Trump’s Supreme Court nominee moves to final confirmation vote after historic rule change

The U.S. Senate approved a radical rules change today to allow Supreme Court nominee Neil Gorsuch to move to the final stage of being confirmed.

The U.S. Senate voted 52 to 48 to lower the number of votes that Gorsuch needs to be confirmed from 60 to 51. The Senate will likely vote on his confirmation tomorrow night.

The vote was along party lines.

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The sad, logical result of a culture OK with killing babies

Pastor Michael Allen of Uptown Baptist Church in Chicago works with the police to help at-risk gang members. He's convinced that the violence in Chicago and other cities has a direct connection to abortion. Legalizing abortion, he tells OneNewsNow, has created a culture of death in American society.

"If we have legalized death in the womb where a woman can choose to kill her unborn baby, and then we turn around and [tell] these young men [to] put down the gun and stop killing each other on the streets – there's a double message there," says the pastor.

The young men caught up in the violence aren't foolish, he continues, explaining that they see their pregnant girlfriends go around the corner and have their babies killed without their consent.

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Planned Parenthood claims to fight breast cancer… but they’re actually causing it

Last Wednesday, the Planned Parenthood Federation of America arranged a Pink Out Day on social media to promote their brand in the face of calls to defund the organisation and an unsympathetic Trump administration. What impact their noon “thunderclap” had is not clear, but there is no doubt that PPFA has many supporters who defend its claim to be an important women’s reproductive health provider.

However, the literal meaning of “reproductive health” is incompatible with two of Planned Parenthood’s main activities: abortion and the provision of hormonal contraception. For at least two decades researchers have been tracing a link between these birth control methods and the rising incidence of breast cancer – a link denied or ignored by the scientific and medical establishment.

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Trump administration redirects U.S. funding away from United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA)

The Trump Administration reinstated a policy Monday evening directing United States foreign assistance dollars away from the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) on the basis that its activities in China are complicit with that nation’s coercive population control program, the implementation of which includes forced abortion and involuntary sterilization.|
 United States funding will be directed instead to other family planning and health programs not involved in China’s population control program.

“We congratulate President Trump and his administration for making it abundantly clear the United States will not support a United Nations agency that cooperates in China’s brutally repressive population control policies,” said National Right to Life President Carol Tobias. “I heartily applaud what we at National Right to Life are seeing from this pro-life administration.”

The State Department memorandum issued Monday determined that the UNFPA was in violation of the Kemp-Kasten anti-coercion law. The amendment prohibits giving U.S. “population assistance” funds to “any organization or program which, as determined by the President of the United States, supports or participates in the management of a program of coercive abortion or involuntary sterilization.”

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ACTION ALERT - Break the pro-abortion Supreme Court filibuster

Judge Neil Gorsuch

President Trump has nominated Judge Neil Gorsuch to the U.S. Supreme Court, to fill the seat vacated a year ago by the death of Justice Antonin Scalia. We expect that the full Senate will take up the nomination immediately. But most Senate Democrats are threatening to filibuster the Gorsuch nomination!  This obstructionism is being demanded by militantly pro-abortion advocacy groups.

Republican senators hold a 52-48 Senate majority.  It is essential that the Republicans take whatever procedural steps are necessary to break through the Democratic obstructionism.  The critical Senate roll call votes are likely to occur on Thursday, April 6, or Friday, April 7.  To read National Right to Life's letter to senators urging them to take the steps necessary to break the filibuster, click here.

Please act today!  Just click on "Take Action," then enter your name and address (Senate offices require this information). We have provided a suggested e-mail message that is generally appropriate, but you can modify it in any manner you desire.  After you've finished modifying the message to your satisfaction, click "send message" to send the message to your two U.S. senators.

Senate Judiciary Committee advances nomination of Judge Gorsuch

President Trump with Judge Gorsuch

Like many of you, before the Senate Judiciary Committee voted 11-9 to advance to the full Senate the nomination of Judge Neil Gorsuch to become the newest member of the Supreme Court, I jumped back and forth between the debate and the press of other stories.

The Senate is currently controlled by Republicans, 52 to 48. Under current Senate precedents, it would require 60 votes to “invoke cloture” to end a filibuster on a Supreme Court nominee, which means that at least eight Democrats would have to join the Republicans to end the anticipated filibuster against Gorsuch that liberal grounds have demanded. It now seems apparent that there will not be eight — as of this afternoon, 41 Democrats have publicly declared that they will oppose ending the filibuster.

However, in 2013 the then-majority Democrats lowered the cloture threshold from 60 to a simple majority for all other presidential nominations, and Republican senators could now do the same thing for nominations to the Supreme Court if 50 of them agree — the so-called “nuclear option.”

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Vision 2020 - Week 10 - Rep. Sheri Jesiel (R) and Rep. Patricia R. Bellock (R)

 

Petitioning Heaven

Vision 2020 would like to invite you to join us in praying for our state legislators.  We will send out information about a couple different state representatives each week for you to pray over.    Consider sharing this information with your ministry partners, your church family, on your website and/or your Facebook page.   Please pray for these pro-life advocates.  They need strength, courage and boldness to face their pro-choice opponents.

Representative Sheri Jesiel (R) 61st District Voted Against HB40 (Taxpayer Funding for Abortion)   Representative Patricia R. Bellock (R) 47th District Deputy Republican Leader Voted Against HB40 (Taxpayer Funding for Abortion)

"This day I call the heavens and the earth as witnesses against you that I have set before you life and death, blessings and curses. Now choose life, so that you and your children may live" Deuteronomy 30:19

Illinois pushes hard against pro-lifers

Illinois lawmakers are taking another step to curtail members of the pro-life community.

Illinois has become one of the most pro-abortion states in the nation. It took 15 years for the Thomas More Society to work through the courts to get a parental notification law in place.

According to Eric Scheidler of the Pro-Life Action League in Chicago, the state passed a conscience bill last year "that is forcing doctors and even pro-life pregnancy centers to not only make abortion referrals but to sing the praises of abortion." And another bill is being proposed that would require taxpayers to pay for abortion.

Four Democratic state representatives from Chicago have introduced H.B. 3735.  If the bill passes, heavy fines and jail terms could be lodged against sidewalk counselors found guilty of intimidating women entering an abortion clinic.

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Senate narrowly passes bill to nullify 11th hour gift from Obama to Planned Parenthood

 Vice President casts tie-breaking votes

It was every bit as tight as expected. Earlier Thursday, in his role as President of the Senate, pro-life Vice President Mike Pence cast a tie-breaking vote which allowed action to proceed on H. J. Res. 43.

Thursday afternoon he cast the same tie-breaking vote on the measure itself which uses the Congressional Review Act to address Obama’s Department of Health and Human Services’ regulation designed to prevent states from redirecting Title X funds away from unsuitable organizations such as Planned Parenthood.

H. J. Res. 43 had previously passed the House 230-188.

H. J. Res. 43 now moves to President Trump for his signature.

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In new undercover video, Planned Parenthood abortionist reveals extraction techniques

Wednesday, the Center for Medical Progress released an undercover video taken at a Planned Parenthood networking event in which an abortionist vividly describes her technique of ending the lives of unborn babies at up to six months in their mother's wombs.

In a 12-minute long portion of a 27 minute long unedited conversation, Planned Parenthood Arizona's Medical Director Dr. DeShawn Taylor goes into detail about how she dismembers unborn babies so that her staff isn't upset when the extractions are intact, and a baby is easily identifiable.

This video was released despite David Daleiden and associate Sandra Merritt being charged Tuesday in California with 15 felonies for falsely identifying themselves as purchasers of body parts for a bio-tech company. The charges say they secretly recorded themselves and stole documents from a technology firm.



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Paul Ryan’s new plan to defund Planned Parenthood

Speaker of the House Rep. Paul Ryan

Speaker of the House Rep. Paul Ryan says Republicans will defund Planned Parenthood via a budget reconciliation bill even though the American Healthcare Act (AHCA) that would have defunded the abortion giant failed.

"We agree with Speaker Ryan that reconciliation is the best way to address taxpayer funding of Planned Parenthood, the nation’s largest abortion business," said Marjorie Dannenfelser, president of the Susan B. Anthony List. "Before members of Congress leave town for spring break, they must enact a new budget reconciliation bill that redirects the abortion giant’s federal funding to community health centers."  Republicans have two weeks to do this.

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Pro-life investigator charged with 15 felonies for exposing Planned Parenthood baby parts sales

David Daleiden

The state of California charged pro-life investigators David Daleiden and Sandra Merritt of the Center for Medical Progress (CMP) with 15 crimes Tuesday.

CMP's undercover videos showing Planned Parenthood executives haggling over the prices of aborted baby body parts spurred a Congressional investigation and calls for the abortion company to be stripped of its federal tax dollars.

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NRLC urges Senate to pass measure to nullify last-minute gift from Obama to Planned Parenthood

Last month, on a vote 230-188, the House of Representatives voted to nullify an 11th hour Obama rule preventing states from redirecting Title X funds away from Planned Parenthood, the largest abortion provider in the United States.

H. J. Res. 43 would use the Congressional Review Act to address Obama’s Department of Health and Human Services’ regulation designed to prevent states from redirecting Title X funds away from unsuitable organizations such as Planned Parenthood.

On Thursday the Senate will vote on this last minute gift to Planned Parenthood, which took effect on January 18, literally with just two days left in Obama’s presidency.

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US House didn't vote to defund Planned Parenthood, replace Obamacare

After 48 hours of bickering and negotiations, House Republicans have pulled the American Health Care Act (ACHA), an Obamacare replacement bill defunding most of Planned Parenthood.

The vote was originally supposed to be Thursday, Obamacare's seventh anniversary. It was delayed as conservative Republicans said it didn't go far enough and it was unclear if it had the votes to pass.

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Senate Democrats force a week delay in vote on Judge Gorsuch

In a move that came as a surprise to utterly no one, Democrats today forced a one-week delay in a Senate Judiciary Committee vote on Supreme Court nominee Judge Neil Gorsuch. The committee will now vote on Gorsuch’s nomination to replace the late Justice Antonin Scalia on April 3.

Under Senate rules, any member of Judiciary Committee can ask for a nomination to be held over one week. Senators are scheduled to leave for a two-week Easter recess starting April 8.

“Before the hearing started we all knew how qualified the judge is. His resume speaks for itself,” Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) said, according to the Associated Press. “But last week we got to see up-close how thoughtful, articulate, and humble he is. He is clearly deeply committed to being a fair and impartial judge. And he isn’t willing to compromise that independence to win votes in the Senate.”

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Three months, one day to go before NRL 2017 begins in Milwaukee

If you go to the bottom of the NRLC Convention page, you’ll find a clock counting down the time until NRL 2017, the pro-life educational event of the year, begins.

In the beautiful words of the late Dr. Jean Garton, “It is the annual gathering of America’s pro-life family.”

When I wrote this post, the clock told us that it’s three months, one day, and 13 hours until June 29, the opening of this annual three-day event which brings together experts and grassroots activists from all over the world. Believe me, it will two months and one day before you know it.

I remind you of this because it is never too early to register. For exact details on how to register online, click here.

Naturally, I’m partisan because I come from the Midwest. But you’d be hard-pressed to find a better gathering place than the Hyatt Regency Milwaukee Hotel, in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

National Right to Life always provides attendees with great speakers, whose knowledge is matched only by their capacity to motivate. To take two examples, Ben Shapiro will get the convention off to a rousing start at the 10 am opening General Session June 29.

“Make sure you are at the Hyatt Regency Milwaukee by 10 am on Thursday morning, June 29! We look forward to seeing you all there!”

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Vision 2020 Week 9 - Rep. Litesa E. Wallace (D) and Rep. Laura Fine (D)

Petitioning Heaven Vision 2020 would like to invite you to join us in praying for our state legislators. We will send out information about a couple different state representatives each week for you to pray over. Consider sharing this information with your ministry partners, your church family, on your website and/or your Facebook page.   We know that prayer changes things.  And we know that NOTHING is impossible with God. So let's join our hearts and voices together and petition heaven on behalf of the great state of Illinois! Some of our legislators need prayer that God will open their eyes  and change their hearts (or move them out of their positions) and  some need prayers that they will have the strength, courage and  boldness to be able to stand firmly against the opposition as they  fight for life and family values.   Representative Litesa E. Wallace (D) 67th District Pro-Choice Representative Laura Fine (D) 17th District Pro-Choice "Yet, Lord my God, give attention to your servant's prayer  and his plea for mercy. Hear the cry and the prayer that your  servant is praying in your presence."  2 Chronicles 6:19

Democrats will filibuster Gorsuch, says senate minority leader

Supreme Court nominee Neil Gorsuch

Senate Minority Leader Sen. Chuck Schumer, D-NY, plans to lead a Democrat filibuster of Supreme Court nominee Judge Neil Gorsuch.

Republicans will need to convince eight Democrats to vote in favor of confirming Gorsuch. If they are able to do that, Gorsuch will have 60 votes, a requirement for overcoming a filibuster.  Republicans may change procedural rules so that Gorsuch only needs 51 votes to be confirmed.

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