NEWS SHORTS FOR THURSDAY

NEWS SHORTS FOR THURSDAY (Referral to Web sites not produced by The Illinois Federation for Right to LIfe is for informational purposes only and does not necessarily constitute an endorsement of the sites' content.) Bill Regulating Crisis Pregnancy Centers Ignites Abortion Debate A bill before the Montgomery County Council that would place restrictions on some county crisis pregnancy centers drew more than 250 people on both sides of the abortion debate to a public hearing Tuesday night. The bill would require most "limited service pregnancy centers" — those that do not provide or refer for abortions — to post disclaimers that the information they provide to clients is not medical advice. They also would have to tell clients that the information does not establish a doctor-patient relationship. Click here for the full article. Property Taxes Funds Abortions AUSTIN, Texas - For the past several years property taxes n Travis County have been funding abortions through the Travis County Health Care District. Some taxpayers, including the Catholic Diocese of Austin, want the practice to stop. The Diocese only recently discovered that their property tax dollars were paying for abortions that are funded through the Travis County Health Care District. "The Travis County Health Care district inherited these contracts from the city of Austin and they've been renewed since the district's inception," says Christie Garbe with the Travis County Health District. Click here for the full article. Coat Hangers and 'Common Ground' Double Talk WASHINGTON - Susan B. Anthony List President Marjorie Dannenfelser published a commentary this week at Townhall.com that examines how the radical feminist lobby is attempting to bully the pro-life members of the House and Senate to reject authentic, pro-life Stupak language in the health care bill. Selected excerpts follow:       "If there were a Political Olympics, the messaging gold medal would go to President Obama, with a silver awarded to Illinois Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL). Since even before his inauguration, President Obama overlaid his daily march to implement strident abortion policy with a palatable 'need for common ground' theme. Click here for the full text of the piece on the Townhall.com website. Click here for the full article. Former Dutch Health Minister Admits Error of Legalizing Euthanasia The former Dutch minister who successfully promoted the legalization of euthanasia has now admitted that the government's move was a mistake, and says that they should have first focused on palliative care. Els Borst, who served as Health Minister for the Netherlands from 1994 to 2002, proposed the country's infamous euthanasia bill.  When it passed in 2001, the Netherlands became the first country in the world to legalize euthanasia.  In 2008 alone, Dutch doctors reported 2,331 cases of euthanasia and assisted suicide. Borst drew criticism from some Christian political parties shortly after the passage of her bill for comments she made in an interview.  Echoing the Christ's final words on the Cross, Borst exclaimed: "It is finished!" Click here for the full article. New stem cell lines approved for tax-paid research WASHINGTON - Scientists can start using taxpayer dollars to do research with 13 batches of embryonic stem cells -- and the government says dozens more cell lines should be available soon. President Barack Obama lifted eight years of restrictions on the master cells last spring. But new projects were on hold until the National Institutes of Health (NIH) determined which of hundreds of existing stem cell lines were ethically appropriate to use.   Thirteen stem cell lines -- created by Children's Hospital Boston and Rockefeller University -- are first on that list. Click here for the full article.