StemExpress says it has cut ties with Planned Parenthood

A week ago Sunday, Heather Saunders Estes, CEO and president of Planned Parenthood’s Northern California chapter, told Phil Matier of KPIX 5, “What we do is legal and ethical and we’re proud of it.”

Estes was, of course, referring to the tremendous backlash against PPFA stirred by the shocking remarks made by Planned Parenthood officials on recorded undercover videos taken by the Center for Medical Progress (CMP).

On Saturday Stem Express ostensibly cut ties with Planned Parenthood.

“Due to the increased questions that have arisen over the past few weeks, we feel it prudent to terminate activities with Planned Parenthood,” a company statement said. “While we value our relationship with Planned Parenthood, that work represents a small percentage of our overall business activity and we must focus our limited resources on resolving these inquiries.”

Click here for the originating article from NRLC.

ETHICAL Stem Cells Grow Human Brain

This is an achievement: Scientists have used skin cells to build a rudimentary human brain. (These were induced pluripotent stem cells.) From The Guardian story:

An almost fully-formed human brain has been grown in a lab for the first time, claim scientists from Ohio State University. The team behind the feat hope the brain could transform our understanding of neurological disease. 

Though not conscious the miniature brain, which resembles that of a five-week-old foetus, could potentially be useful for scientists who want to study the progression of developmental diseases. It could also be used to test drugs for conditions such as Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s, since the regions they affect are in place during an early stage of brain development. 

The brain, which is about the size of a pencil eraser, is engineered from adult human skin cells and is the most complete human brain model yet developed, claimed Rene Anand of Ohio State University, Columbus, who presented the work today at the Military Health System Research Symposium in Fort Lauderdale, Florida.

Click here for the originating article from National Review.

Over 300 Planned Parenthood Protests to Take Place Simultaneously in 47 States August 22

On Saturday, August 22 public protests of Planned Parenthood (PP) abortion clinics and facilities will take place all over the United States. Thousands are expected to attend these protests with the purpose of creating awareness of the barbaric practice of abortion and the sale of aborted baby body parts -- a scandal that has erupted in recent weeks due to undercover videos released by the Center for Medical Progress. Currently, there are over 300 cities in 47 states and 5 countries represented in the nationwide protest.

Radical pro-abortion groups have organized counter protests in several cities. "We are going to be out there … it's up to us to make a big noise," Sunsara Taylor, founder of StopPatriarchy.org, said recently in the Washington Times.

#ProtestPP is the largest demonstration against Planned Parenthood in their 99 year history.

For more information and locations, go to ProtestPP.com

Click here for the originating article from Christian Newswire.

Video #7: 'Absolute barbarism' at Planned Parenthood

Just when one thinks the reports can't possibly get more gruesome, a revealing video tells of abortion technicians harvesting an intact brain from a late-term baby boy whose heart was still beating.

The seventh in a series of undercover videos about Planned Parenthood and the harvesting of body parts of aborted babies was released today by The Center for Medical Progress. Project lead David Daleiden says this of the latest video:

"[It] contains heartrending admissions about the absolute barbarism of Planned Parenthood's abortion practice and baby parts sales in which fetuses are sometimes delivered intact and alive. Planned Parenthood is a criminal organization from the top down and should be immediately stripped of taxpayer funding and prosecuted for their atrocities against humanity."



Click here for the originating article from OneNewsNow.

What the House is Doing About Planned Parenthood

The following was distributed today by the office of House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-Ca.)

The videos of Planned Parenthood employees detailing and engaging in gruesome abortion practices are profoundly disturbing, and no person can escape being sickened by what Planned Parenthood is doing and the callousness of how they do it. The White House may not want to look at the problem in the face, but the rest of America knows that as good and decent people, we can’t turn a blind eye to Planned Parenthood’s abortion industry.

When these videos first came out, the House immediately started investigating Planned Parenthood. And over the course of over a month, we have demanded answers to determine whether abortion providers are profiting from selling fetal body parts and organs, whether abortion providers change procedures in order to maximize their harvesting of body parts, and if there are any other violations of federal law or ways Congress can respond to these horrifying practices.

We need to get all the facts about Planned Parenthood so that the American people know exactly what is going on. Once we’ve gotten to the bottom of Planned Parenthood’s abortion business, we can work to stop any illegal selling of fetal body parts and make sure no taxpayer is ever forced to give their money to fund these repulsive practices.

Click here for the originating article from NRLC.

Five states have now cut funding to Planned Parenthood

In rapid succession, Utah and Arkansas last week became the fourth and fifth states to defund Planned Parenthood.

On Friday pro-life Arkansas Governor Asa Hutchinson “moved to cut the state’s funding of Planned Parenthood Federation of America and ordered the Department of Human Services to sever its Medicaid contract with the abortion provider,” Reuters reported.

Also on Friday Utah Gov. Gary Herbert instructed the Utah Department of Health to “stop distributing federal funds to the Planned Parenthood Association of Utah,” Deseret News reported.

Click here for the originating article from NRLC.

Get your Pastor more involved in the Pro-Life Movement

Attention Pro-Life Activists!

Do you want to do more to get your pastor and your church involved in the pro-life movement?  Do you want to bless your pastor with information that will inspire him or her to become a pro-life warrior?  Do you know of a pastor or church that you just want to bless and arm with a deeper understanding of the most crucial issue in the United States today – the right to life?

If your answer is “Yes!” then visit: http://www.deliverusfromabortion.com/grassroots/

Learn about an exciting new call to wake up the churches of Illinois and become a partner in the frontline of this important outreach to God’s pastors.

Check it out!
Dawn Behnke, IFRL President

Viral video of 11-week baby jumping shows the humanity of preborn children

A beautiful video of a baby in utero is rapidly being shared across social media. The ultrasound shows the 11-week, 4-day-old preborn child bouncing around in the womb. This child is still in the first trimester, the gestational age during which most abortions take place.

Monica Barba posted the video, saying, “For everyone who is wondering what can be seen on an ultrasound of a 1st trimester baby. Enjoy!” She says the child belongs to a woman who came into the pregnancy resource center and chose life. Barba describes the child as having a lot of energy and being full of life, and that another ultrasound later revealed he is a boy.

Since July 21, the video has been shared more than 8,000 times and has been viewed over 500,000 times.

This baby was saved at a pregnancy resource center when his mother chose life after seeing this ultrasound. We discovered later in the pregnancy this baby was a BOY! For everyone who is wondering what can be seen on an ultrasound of a 1st trimester baby. Enjoy!11 weeks 4 days old baby. So much energy & life!!! Precious baby =)
Posted by Monica Barba on Tuesday, July 21, 2015

Click here for the originating article from Live Action News.

Planned Parenthood scandal may have international effects

A pro-life organization is anticipating the possibility that Europe may soon be ending its relationship with Planned Parenthood.

The abortion business has lately been the target of several undercover videos showing staff discussing the sale of aborted baby organs and tissue, and Joseph Meaney of Human Life International tells OneNewsNow the controversy is not limited to the United States.

"It kind of shows, I think, the globalization of the pro-life movement, because Planned Parenthood's troubles in the USA are turning into international Planned Parenthood Federation's troubles all over the world," Meaney offers. "The European Commission now has been asked to investigate Planned Parenthood in Europe based on the fact that Planned Parenthood Federation of America has been caught doing all these things here in the USA."

A member of the European Parliament, Miroslav Mikolasik, filed the complaint with the Commission in part because the Commission provides funds for the international abortion provider for Africa.

Click here for the originating article from OneNewsNow.

False charges against Chicago pro-life counselor dismissed

A pro-life counselor in the Chicago area had to wait half a year for prosecutors to admit they didn't have a case against him.

For two decades, Warren Dorman has been a sidewalk counselor at Albany Medical Surgical Center, an abortion clinic. Thomas More Society attorney Corrina Konczal picks up the story.

“On December 27 of this past year, there was an incident that resulted in Mr. Dorman's arrest,” she says. “It was described as battery, and we've been defending Mr. Dorman because it simply wasn't.”

In fact, it was Dorman and an abortion clinic worker accidentally bumping into each other, which Konczal says video cameras would have revealed.

Click here for the originating article from OneNewsNow.

Pro-abortion Senator Kirk collaborating with Illinois' Planned Parenthood?

On August 3, U.S. Senator Mark Kirk was the lone* Republican to vote against a measure to defund Planned Parenthood, this despite horrific revelations from, at that point, four undercover videos showing various Planned Parenthood high level executives admitting - bragging even - about selling aborted baby parts for profit.

Former Congressman Bobby Schilling penned an op ed in the Chicago Tribune imploring Kirk to reconsider his position. He, too, agreed someone needs to challenge Kirk, and rumor has it that someone could be him.

By the night of August 5, Kirk was feeling the heat. One of his campaign staffers forwarded Fran Eaton, editor of Illinois Review, what appears to be the only known copy of the following press release. It is not and never has been on his website, nor has it been sent to anyone else that we know of. This is because it contains a glaring oopsie. See if you can spot it:

Click here for the originating article from Illinois Review.

National Protest of Planned Parenthood scheduled for Saturday morning

The Planned Parenthood Center in Aurora Illinois will one abortion clinic throughout the nation that will be protested Saturday, August 22 from 9 to 11 am.  Multiple protests will be held in 37 states in response to undercover videos that show Planned Parenthood officials in California, Texas and Colorado negotiating with fetal tissue buyers and inside looks at labs where aborted baby parts are gathered.

Chicago's Pro-Life Action League, led by Eric Scheidler, is one of the national protest organizers.

"The protests will declare," their website says, “'Planned Parenthood sells baby parts!' to raise public awareness of this scandalous practice, which was recently brought to light in a series of undercover videos by the Center for Medical Progress."

Click here for locations and the originating article from Illinois Review.

When the Senate won't defund Planned Parenthood, states will

Alabama on Thursday became the third U.S. state this week to withdraw funding from its local branches of Planned Parenthood, after the U.S. Senate failed to bring to the floor a bill that would have blocked federal funding of the abortion group.

On Aug. 5, New Hampshire's Executive Council (the state's executive body alongside its governor) voted 3-2 to deny the state's contract with Planned Parenthood of Northern New England. The decision will remove $639,000 in state funding of the organization.

Louisiana's health department ended its Medicaid provider contract with Planned Parenthood Aug. 3, though it will take effect in 30 days. The decision was made, according to Governor Bobby Jindal, because “Planned Parenthood does not represent the values of the people of Louisiana and shows a fundamental disrespect for human life. It has become clear that this is not an organization that is worthy of receiving public assistance from the state.”

Click here for the originating articl from CNA Daily News.

Tell Congress You Don’t Want Tax Funds to Push Older People to Agree to Premature Death!

Ask Your Representative to Co-Sponsor H.R. 3251 against Biased “Advance Care Planning” Under Medicare

During the debate over the enactment of Obamacare, there was considerable controversy over paying Medicare health care providers to conduct “advance care planning,” which counsels patients on deciding whether to choose or reject life-preserving medical treatment (and even food and fluids) and advising on legal documents implementing that decision. That provision was taken out of the ultimately enacted law because of an outcry by those who feared it would be used to limit health care spending by persuading people to agree to forego life-saving treatments. Now, the Obama Administration is proposing to use executive power to revive it as a regulation to take effect January 1, 2016.

Rep. Steve King (R-IA) has introduced a bill, H.R. 3251, to prevent the Administration from implementing new Medicare payments for “advance care planning” sessions, which substantial evidence shows are in most cases likely to “nudge” seniors to accept denial of life-preserving care and medically assisted provision of food and fluids.

Click here to Contact your Representative to urge him or her to cosponsor H.R. 3251!

Documentation and multiple examples of bias can be found in a report entitled “The Bias Against Life-Preserving Treatment in Advance Care Planning,” available HERE.

Click here for the originating article from National Right to Life.

Illinois conservatives react to Kirk's Planned Parenthood compromise bill

Illinois conservatives are reacting negatively to U.S. Senator Mark Kirk's announcement Wednesday night that he and two other Republican senators were introducing legislation calling for the Department of Justice to investigate Planned Parenthood and its affiliates.

The bill, Kirk's press release says, calls on the federal government to defund any affiliates found to be involved in trafficking aborted babies' remains.

It is difficult to assess exactly how Kirk and his colleagues want all they say they want will happen, because as of Thursday morning, the text of the bill hasn't been posted.

Click here for the originating article from Illinois Review.

Breen introduces bill to ban baby body part trafficking in Illinois

While there is no evidence to substantiate U.S. Senator Mark Kirk's claims that Planned Parenthood in Illinois is not involved in trafficking baby body parts as undercover videos revealed such involvement in California, Colorado and Texas, concerns about similar activities in Illinois abortion clinics remain unanswered.

In response to the controversial videos surrounding the harvesting and sale of aborted fetal body parts and tissue, State Representative Peter Breen (R-Lombard) filed legislation this week to amend and clarify the Illinois Anatomical Gift Act as it relates to tissue and body parts that can be legally donated or sold.

HB4266, filed Wednesday in Springfield, would amend the Anatomical Gift Act by expanding the definition of “decedent” to include a deceased fetus or unborn child using definitions outlined in the Illinois Abortion Law of 1975. The proposed new language also expressly prohibits the donation or sale of aborted fetuses and fetal tissue.

Click here for the originating article from Illinois Review.

Illinois' Mark Kirk only Republican to support Planned Parenthood in U.S. Senate vote

With U.S. Senator Mark Kirk as the only Republican to oppose stopping the taxpayer funding of Planned Parenthood, he U.S. Senate fell six votes short Monday afternoon.

The Washington Post writes:

Two prominent moderates, Sens. Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.) and Joe Donnelly (D-Ind.), voted to defund Planned Parenthood. Two others who were considered to be likely swing voters, Sens. Bob Casey (D-Pa.) and Heidi Heitkamp (D-N.D.), voted against the bill, joining 43 other Democrats and Republican Sen. Mark Kirk of Illinois to defeat the measure. 

"I commend the Senators that lead this initiative and and would like to thank all those who voted in favor of defunding Planned Parenthood today," Phyllis Schlafly said.  "We were all sickened by content released in several videos over the last few weeks showing Planned Parenthood executives and employees discussing the sale and profit of the organs and body parts of unborn babies.

Click here for the originating article from Illinois Review.

The Abortion Pill Known as “RU-486”: By any other name… Just as deadly

If there wasn’t enough confusion already, we now find that the abortion drug mifepristone (the generic name for RU-486) is being produced in other countries and sold under other names. Why does that matter?

It’s a wake-up call for anyone who thought that the abortion pill was just about adding one other boutique abortion option to American clinics. What is clear now is that chemical abortion has become big business, on a global scale, and a lot pharmaceutical entrepreneurs are looking to cash in. And they don’t care much about the risk these online drug stores pose to women in countries all over the globe.

Mifepristone originally was named RU-38486, as it was the 34,486th chemical compound synthesized by French pharmaceutical maker, Roussel-Uclaf. Calling it RU-486 is a matter of shorthand, though it also has the unintentionally ironic feature of being an abbreviated textual form of the question “Are You For 86?” To “86″ something has long been American slang for getting rid of that thing or person.

Click here for the originating article from National Right to Life.

Senate Democrats Block Bill to Defund Planned Parenthood

Senate Democrats yesterday (August 3rd) voted to block a bill that would end all federal funding of the nation’s largest abortion provider.

The measure, S. 1881, would block funding of the Planned Parenthood Federation of America (PPFA) and its affiliates. The vote to advance the bill was 53 to 46. However, 55 current senators actually support advancing the bill (one pro-life senator was absent, and Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) switched his vote to opposition only so that he would be eligible to enter a motion to reconsider, as he promptly did).

On the most recent previous occasion when the Senate voted on whether to defund Planned Parenthood, on April 14, 2011, only 42 senators voted for the cutoff.

“Planned Parenthood’s political arm is a major backer of many Democratic senators – who today voted to block a bill to defund their political ally,” said Carol Tobias, National Right to Life president. “We recognize that cutting off this politically connected abortion mega-marketer is a long-term project, and we are encouraged that today’s tally represents a marked increase in opposition to Planned Parenthood since 2011, when only 42 senators voted to support a cutoff. Shame on Senate Democrats for voting to allow hundreds of millions of taxpayer dollars to fill the coffers of the nation’s largest abortion provider.”

Sponsored by Sen. Joni Ernst (R-Iowa), S. 1881 states, “Notwithstanding any other provision of law, no Federal funds may be made available to Planned Parenthood Federation of America, or to any of its affiliates, subsidiaries, successors, or clinics.” The bill also contains language to provide that “all funds no longer available to Planned Parenthood will continue to be made available to other eligible entities to provide women’s health care services.” In other words, any funds removed from Planned Parenthood would be reallocated to women’s health services provided by others.

Sen. Ernst introduced S. 1881 last week with the strong backing of Majority Leader McConnell, in response to a series of videos released by The Center for Medical Progress. The videos, which underscored the need for passage of legislation to cut off all federal funds to Planned Parenthood and its affiliates, show top Planned Parenthood officials discussing the harvesting and trafficking of body parts from unborn babies killed by abortion.

Click here for the originating article from National Right to Life.

Ethically acceptable non-embryonic stem cells once again in the news

Remember when THE SCIENTISTS! insisted that embryonic stem cells and human cloning were the ONLY HOPE to create a vibrant regenerative medical sector? People bought the mendacity, and as one consequence, California is now stuck with the borrow-and-spend-billions boondoggle known as the California Institute for Regenerative Medicine.

 One Japanese scientist [Shinya Yamanaka] saw his own daughters in embryos under a microscope and invented induced pluripotent stem [iPS] cells–that is, stem cells (undifferentiated cells) made from skin cells, that can then be transformed (differentiated) into other kinds of tissues.

In other words the “authorities” adamantly insisted that the future of regenerative medicine– restoring structure and function to damaged tissues and organs–will run through the harvesting of stem cells tissue extracted from embryonic human beings.

But Prof. Yamanaka found an ethical alternative.

Click here for the originating article from National Right to Life