Obama Vows No Litmus Tests on Abortion for Supreme Court Pick
President Barack Obama, left, and Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., discuss the Supreme Court vacancy left by the retirement of Justice Stevens in the Oval Office of the White House in Washington Wednesday, April 21, 2010. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)
Washington (AP) - President Barack Obama said Wednesday that he will not insist that his Supreme Court nominee pass any "litmus tests" over supporting abortion rights, but made clear he will choose a candidate who will consider personal privacy and women's rights when ruling on cases.
"That's going to be something that's very important to me," Obama said in response to a question about a woman's right to choose.
"I think part of what our constitutional values promote is the notion that individuals have protection in their privacy, and their bodily integrity, and women are not exempt from that," Obama said.
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Pro-Life Group Questions UW, Planned Parenthood Relationship
A Wisconsin pro-life group is questioning the legality of using state funds to train state-employed physicians at Planned Parenthood, saying it violates state law because training involves performing abortions. Pro-Life Wisconsin sent a formal request to Attorney General J.B. Van Hollen last Friday to determine if it is illegal for the University of Wisconsin Hospital and Clinics Authority to train the residents there. Currently, the UW School of Medicine and Public Health and Planned Parenthood have an agreement for the interchange of employees. UW Medical students and UWHC residents can gain training experiences at Planned Parenthood’s site in Madison, including family planning, colposcopy and abortions.
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Closing 'anchor baby' loophole
An immigration reform think tank is praising a bill introduced in the U.S. House that would close a loophole that allows foreign women who are pregnant to come to the U.S. as "tourists" long enough to have their babies, who are then granted American citizenship automatically.
Because of that loophole in the 14th Amendment, foreign nationals are in essence permitted to unilaterally decide who can be a citizen of the U.S. That amendment was ratified in 1868 to make sure that citizenship rights were guaranteed to the children of freed slaves after the Civil War. But in recent years it has been misinterpreted and used as an incentive to illegal immigration and violation by those already in the country illegally.
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Oklahoma Legislature Works on Pro-Life Bills
The Oklahoma Senate advanced five pro-life bills on Monday, ranging from mandating signage in abortion clinics to one that exempts the state from paying for abortions under the federal health care reform law.
The five bills that passed the state Senate this week:
* A bill requiring an ultrasound image be offered to abortion-minded women.
* A bill requiring women to complete a questionnaire before receiving an abortion.
* A bill mandating certain signs be posted in abortion clinics.
* A bill to prevent "wrongful-life" lawsuits, where a parent could argue that a child with birth defects would have been better off aborted.
* A bill prohibiting state insurance exchanges, created under the new federal health care law, from covering abortions.
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Obama hints that Supreme Court pick will back abortion
President Obama said April 21 he won't have a litmus test for his next Supreme Court nominee but strongly hinted he wants the person to uphold Roe v. Wade and legalized abortion.
Obama made the remarks prior to a meeting with bi-partisan members of the Senate Judiciary Committee, which will hold hearings on the president's pick to succeed retiring Justice John Paul Stevens.
Asked if he would be willing to nominate someone who did not support legalized abortion, Obama restated his pro-choice views.
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Heartbeat Joins with State Groups to Host Ohio Legislative Day for Life
Moms and Babies Rescued by Pregnancy Help Centers Share Their Gratitude with Legislators
Women, who received the emotional support and practical help they needed when faced with an unexpected pregnancy, have brought their children to the Ohio Statehouse to tell elected officials how grateful they are for the life-saving work of pregnancy help centers. They come with one simple message: "Pregnancy Help Centers are good for Ohio."
Heartbeat International joins with Ohio Right to Life and Ohio Adolescent Health Association for Ohio Legislative Day for Life to provide an opportunity for compassionate people with a passion for life and former pregnancy center clients to share about the good work of pregnancy help ministries here in Ohio.
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Illinois Federation for Right to Life
2600 State Street, Suite E
Alton, IL 62002
Phone: 618-466-4122
Fax: 618-466-4134
Web: www.ifrl.org
E-mail: mail@ifrl.org
