sunday, the round-cheeked baby was home in Windsor, resting in a cradle packed with plush toys. Now and then he opened his eyes or wriggled a little, or moved his arms beneath father Moe Maraachli's occasional touches and kisses. When Maraachli held out a finger at one point, Joseph's own stubby fingers curled around it.

Love. Comfort. Touch. These are important to every baby.

Joseph's father wants answers:

"I feel victorious," Maraachli said, smiling broadly as he stood by Joseph's crib. "I feel I won and my baby's alive." But he's also been left with questions about why he and wife Sana Nader had to go to the U.S. for help. "That's what makes me mad," he said. "Why I have to travel to St. Louis?"

That's a good and important question. Joseph clearly was not on the verge of death when the hospitals wanted him off life support and refused a tracheotomy.  The tracheotomy obviously provided him great benefit, and in fact, is apparently a normal palliative procedure in cases such as this.  Indeed, he's off of machines and home where he can die peacefully in his own time.

So, why was Joseph and the family treated so badly? Why did the family have to go the USA to obtain proper care for their baby? Will Canada Medicare pay for the procedure that so clearly should have been provided to Joseph in his home hospital?

Don't expect answers to come readily. I have noticed that when a case goes against what the futilitarians predicted, they generally hide behind closed doors–until the next time they boldly assert that wanted, efficacious treatment for a dying or profoundly disabled patient is "inappropriate." That shouldn't be allowed to happen.  The Canadian authorities should investigate.

Perhaps a good place to start to right the wrong would be a sincere apology from Joseph's doctors and the hospital administration to the family.

Contact: Wesley J. Smith

U.S. House to Vote on No Taxpayer Funding For Abortion Act!

The U.S. House of Representatives is scheduled to take up a major pro-life bill -- the No Taxpayer Funding for Abortion Act (H.R. 3) -- on or about Wednesday, May 4, 2011.  National Right to Life urges you to promptly contact the office of your representative in the U.S. House, to urge him or her to support H.R. 3, and to oppose all amendments that may be offered by opponents of the bill.

Currently, there is a patchwork of different federal laws that restrict federal funding of abortion.  However, many of these restrictions (such as the well-known Hyde Amendment, which applies to the federal Medicaid program) expire every year -- which forces the pro-life side to re-fight the same battles in Congress, year after year.  Moreover, in a number of federal programs -- notably, some major new programs created by the massive Obama health care law in 2010 -- federal subsidies for abortion are currently permissible under law.  H.R. 3 would replace this leaky patchwork with a permanent, government-wide prohibition on federal funding of abortion and federal subsidies for health plans that cover abortion.

The No Taxpayer Funding for Abortion Act is sponsored by Congressman Chris Smith (R-NJ) and Congressman Dan Lipinski (D-Il.), the co-chairs of the House Pro-Life Caucus.  To see an always-current list of co-sponsors of the bill, click here.

Please contact your U.S. House member today!  (Preferably, during business hours.)  In this alert, use the link that says "Take Action!"  After you enter your zip code on the next page, you will see a suggested e-mail to your representative that you can modify as you see fit.
    
Take Action, click here

Battle on Abortion in Springfield

As the Illinois House ended this week, the two remaining pro-life house bills -- HB 786 Ultrasound and HB 3156 Abortion Clinic Regulations -- have not yet passed the House.  The third pro-life bill, HB 2093 (Reis) -- amends the Abused an Neglected Child Reporting Act to re-state that medical personnel and licensed counselors at abortion clinics and family planning centers must report any suspected instance of child abuse or neglect -- passed out of the House a few weeks ago and is now in the Illinois Senate.

The Illinois House will NOT be in next week for Easter Week. They come back Tuesday, May 6th. 

HB 786 (Phelps) The Ultrasound Opportunity Act which simply requires that a woman be offered the opportunity to see her ultrasound be obtaining an abortion.  It is her choice whether to see it or not.  HB 786 was not called for a vote this week because the opposition placed "Notes" on the bill that have to be answered before a bill can move from second reading to third reading [final passage stage].  The Sponsor is asking for an extention of the deadline for this bill.

What are "notes"?   When a bill in the Illinois House is on second reading [the amendatory stage of the bill] legislators can request various notes to learn the impact on the State if the bill becomes law.  Generally, this would be a proper and good thing.  A fiscal note would ask what is the cost to the State if the bill  became law.   A Corrections note would ask if the bill would create more prisoners [especially if the bill created a new crime] and so forth.  In order to remove the notes, an appropriate agency of the State must file a letter answering the note.

However, the notes placed on HB 786 were solely filed to slow down our bill.  There were at least a dozen notes filed on HB 786.  Some were being filed every hour on Friday.

Because the notes were not all responded to, HB 786 could not move off second reading and get a final vote this week.

HB 3156 (Senger) amends the Ambulatory Surgical Treatment Center Act (ASTCs) and would require that any office or facility that does 50 or more abortions a year must meet the same health and safety standards as all other ASTCs [such as outpatient eye or foot surgery centers].  A number of abortion clinics are not licensed as ASTCs and should be for the health and safety of women.

It was admitted on the floor debate by the opposition that the mega abortion mill in Aurora cannot not meet the ASTC standards.

So much for wanting abortions rare, safe and legal as the pro-aborts like to say.

HB 3156 failed to pass by just 3 votes this week having gotten 57 yes votes of the 60 votes needed, 51 no votes and 7 members voting present.     

The bill is now on "Consideration Postponed" meaning that it has another chance for a vote when they come back.  See the Illinois Family Institute link below on the "unofficial vote".  It is unofficial because when a sponsor sees that the bill has failed to get the 60 votes, she can ask for "consideration postponed" and the roll call is erased since another "final" official vote can be taken later.  However, we obtained the roll call anyway.

HB 2321 (Senger) which is identical to HB 3156 did not move for a vote since a decision was made to go with HB 3156.

Please continue to have your contacts call or email their state representatives to VOTE YES ON HB 786 AND HB 3156!  We have this whole week and continuing week after Easter to keep the pressure on.  If we do this WE CAN WIN in the House!

Follow this link to view your legislator's contact information: http://www.elections.il.gov/DistrictLocator/DistrictOfficialSearchByAddress.aspx

Abortion recovery's April boost

Contact: Charlie Butts, OneNewsNow

Since this month is Abortion Recovery Awareness Month, pro-lifers throughout the country are making an extra effort to raise awareness about the effects of abortion.

 

In 2005, the event was established to educate people about the fact that many women and men need help with recovering from abortion. But most importantly, it was created to let people know about the healing opportunities in their various communities. Stacy Massey, co-founder of Abortion Recovery International, tells OneNewsNow the problem goes beyond grief and depression.

"Any type of side effects -- eating disorders, drinking and alcohol use, cutting, workaholism -- there [are] statistics and studies that show that there is a root to all of that that can be tied in to an abortion," she explains.

And even though not every person experiences the negative impacts of abortion, Massey points out that about 87 percent do.

"These women and these men lost babies -- sometimes at their own hand, sometimes through coercion of others. But there is a grief associated with that," she says. "It's very, very normal, and our organization's focus is how to heal those families from that grief."

So she encourages people to contact their local recovery providers, which are listed on her organization's website.

Study: Pro-life laws aid abortion decline

Contact: Amanda Kate Winkelman, Baptist Press

Various state-level pro-life measures result in "statistically significant declines" in the country's abortion rate, according to a study in the State Politics & Policy Quarterly.

The report by Michael New, an assistant professor of political science at the University of Alabama, revealed a correlation between the drop in the number of abortions in the United States and the rise in state regulation of abortion, including laws requiring informed consent, waiting periods and parental involvement.

Abortions in the United States declined by 22.2 percent between 1990 and 2005, according to a Centers for Disease Control and Prevention report. New said several factors might play a role in the decrease in abortions, but his research focused on the relation of two U.S. Supreme Court opinions to the decline -- Webster v. Reproductive Health Services (1989) and Planned Parenthood of Southeastern Pennsylvania v. Casey (1992).

The Casey decision allowed states to regulate abortions as long as the regulations do not pose an "undue burden" on women. In 1992, New pointed out, no states had informed consent laws or waiting periods. By 2005, however, 33 states had informed consent laws and 22 states required women to wait a specified period of time before obtaining abortions. In 2005, 34 states also enforced parental involvement laws.

New says his study proves that such anti-abortion legislation at the state level has played a factor in the decline of abortions between 1990 and 2005. 

In his study, New compared states in which judges nullified anti-abortion legislation with states where anti-abortion legislation went into effect. The comparison showed states with enforced laws had larger in-state abortion declines than states where laws were nullified.

The changes brought by Casey and the subsequent decrease in abortions show the pro-life movement is growing stronger, New said, despite its failure to gain the reversal of Roe v. Wade, the Supreme Court opinion legalizing abortion.

"Even though abortion opponents have been unsuccessful in their efforts to overturn Roe v. Wade (1973) they have enjoyed incremental policy success in recent years," New wrote. "Surveys indicate that more Americans are willing to describe themselves as 'pro-life' (The Washington Post 2009) and a higher percentage of people are willing to support restrictions on abortion (Pittsburgh Post-Gazette 2009)."

New's study, "Analyzing the Effect of Anti-Abortion U.S. State Legislation in the Post-Casey Era," appears in the current issue of the State Politics & Policy Quarterly, published in March.

IRS against pro-life message?

Contact: Charlie Butts - OneNewsNow

The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) has asked a Texas pro-life organization some questions that one constitutional attorney says it has no business knowing the answers to.

 

Christian Voices for Life in Sugarland, Texas, conducts prayer vigils at abortion clinics and participates in Life Chain and 40 Days for Life. Tom Brejcha of the Thomas More Society tells OneNewsNow the IRS has posed a number of questions to the pro-life group, which is seeking a tax-exempt status.

"[They are asking] 'Do you educate on both sides of an issue?' Well, the abortion issue? The answer is emphatically no," Brejcha reports. "In fact, there is no such requirement anywhere near the Internal Revenue Code, and you're surely entitled to a tax exemption if you educate the public about the truth."

So he suggests it should be up to the tax-exempt pro-abortion groups to present the other side of the issues.

Instead, he explains, the pro-life group is presented with questions such as: "During your Life Chain and your 40 Days for Life programs, do you try to block people from entering a building, a medical clinic or any other facility," which the Thomas More Society spokesman says implies a false speculation. "Where did they get that idea? Certainly not in the application for exemption."

In response to the probe, Brechja's organization has sent a strongly worded letter that suggests the IRS has no legitimate exemption concern, but that it may be denying or delaying tax-exempt status because of the organization's pro-life message. Moreover, he says the IRS seems to believe Christian Voices for Life might intend to engage in illegal activity, which he concludes is insulting.

'Baby Joseph' -- home at last

Contact: Charlie Butts - OneNewsNow

"Baby Joseph," brought to America from Canada after doctors refused to provide treatment so he could go home, is doing well.

 

Father Frank Pavone of Priests for Life tells OneNewsNow infant Joseph Maraachli was successfully treated at a St. Louis hospital.
 
"Baby Joseph is now free from all tubes, machines, ventilators, and assistance," says Pavone. "He is breathing on his own just like you and me, and he has been taken home. He is with his parents in their apartment in Windsor, Canada."
 
In Canada, the child would have been sent home to die, but Pavone says Baby Joseph defied the "culture of death" and is alive today. Priests for Life is handling medical expenses for the family.
 

Planned Parenthood Ignores Fetal Pain; Goes After Personhood Amendments

Contact: Keith Mason, Personhood USA

Planned Parenthood and the ACLU have filed an appeal to the State Supreme Court against Mississippi's Personhood Amendment, Amendment 26, despite numerous rulings against them. 

In July of 2010, Planned Parenthood and the ACLU filed suit to disallow Mississippi voters from voting on the Mississippi Personhood Amendment. In October, the lawsuit was rejected. The Court decision read "Initiative Measure No. 26 has received more than the required amount of signatures to be placed on the ballot and the Constitution recognizes the right of citizens to amend their Constitution."

Now Planned Parenthood and the ACLU have appealed to the State Supreme Court, a decision made especially conspicuous by Planned Parenthood's recent refusal to challenge various "Fetal Pain" bills. According to the Kansas Department of Health and Environment, one abortion in 2010 would have been prevented by the Fetal Pain bill. By contrast, Mississippi's Personhood Amendment 26 would make all abortion illegal by recognizing the personhood rights, first and foremost the constitutional right to life of all children, born and preborn. 

This is not the first time that the ACLU and Planned Parenthood have tried to stop Personhood USA -- numerous lawsuits have been filed, albeit largely unsuccessfully, in an attempt to stop Personhood USA and its state affiliates. 

"Of course we expect Planned Parenthood and the ACLU to continue their unholy alliance in attacking personhood bills and amendments," explained Keith Mason, cofounder of Personhood USA. "They are terrified that abortion will be made illegal. Planned Parenthood, with the help of the ACLU, is fighting for their 'right' to kill children for profit."

Personhood Amendment 26 states, "The term 'person' or 'persons' shall include every human being from the moment of fertilization, cloning or the functional equivalent thereof." 

"Personhood Amendments and bills nationwide merely recognize that all human beings are people," continued Mason. "Recognizing that all human beings have rights is a sentiment the ACLU should be fighting FOR, not against. Instead, the ACLU has teamed up with Planned Parenthood to ensure that Planned Parenthood's deep pockets are protected. It is outrageous that the billion dollar abortion industry's bottom line is more important to them than over one million innocent human lives taken every year by abortion."

Personhood USA's amendments and bills recognize that every human being is a person, and every person has a right to life. Personhood amendments and bills protect every child, no matter their size or age. 

RedState: Abortion Numbers in Perspective

from LCRTL by Paul, just this guy, you know?

Dan McLaughlin at the conservative blog RedState has a reminder about just what's at stake in the abortion fight, compared to other losses of human life:

With the recent debate over federal taxpayer funding of Planned Parenthood bringing the abortion debate back to the surface, it is sometimes useful to look at the numbers to get a little perspective on why this issue is such a large one. (All of these are estimates, and sources vary, but there's no serious debate as to the scale of the numbers).

Number killed or missing in action in all wars in U.S. history: 1,343,812. Adding the wounded:2,489,335.

Number killed or missing in action in U.S. wars since 1973: 12,387. Adding the wounded: 96,680.

Number of executions in U.S. history dating back to 1608: 15,269.

Number of executions in U.S. history dating back to 1930: 3,859.

Number of executions in U.S. history dating back to 1977 (after the Supreme Court lifted a decade-long moratorium): 1,099 through 2008.

Number killed in the September 11 attacks: 2,977.

Number of detainees waterboarded by the CIA under President Bush: 3.

Number of abortions in the U.S. since 1973: 53,310,843 through 2010.

Number of abortions per year in the U.S. since 1973: 1,402,917.

Number of abortions per month in the U.S. since 1973: 116,910.

Number of abortions per week in the U.S. since 1973: 26,979.

Number of abortions per day in the U.S. since 1973: 3,841.

Number of abortions by Planned Parenthood in the U.S. in 2009: 332,278, more than 900 per day, or 27.6% of all abortions in the U.S.


You know, there are a lot of issues I care about, as a conservative Republican. I don't especially like having to draw lines in the sand over abortion, and if you're reading this, even if you're pro-life, chances are you don't either. But it is useful at times to prick our consciences with the sheer scale of this atrocity, happening daily under our noses. Liberal activists and lawyers devote massive efforts every year to battling the death penalty - yet all the executions of the post-Roe era don't even add up to a third of a day's worth of the number of abortions. We agonize, and rightly so, over the cost in life of our wars - but the toll of abortion is equal to fighting the Battle of Antietam, or two Battles of Okinawa, every single week, or two entire Vietnam Wars every month. Our commentariat was racked with paroxysms of moral reproach over three prisoners being waterboarded, yet considers it gauche to even mention well over three thousand abortions daily, each of which destroys a biologically unique human being. (Your religion may override your regard for the science, but there's no way around the fact that an unborn child has his or her own unique genetic code, the definitive scientific hallmark of an individual).

Numbers alone can't make the moral judgments that constitute public policy for us. But they can certainly inform our sense of perspective. And looking at the number of abortions is a reminder hat maybe, sometimes, we go too far in trying to make this just another issue.

Clinic reg bill nearly passes IL House, abortion-backing legislator attacks effort

     
     (Click image to enlarge)

Yesterday, in a surprise move, the Illinois House debated and voted on "HB 3156," a Thomas More Society-drafted bill that amends the state's Ambulatory Surgical Treatment Center Act to ensure that surgical abortion clinics are held to the same standard as any other outpatient surgical center. Only 5 abortion clinics in Illinois - less than 25% statewide - meet these standards, which ensure that outpatient surgeries are performed in the safest and cleanest environments - and that, when complications occur, emergency personnel can get in and help get patients to a hospital as quickly as possible.

The debate on the bill was lengthy and vociferous. In an incredible moment, Rep. Naomi Jakobsson (D-Urbana), an ACLU and Planned Parenthood-backed 5-term veteran of the legislature, attacked the Thomas More Society by name on the floor of the House for TMS' role in pushing the bill.

The bill lost by three votes, but the sponsor, Rep. Darlene Senger (R-Naperville), smartly invoked a procedural maneuver that delays final consideration, in order to provide a final chance for pro-lifers to swing the necessary three votes. Seven representatives voted "present" - the equivalent of a "no" vote - and the votes are very fluid on the measure. Pro-life Illinoisans are asked to call state House members immediately and ask them to "support HB 3156"

Source: Illinois Review

Illinois Senators Vote Against Defunding Planned Parenthood

     

U.S. Senators Richard Durbin (D) and Mark Kirk (R) both voted against a bill that would have de-funded the Planned Parenthood yesterday. The bill failed on a 42-58 vote. In addition to Kirk, Republicans voting against the amendment to de-fund Planned Parenthood were: Scott Brown (MA), Susan Collins (ME), Lisa Murkowski (AK), and Olympia Snowe (ME). No Democratic Senators voted for the bill.

Illinois Review comments:

  No one ever doubted radical left extremist Dick Durbin would vote against an effort to push Planned Parenthood from the federal gravy train, but there was hope that Illinois' brand new Republican senator Mark Kirk would support his Republican House colleagues' effort to stop special interest tax doleouts to Planned Parenthood. He did not.

  Kirk has traveled throughout Illinois warning people at town hall meetings about the budget disaster America is facing because of uncontrolled spending. He has publicly boasted that the era of congressional earmarks is over. He told an audience downstate that he was for a 10 % across the board budget cut, including a 10% slice from Planned Parenthood's budget.

  Because of all those factors there was hope that Kirk, who now represents the whole state of Illinois rather than the socially-liberal 10th Congressional District, would consider moderating his historical pro-abortion stance. There was hope that for the sake of budget cuts and the pending economic disaster he warns us against, consider voting to eliminate the morally-repugnant Planned Parenthood earmark.

  We're not surprised with Senator Kirk's vote, but we're disappointed with it. He and Senator Durbin failed not only Illinoisans, they failed all American hard-working, self-sacrificing taxpayers.

Writing at his blog, Republican News Watch, conservative activist Doug Ibendahl comments:

  Frankly no one should be surprised.

  But Republicans, take note. It's certainly true that Mark Kirk has no problem saying he's pro-choice (yeah no kidding, as a U.S. Congressman he even voted in favor of partial birth abortion).

  However on multiple occasions during last year's campaign he would add a caveat to his otherwise 100% pro-abortion stance. Kirk repeatedly said he opposed federal funding of abortion.

  So score yesterday's vote as just one more lie by Mark Kirk. Add it to the list of countless dishonest things Kirk has said over the years in order to keep gullible voters and reporters in his camp.

  Someone please remind me again, what was supposedly the difference between Mark Kirk and Alexi Giannoulias?

  Oh that's right, I remember. Both are very liberal – Kirk arguably more so.

  But Mark Kirk brings that liberalism into our Republican Party – combines it with a rather disturbing inability to tell the truth – and continually undermines and dilutes the GOP brand from within.

  Yeah, thank goodness the Democrats didn't elect their "mob banker" Giannoulias.

My observation continues to be that no matter how fiscally conservative one is, if he's a social liberal, then socially liberal measures will take precedence over fiscal conservatism every time.

Contact: Paul
Source: Lake County Right to Life Blog

Carol Tobias elected Nat'l Right to Life president

    

On Saturday, April 9, Carol Tobias was elected president of the National Right to Life Committee (NRLC), the national federation of 50 state affiliates and more than 3,000 local chapters. Tobias, who becomes the 8th NRLC president since Roe v. Wade, succeeds Wanda Franz, Ph.D. of West Virginia.

"I am extremely humbled and honored to be elected president by the National Right to Life board, which represents our nationwide network of state affiliates and local chapters," said Mrs. Tobias. "As the late pro-life Congressman Henry Hyde of Illinois said, National Right to Life 'is the flagship of the pro-life movement.' I'm looking forward to the opportunity to help our pro-life network in its continuing effort to educate the public and pass laws protecting mothers and their unborn children."

A native of North Dakota, Tobias has served on the NRLC board of directors since 1987. From 1983 to 1991 she was executive director of North Dakota Right to Life and in 1991 was hired as NRLC political director, a position she held until 2005. During her tenure as NRLC political director, pro-life majorities were elected to both the U.S. House of Representatives and U.S. Senate. In both 2000 and 2004, she oversaw the efforts of NRLC's political action committee on behalf of George W. Bush.

Mrs. Tobias was elected by the NRLC board of directors at its spring board meeting. The board of directors is comprised of representatives from each of NRLC's 50 state affiliates and 8 directors elected at-large. NRLC is the nation's pro-life organization which is representative of the country's grassroots pro-life citizens and activists.

"The pro-life movement is the greatest social cause of our time," added Tobias. "I am eager to continue National Right to Life's educational, legislative and political efforts to advance the right to life of the most vulnerable members of our human family - the unborn, the elderly, and the medically dependent and disabled."

Other officers and executive committee members elected at the spring board meeting include: Executive Vice-President: Anthony J. Lauinger of Oklahoma; Vice-President for International Affairs: Jeanne E. Head, R.N. of New York; Vice-President for Medical Ethics: John Wayne Cockfield, USMC Ret. of South Carolina; Secretary: Holly Gatling of South Carolina; Treasurer: Rev. Dennis C. Day of Idaho; Chairman of the Board: Hon. Geline B. Williams of Virginia; Vice-Chairman of the Board: Hon. Lynda Bell of Florida; and Chet Rucinski of Wisconsin.

Illinois' Parental Notice Law Gets Nearly Doubled New Support from State's Attorneys

Thomas More Society Asks the Appellate Court to Note Support from Ten New "Friends of the Court" in the 15-Year Battle for Parental Rights and Against Secret Abortions

Yesterday, the Thomas More Society filed a motion in the Illinois Appellate Court to add a bipartisan group of ten Illinois State's Attorneys to the Society's "friend of the court" brief, urging the rejection of the American Civil Liberties Union's latest attack on the constitutionality of the Parental Notice of Abortion Act of 1995. In the fall of 2010, the Thomas More Society filed the original brief on behalf of 11 Illinois State's Attorneys, and today's filing brings that total to 21 State's Attorneys from counties all over the state, who together represent millions of Illinoisans. The Appellate Court, First District, will hear oral argument on the ACLU's appeal on Thursday, April 14, 2011, at 9:30 a.m.

"Today's filing shows bipartisan momentum in support of the rights of Illinois parents to be notified before their minor daughters are taken for abortions," said Peter Breen, executive director and legal counsel for the Thomas More Society. "This Act will put a stop to the practice of 'secret' abortions, where sexual predators from surrounding states are able to cover up their crimes by bringing their underage victims to Illinois."

The parental notice law requires an abortion doctor to notify a parent, grandparent, or stepparent living in the household or legal guardian before performing an abortion on a minor, unless the minor states in writing that she is a victim of abuse or secures a confidential "judicial bypass." Although the Illinois General Assembly enacted the current parental notice law on a bipartisan basis more than 15 years ago, the law has not gone into effect because of the ACLU's federal and state court challenges. In the pending state court appeal, the ACLU contends that the Act violates the privacy, due process, and equal protection guarantees in the Illinois Constitution of 1970. Though upheld by both the United States Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit and the Cook County Circuit Court, the law's enforcement has been "stayed" by agreement of the ACLU and Attorney General, pending a final ruling on the ACLU's appeal. Illinois is the Midwest's only state without a parental notice or consent law in effect.

The amicus brief argues that:

• The Illinois Constitution does not confer a right to abortion. On the contrary, the 1970 Constitutional Convention referred abortion issues to the legislature.
   
• Numerous other federal and state courts, including the U.S. Supreme Court, have repeatedly upheld parental notice as constitutional.
   
• The Illinois General Assembly properly found that parental consultation prior to an abortion promotes many legitimate state interests.

The ten State's Attorneys joining today include the following:

• Robert J. Berlin, State's Attorney, DuPage County
   
• John J. Boyd, State's Attorney, Kankakee County
   
• Henry Dixon, State's Attorney, Lee County
   
• Gregory Minger, State's Attorney, Woodford County
   
• Kevin S. Parker, State's Attorney, Jasper County
   
• Terence M. Patton, State's Attorney, Henry County
   
• David N. Stanton, State's Attorney, Perry County
   
• Nicole Vilani, State's Attorney, Jefferson County
   
• Mark Vincent, State's Attorney, Brown County
   
• William Yoder, State's Attorney, McLean County

The original eleven State's Attorneys include the following:

• Stewart Umholtz, State's Attorney, Tazewell County
   
• Edward Deters, State's Attorney, Effingham County
   
• Charles H. Burch, State's Attorney, Calhoun County
   
• Michael McIntosh, State's Attorney, Logan County
   
• Matthew S. Wilzbach, State's Attorney, Marion County
   
• Thomas R. Wiseman, State's Attorney, Crawford County
   
• Joseph P. Bruscato, State's Attorney, Winnebago County
   
• James A. Mack, State's Attorney, Putnam County
    
• Patrick Windhorst, State's Attorney, Massac County
   
• Albert G. Algren, State's Attorney, Warren County
   
• Scott McClintock, State's Attorney Henderson County

Here is a LINK to what was filed today, and here is a LINK to what was originally filed.

Contact: Tom Ciesielka
Source: Thomas More Society

Stem-cell researchers: Mum's the word

The first spinal-injury patient to receive embryonic stem-cell therapy has come forward with details about his treatment, but one doctor thinks his case is being used to give attention to an ineffective method of therapy.

 

Alabama nursing student Timothy Atchison, 21, was paralyzed from the chest down after he was in a car accident in September. Within two weeks of the crash, he gave doctors permission to inject him with the stem cells. But Dr. David Prentice of the Family Research Council (FRC) tells OneNewsNow that no more information has been given about the results of Atchison's treatment because researchers do not want to talk about them.
 
"It's too early to know whether he will be developing tumors," Dr. Prentice explains. "It's actually too early, if ever...[to] know whether the embryonic stem cells had any effect, because a lot of spinal cord injury patients show spontaneous recovery during the first 12 months."
 
But he believes this case is being used as media hype to keep the public open to the idea of embryonic stem-cell research, even though it has yet to produce any positive results. "In the meantime, we're not hearing about the dozens of patients with spinal cord injury who actually have been improved with adult stem cells, as documented by the published science," Prentice laments.
 
He points out that success with that method, which does not involve killing a human embryo, is continuously overlooked, and he concludes that the publicity over Atchison's case is just another way of promoting a research method that leaves nothing but empty promises.

Contact: Charlie Butts
Source: OneNewsNow

U.S. House Defunds Planned Parenthood; Senate Balks

For the second time this year, the U.S. House of Representatives has voted to stop sending taxpayer dollars to Planned Parenthood. The U.S. Senate, however, was quick to run in the opposite direction, with 58 senators voting in favor of funding the nation's largest abortion business.

The House voted 241-185 on the measure, and 240-185 to defund the widely unpopular health care law. The Senate voted 47-53 on the health care funding bill.

On a measure that would fund the government through September, representatives voted 260-167, and the Senate voted 81-19.

Kellie Fiedorek, staff counsel at Americans United for Life, said the flurry of votes in both chambers was significant.

"This is truly a historic time because this is the first time the Senate is being forced to go on record with where they stand on whether federal funds should be going to Planned Parenthood," she said.

Fiedorek said the debate over abortion funding will continue as Congress begins negotiating spending for 2012.

Pro-life groups had hoped this year's short-term spending bill would include cutting off Planned Parenthood.

"Is it perfect? No," said House Speaker John Boehner, who negotiated the deal with Senate Democrats and President Obama. "I'd be the first to admit it's flawed. But welcome to divided government."

Contact: Jennifer Mesko

Source: CitizenLink

URGENT ACTION ALERT HB 786

URGENT

Please contact your state representatives and urge them to vote YES on HB 786 (Ultrasound Opportunity Act - requires that a woman be offered the right to see an ultrasound before she can get an abortion -- it is her choice whether to see the ultrasound or not).

You can contact your representative or senator through the Capitol Switchboard in Springfield at 217-782-2000 or online by clicking here.

ACTION ALERT ON HB 3156

There is a pro-life bill that would shut down several abortion clinics in Illinois that is only 3 votes from passing the IL House of Representatives. Fortunately, there is a re-vote on HB3156 coming today or tomorrow! Can you make the call right now? It will only take a few minutes!

This bill would make sure that abortion clinics have the same standards as all other surgical clinics.

Only *5* out of Illinois' 22 abortion clinics meet the uniform standards that HB 3156 would hold them to!

They say they want equality for women through abortion, but they don't want equal safety for women when they do the abortions! Planned Parenthood is more worried about their pocket book than women's safety. They are complaining that it would cost them $1 million to get their substandard clinics up to speed.

The ACLU is complaining that HB 3156 WOULD CAUSE SOME ABORTION CLINICS TO CLOSE IN ILLINOIS! 

This is a HUGE opportunity and we are so close! 

Immediate Action Needed:

Contact your State Representative and ask them to vote YES on HB 3156 and HB 786 (the ultrasound bill).

Step 1:  Click here and look up the phone number of your State Representative

Step 2:  Make the call and ask your Rep to vote YES on HB 3156 and HB 786

Step 3:  Call these reps who unofficially voted 'present' and get them to commit to protecting women by voting YES

   Rep. Kelly Burke (D-Evergreen Park)    (217) 782-0515

          Rep. Linda Chapa LaVia (D-Aurora)    (217) 558-1002

 

          Rep. Rita Mayfield (D-Waukeegan)    (217) 558-1012

 

          Rep. Michael J. Zalewsk (D-Summit)    (217) 782-5280

 

          Rep. Derrick Smith (D-Chicago)    (217) 782-8077

 

          Rep. Andre M. Thapedi (D-Chicago)    (217) 782-1702

 

          Speaker Michael Madigan (D-Chicago)    (217) 782-5350

Step 3:  Spread the word and get your pro-life friends to make the call, forward this email to everyone!

A floor vote is coming soon, so please act now! 

U.S. Senate to Vote on De-Funding Planned Parenthood and the Obama Health Care Law

The U.S. Senate is expected to vote on Thursday, April 14, or Friday, April 15, on two special bills that are strongly supported by National Right to Life.  Please follow the guidance below to call the offices of your two U.S. senators immediately to urge them to support these bills.

The first Senate vote will occur on House Concurrent Resolution 35, which would remove funding for the entire Obama health care law that was enacted in 2010.  The Obama health care law contains multiple provisions that will, if fully implemented, result in government-imposed rationing of lifesaving medical care.  In addition, the Obama health care law contains multiple provisions authorizing funding of abortion and funding of health plans that cover abortion.

The second Senate vote will occur on House Concurrent Resolution 36, which would cut off federal funds to the Planned Parenthood Federation of America (PPFA) and its affiliates.  (This bill is similar to the Pence Amendment that was adopted by the House of Representatives on February 19; this will be the first time that the Senate has voted on this issue.)  PPFA is the nation's largest abortion provider, reporting 332,278 abortions in 2009. It appears that abortion accounts for roughly one-third of the aggregate income generated by PPFA-affiliated clinics.

For more information on these two issues, please see the letter sent to the Senate by National Right to Life on April 12, posted here.  (Note:  The Senate cannot vote on the two bills until after the House of Representatives passes them, but that is likely to happen on April 14.)

Please call your senators today!  Simply use the "Take Action Now" or "Call Now" box in this alert.  When you enter your zip code, you will be shown the correct phone numbers to call for your two U.S. senators.  You will also be shown a few short suggested "talking points" to use in your conversations with the senators' staff persons.  In addition, you will be given an opportunity to easily send a short e-mail to National Right to Life, if you wish to do so, to report on how your call went.

Please call today, and ask your like-minded friends to do the same!

Click here to take action now!