UNFPA Pushing for Hundreds of Billions for Family Planning

UNFPA Pushing for Hundreds of Billions for Family Planning NEW YORK, NY - At the United Nations this week, the UN Population Fund (UNFPA) organized a commemorative seminar on the 1995 Cairo International Conference on Population and Development (ICPD) and, in a look ahead, urged states to renew their commitment to the program, calling for over $200 billion (US) in funding for "sexual and reproductive health and family planning" alone. UNFPA's Ann Pawliczko gave a financial perspective of the ICPD Program of Action and presented a "revised ICPD Global Cost Estimate" for 2009 through 2015, when the ICPD program is scheduled to end.  Apart from $212 billion (US) for "sexual and reproductive health / family planning," UNFPA estimates that another $22.5 billion would be needed for "family planning direct costs" for the same time period. At the seminar, attended by less than 80 individuals representing government delegations and civil society, panelists presented a retrospective of the "groundbreaking" ICPD conference and sought to outline a way forward. Claiming that with only five years left to fulfill the commitments made at the ICPD and achieve the interrelated Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), "governments are called upon to redouble their efforts toward the integration of population and development policies." Opening the seminar, Dr. Werner Haug, UNFPA's Technical Division director, acknowledged that population has always been a "thorny and difficult" topic and that countries must now decide how to proceed after the Cairo Program of Action expires at the end of 2014. Dr. Stan Bernstein, a UNFPA senior policy advisor, called the Cairo consensus "novel" for its person-centered approach rather than just on numbers and demographics and praised the Cairo's reframing of population programs to a "customized approach" which seeks to provide couples and individuals with the means to achieve a smaller family size. Hania Zlotnik of the UN Population Division emphasized the alleged benefits of population reduction, touting that declining fertility "has potentially positive effects on economic growth" such as a reduced number of dependents, an increased number of workers, particularly more women workers since they are having less children.  Zlotnik lamented that funding for family planning was on the decline and warned that "the reproductive health of women and couples cannot be assured if women don't have the means to control their fertility." Laura Laski, another UNFPA representative, focused solely on "reproductive rights and universal access to sexual and reproductive health."  Laski lauded the progress made since the Cairo conference and highlighted the linkage to the MDGs. Laski pointed to the controversial MDG target on "universal access to reproductive health by 2015" as the new "center point" for future work on "sexual and reproductive health." (Pro-life critics note that states rejected a separate goal on "reproductive health" in 2001, only to see it reappear as a "target" in the annex of a Secretary-General's report in 2007.) Panelists concluded that the "chief constraint" to realizing the Cairo program of action is the "lack of adequate funding" and urged states to increase their political will, renew their Cairo commitment and "increase allocations for population activities" as a matter of priority. The UNFPA seminar was co-organized by UNITAR, the UN Institute for Training and Research, as part of the UN's celebration of the ICPD 15th anniversary. This article reprinted by LifeSiteNews.com with permission from www.c-fam.org. Contact: Samantha Singson Source: C-FAM/LifesiteNews.com Publish Date: December 3, 2009 Link to this article.   Send this article to a friend.

Pro-Life Policy on the Chopping Block

Pro-Life Policy on the Chopping Block   A Senate committee recently passed an amendment to the State and Foreign Operations appropriations bill, sponsored by Sen. Frank Lautenberg, D-N.J., which would prevent any future president from reinstating the Mexico City Policy.  The policy prohibits U.S. tax dollars from going to groups that perform or promote abortions overseas.  And now the Senate is considering an omnibus bill to roll all of its fiscal year 2010 spending bills into one large bill, including the Lautenberg Amendment. Joy Yearout, communications director for the Susan B. Anthony List, said it's just an extension of President Obama's extreme pro-abortion agenda – an agenda that doesn't sit well with most Americans. "That definitely is in contrast with the public, which does not want to see their money used to fund abortions anywhere," she said. But public opinion has not deterred President Obama, according to Rep. Chris Smith, R-N.J. "This administration has been shameless in its abortion promotion," he said. It's possible the Lautenberg amendment may be included in an omnibus bill – several bills rolled into one large bill – or voted on separately.  In either case, there are efforts to exclude the Lautenberg amendment from the omnibus bill. Source: CitizenLink Publish Date: December 3, 2009 Link to this article.   Send this article to a friend.

NEWS SHORTS FOR FRIDAY

NEWS SHORTS FOR FRIDAY (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.) Judge: State can take, keep newborns' data 'Blood samples are biological, not genetic, information' A judge in Minnesota has ruled the state can routinely collect, analyze, store and retrieve biological samples that include DNA from all newborns even though a state law specifically requires prior written authorization. The decision from Hennepin County District Judge Marilyn Rosenbaum dismissed a case brought by members of nine families who alleged the state was going beyond what it was authorized to do. Although not part of the lawsuit, Twila Brase, president of the Citizens' Council on Health Care, has been monitoring the dispute since its beginning, battling the state Department of Health, which reportedly has been taking and warehousing newborns' genetic makeup for years but not following "written consent requirements." Click here for the full article. Unborn Human Rights Bill Introduced in Italian Senate While technically recognizing the "human rights" of the unborn, the bill would not change abortion law A bill that would legally establish the human rights of unborn children, but would not alter abortion laws, has been introduced into the Italian Senate, the Italian news agency ANSA reports. Maurizio Gasparri, a Member of the Italian Parliament for the Alleanza Nazionale party, said, "What we want is to establish limits against new abortion techniques that violate the law's original intent." Donatella Portetti, a senator representing the largest opposition group, the Democratic Party, said the law is ''the government's latest assault on Italians' freedom to decide whether they want to live, die or have children.'' Click here for the full article. Challenge to Ireland's Pro-Life Laws Goes to European Court of Human Rights Irish abortion laws and sovereignty stand in the dock next week when the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) hears a challenge to Ireland's constitutional protection of life "from conception." Three petitioners in the case A, B & C v. Ireland allege that they were forced to travel overseas to obtain abortions, undergoing unnecessary expenses and hardship due to the nation's pro-life laws. They claim violations of various rights under the European Convention on Human Rights.   Third-party interveners Society for the Protection of Unborn Children (SPUC), the European Center for Law and Justice and the Alliance Defense Fund (on behalf of Family Research Council), contend that it is "Ireland's sovereign right to determine when life begins" and what rights attach to pre-natal life. They also claim that domestic remedies have not been exhausted, and that therefore the ECHR lacks jurisdiction to hear the case. Click here for the full article. Michigan Abortion Facility Advertizes Abortion as "Sacred Work" DETROIT - Northland "Family Planning Centers" of Michigan are now advertising their services with a video calling abortion "sacred work."   Set to soft, upbeat piano music and themed with pink pastel shades, a recently uploaded video entitled "Every Day, Good Woman Choose Abortion," assures prospective customers that deciding "to have an abortion is a normal experience," and that the decision is a good decision.  The video's spokeswoman continues:  "Goodness is courage, honesty, wisdom, risking for what you believe is right for you, making choices that are good for yourself." Click here for the video. Click here for the full article. British couple chooses to cut life support for child Life or death dilemma: Judge Justice McFarlane listens to the case as Baby RB's father (centre) and mother (centre-right) look on Rome, Italy - A British couple elected on November 10 to discontinue medical care for their son of 13 months of age.  "RB" suffered from congenital myasthenic syndrome and, his doctors said, would only live a short life on artificial respiration and feeding tubes. Irene Gemeno, of the Scottish Edinburgh Napier News, reported that "RB", as he was referred to in order to protect his identity and that of his parents, could barely, if at all, move his limbs or breathe due to limitations resulting from the neuromuscular condition, but his brain appeared to be healthy. Doctors, however, advised that he wasn't expected to live beyond three years of age and would never shed the artificial support for basic body functions. According to the boy's father, the child was able recognize relatives and made an effort to play, but his doctors said it was impossible to know if these responses were involuntary or a result of the child's will. Click here for the full article.

Senate Passes Amendment that Could Mandate Abortion Coverage in Insurance Plans

Senate Passes Amendment that Could Mandate Abortion Coverage in Insurance Plans The Senate on Thursday approved the Mikulski amendment by a vote of 61-39.  All Republicans except Senators Vitter, Snowe and Collins voted against the amendment, and all Independents and Democrats except Senators Nelson (NE) and Feingold voted for it. Pro-life leaders opposed the amendment over concerns that it provides authority that could be used to mandate abortion coverage in private insurance plans. Specifically, the amendment states that anything classified as preventive care or screenings for women by the Health Resource and Services Administration (HRSA) would become a mandated covered service.  However, if the HRSA were to recommend abortion as a preventive care, insurance plans would have to cover abortion. In a letter to Congress before the vote, the National Right to Life Committee (NRLC) explained its opposition to the Mikulski amendment: "If Congress were to grant any Executive Branch entity sweeping authority to define services that private health plans must cover, merely by declaring a given service to constitute 'preventive care,' then that authority could be employed in the future to require all health plans to cover abortions." "Our concern on this point is not hypothetical," urged the NRLC letter. "Prominent pro-abortion advocates are already on record discussing abortion as a category of 'preventive health care.'" In fact, as NRLC points out in its letter, a similar amendment that was proposed in the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pension was backed by a gamut of pro-abortion groups, including Planned Parenthood and NARAL. "A July 8, 2009 letter from these groups asserted that by allowing the Health Resources and Services Administration to issue binding guidelines on preventive services, the 'unique preventive health needs of women' would be addressed," said NRLC.   Pro-life organizations had proposed that the amendment should be modified to ensure that abortion coverage would not be mandated. Americans United for Life (AUL) attorney Mary Harned wrote that while her group "strongly supports preventative care for women," "the Mikulski Amendment should be amended to include language prohibiting abortion from being included in the HRSA guidelines." However, no such changes were made before the amendment was passed. Contact: John Jalsevac Source: LifeSiteNews.com Publish Date: December 3, 2009 Link to this article.   Send this article to a friend.

Motion to Dismiss Charges against Notre Dame 88 to be Heard Thursday

Motion to Dismiss Charges against Notre Dame 88 to be Heard Thursday Lawyers for the 88 pro-life protesters who were arrested on the University of Notre Dame's campus earlier this year will be heading to court Thursday in St. Joseph County, Indiana, to argue in favor of a motion to dismiss the charges against the pro-lifers. Currently trespassing charges are pending against the 88, who were arrested on Notre Dame property while protesting the commencement speech and honorary law degree given to pro-abortion President Barack Obama in May. If convicted, the pro-lifers could face up to 1 year in jail and a $5,000 fine. Despite repeated requests from lawyers from the Thomas More Society, who are representing the pro-lifers, that Notre Dame request that the charges be dropped, University President Fr. John Jenkins has continued to refuse to do so. In response to those who have contacted Jenkins expressing concern about the charges, Fr. Jenkins has responded by saying that Notre Dame doesn't have the power to drop the charges against the 88. However, while this is technically true, Thomas More Society Chief Counsel Tom Brejcha told LifeSiteNews.com (LSN) that "it's almost frivolous" for Jenkins to suggest that Notre Dame's asking that the charges be dropped wouldn't have "decisive influence" on whether the prosecutions go forward or not. Notre Dame's "own security forces would be indispensible witnesses in these cases," Brejcha pointed out. "Their active cooperation is required for the cases to go forward." "To say that Notre Dame has no power is flatly wrong," Brejcha stated. "They always have the power to ask. And their asking would, in our view and based on our many years of practicing law in Indiana and elsewhere, would have great weight with the prosecutor." Jenkins has also responded to concerned pro-lifers by saying that the university has already requested leniency by offering "pre-trial diversion" to the protesters. Accepting the offer of "pre-trial diversion" would mean that the defendants would have to pay court costs of several hundred dollars, avoid any trouble with the law for 1 year, and promise to stay off Notre Dame property for a certain period of time, in exchange for the charges being dropped after a year, pending satisfactorily meeting the conditions. But Brejcha told LifeSiteNews.com (LSN) that while some of the arrested protestors have accepted the offer "because of the coercive impact of the fact that they have to pay for expenses and have this thing hanging over their heads," the rest have refused to do so because "they don't think they did anything wrong." Brejcha said that he recently encountered Fr. Jenkins in Chicago, where he asked the priest why he hasn't asked that the charges be dropped. Jenkins countered that he had already asked for leniency, and asked, "Why won't they (the protesters) take this pre-trial diversion?" Brejcha said that he responded, "Well, Father, like Dr. King, whose relation with Fr. Hessburgh you celebrated at the commencement … like Dr. King these folks don't think they did anything wrong." There is also the complicating factor that the offer of pre-trial diversion only extends to those who have had no prior involvement with the criminal justice system. But, "of course, some of these pro-lifers do," said Brejcha. They "are up in years and were active in the rescue movement back in the 80s and early 90s," and have been arrested in the past for pro-life activities. Brejcha also said that, based on his conversation with the university president, the irony of the situation - of the pro-lifers being "arrested by Our Lady's university which professes to espouse pro-life values" - seemed "to be lost" on Jenkins. "Jenkins intends to march in the March for Life on Jan 22," said Brejcha. "Yet, one of the people who is being prosecuted is Norma McCorvey. The whole purpose of that march to advocate for the overturn of Roe v. Wade regime. And of course Jane Roe is Norma McCorvey and she'll be facing prosecution in St. Joseph County before an Indiana jury for marching on Notre Dame. So the irony of that is also lost on him." UPDATE: The judge hearing the case of the 88 pro-life protesters who were arrested for trespassing on Notre Dame property earlier this year granted a motion to stay the charges pending an appeal into the question of whether she should recuse herself from the case due to bias. Judge Jenny Pitts Manier, who is assigned to the case of the 88 pro-lifers who were arrested while protesting President Obama's commencement address at Notre Dame in May, is married to Notre Dame Professor Edward Manier. In addition to several writings revealing his pro-abortion beliefs, the Professor Manier donated "a significant sum of money" to Barack Obama's Presidential campaign in 2008, as well as additional donations to other pro-abortion candidates in the U.S. Click here for more... Source: LifeSiteNews.com Publish Date: December 2, 2009 Link to this article.   Send this article to a friend.

Army's 32 additional charges against Ft. Hood shooter exclude preborn baby's murder

Army's 32 additional charges against Ft. Hood shooter exclude preborn baby's murder According to the Examiner.com, the Army yesterday issued 32 additional charges against Army Maj. Nidal Hasan, but they did not include the charge of murder against Pvt. Francheska Velez's preborn baby, killed when she was killed...     On Wednesday... Hasan was charged with 32 additional counts of premeditated attempted murder on the lives of 30 members of the military and 2 civilian police officers.     These charges are in addition to the 13 counts of murder he has already been charged with in last month's shooting spree in Killeen, TX. Recall Velez was only at Ft. Hood to begin with because of her baby. According to Fox News...     Velez... recently had returned from a tour of duty in Iraq.     According to family members, Velez had been back for just 3 days before the incident. She returned home early because she was 3 months pregnant. She happened to be in the building filling out paperwork due to her pregnancy when the gunman opened fire....     Velez was expecting a baby boy in May. The Army dishonors not only Velez's baby but Velez by ignoring his murder. And the Army ignores the law by doing so, namely the Unborn Victims of Violence Act, a federal law passed in 2004 that also codified the Uniform Code of Military Justice. Contact: Jill Stanek Source: jillstanek.com Publish Date: December 3, 2009 Link to this article.   Send this article to a friend.

NIH approves first human embryonic stem cell research under new rules

NIH approves first human embryonic stem cell research under new rules Washington D.C. - The National Institutes of Health (NIH) on Wednesday approved the first experiments on human embryonic stem cells under the Obama administration's new research policy. The NIH authorized 11 stem cell lines produced by scientists at the Children's Hospital in Boston and two cell lines created by researchers at Rockefeller University in New York, the Washington Post reports. The cell lines were obtained from embryos "left over" by couples who sought fertility treatments. "This is a real change in the landscape," NIH Director Francis Collins said, according to the Washington Post. He characterized the move as a "first down payment" that will "empower the scientific community to explore the potential of embryonic stem cell research." Collins, who is an evangelical Christian, claimed there is an argument that the research is ethically acceptable "even if you believe in the inherent sanctity of the human embryo." Proponents of stem cell research hope to use adult or embryonic stem cells to create better treatments for ailments ranging from diabetes to spinal cord injuries. Human embryonic stem cell research (ESCR) requires the destruction of human embryos. Richard M. Doerflinger of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) criticized the NIH action. "Ethically, we don't think any taxpayer should have to fund research that relies on destroying early human life at any stage," he told the Washington Post. "But the tragedy of this is multiplied by the fact that no one can think what the problem is that can only be solved by these cells." Collins reported that the 13 cell lines approved on Wednesday met the requirements finalized by the NIH in July. Another 96 lines are awaiting approval, including 20 that will be considered by the advisory committee on Friday. At least 254 more will be submitted for approval. The NIH has authorized 31 grants totaling about $21 million for research on human embryonic stem cells pending their approval under the new guidelines, the Washington Post says. Many embryonic stem cell researchers hope to use the $10 billion the NIH received as part of the U.S. government's economic stimulus package, Collins reported. President George W. Bush had funded embryonic stem cell research on cell lines created before August, 2001 but barred funding on research which used cell lines created afterward. President Obama overturned the Bush policy in March 2009. The new NIH rules allow the funding of research which uses stem cells harvested from fertility clinic embryos and also outline informed consent standards for women or couples who donate their embryos. In May Msgr. David Malloy, then the General Secretary of the USCCB, criticized the NIH guidelines for ESCR. He said they were "broader or more permissive" than previous policy in key respects. "We are testing the limits of our obligation to treat all fellow human beings, of every age and condition, with basic respect," he commented, saying it is a human right not to be subjected to harmful experimentation. In a Wednesday statement, U.S. Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell noted that the announcement "marks an historic departure from our nation's longstanding position of neutrality on embryo-destructive research." "For the very first time in U.S. history, the federal government will now use taxpayer dollars to pay for research that relies on and promotes the destruction of human life at its earliest stages. Americans may disagree about the morality of embryo-destructive research. But one thing we should all agree on is that taxpayers should not be compelled to pay for it." Source: CNA Publish Date: December 3, 2009 Link to this article.   Send this article to a friend.

Harry Reid Responds to Critics of Abortion Funding in Senate Health Care Bill by Saying He Opposes Abortion

Harry Reid Responds to Critics of Abortion Funding in Senate Health Care Bill by Saying He Opposes Abortion Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.), author of the Senate health-care bill that permits taxpayer dollars to go to insurance plans which cover abortion, responded to letters protesting the abortion funding in the bill with a letter of his own saying that he opposes abortion except in cases of rape, incest, or when there is a threat to the life of the mother.   A part of the letter Reid's office recently sent to critics objecting to the abortion funding in his bill reads: "Thank you for contacting me about health care reform and abortion. I appreciate hearing from you."   "I noted your specific comments related to health care reform and abortion. I oppose abortion except in the cases of rape, incest, and when the life of the mother is at risk."   "As the Senate Majority Leader and the senior senator from Nevada, I am committed to working to find common ground that brings our nation together while respecting both the views of those who differ as well as the values many of us hold deeply. Please know that as we move forward, I will keep your ideas and concerns in mind. It is my hope that we can make affordable, comprehensive health care coverage a reality for so many Americans who are currently struggling to pay their medical bills, and make ends meet."   Reid's health-care reform bill, which he released Nov. 18, allows the public option to include abortion coverage, permits federal subsidies to go to private insurance plans that cover abortion, and even mandates that the secretary of health and human services make certain that at least one insurance plan available in the insurance exchange where people will buy insurance with federal subsidies covers abortion.  The abortion language in Reid's bill mirrors the abortion language that was in the House health care bill before it was superceded by an amendment sponsored by Rep. Bart Stupak (D.-Mich.) that prohibits any tax dollars from going to health insurance plans that cover abortion.   In an interview with CNSNews.com on Nov. 1, Sen. Orrin Hatch (R-Utah) said that Reid was aware of a pro-life amendment that Hatch has proposed adding to the bill, and that he believed Reid would "be on our side on this."  Hatch's Senate amendment mirrors Stupak's amendment in the House. Click here to view the interview. CNSNews.com: Have you spoken to Senate Majority Leader Reid about your amendment?   Sen. Orrin Hatch (R-Utah): Yes, he knows about it, and I believe Harry Reid would be on our side on this.   Reid's office did not respond to inquires from CNSNews.com about whether the majority leader supports the Hatch amendment and if he does--as his letter and Hatch's response indicate--why Reid authored a bill that permits taxpayer funding of abortion.   Hatch's amendment would prohibit federal dollars from funding abortions except in the cases of rape, incest, or to protect the life of the mother.   The amendment was defeated both in the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee (on a 12-11 vote) and in the Senate Finance Committee (13-10).   Copy of Letter Over Signature of Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid:   November 26, 2009   Dear ___________:   Thank you for contacting me about health care reform and abortion. I appreciate hearing from you.   In America today, concerns about our health care system have been rightly brought to the forefront of the national consciousness. Many of us are familiar with the reports of 47 million uninsured Americans, escalating prescription drug prices, and declining health insurance benefits. Unfortunately, for too many across Nevada and the country, these facts and statistics are not anonymous findings removed from daily life. As a fellow Nevadan, and as the Senate Majority Leader, I know that millions are struggling with the reality of America's health care crisis.   Amid our health care crisis, however, I believe there are opportunities for members of Congress, the President and his Administration, the private sector, and other stakeholders to work together for the benefit of the American people. It is my hope that the solutions we develop and enact will ensure quality, affordable health care coverage for all Americans-regardless of their age, income, employment, or health status.   I noted your specific comments related to health care reform and abortion.  I oppose abortion except in the cases of rape, incest, and when the life of the mother is at risk.  As the Senate Majority Leader and the senior senator from Nevada, I am committed to working to find common ground that brings our nation together while respecting both the views of those who differ as well as the values many of us hold deeply.  Please know that as we move forward, I will keep your ideas and concerns in mind.  It is my hope that we can make affordable, comprehensive health coverage a reality for so many Americans who are currently struggling to pay their medical bills, and make ends meet.   Again, thank you for taking the time to share your thoughts with me. I look forward to hearing from you in the near future. Contact: Karen Schuberg Source: CNSNews.com Publish Date: December 3, 2009 Link to this article.   Send this article to a friend.

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.

Identical Stupak Amendment to be Introduced & Schaumburg Planned Parenthood Express clinic will be closing

UPDATE: Identical Stupak Amendment to be Introduced The Stupak abortion coverage ban that passed the House of Representatives last month is headed for the Senate. Republican Senator Orrin Hatch and Democratic Senator Ben Nelson are planning to introduce an amendment to the Senate health care reform bill that is virtually identical to the Stupak amendment. With both Republican and Democratic support for this damaging amendment, it is entirely possible that the resulting health care reform legislation will eliminate access to private health insurance coverage of abortion.  See article: Sen. Nelson: I Won't Support a Health Bill Without Stupak Language for more information.  Today, pro-choice activists from around the country are gathering on Capitol Hill to lobby against the Stupak-Pitts Amendment, which as you know bans government money from funding abortions in the  U.S. House passed version health care reform legislation. The event is being sponsored by the Feminist Majority Foundation and co-sponsored by the usual suspects: Planned Parenthood, NOW, NARAL, Religious Coalition for Reproductive Choice, ACLU, and many others. You see, the other side is scared. They know that passing pro-life amendments like Stupak-Pitts in health care reform legislation will take money out of the pockets of the abortion industry giant, Planned Parenthood. And as abortion facilities continue to close and the number of Americans who oppose abortion rises (a recent CNN poll reported that 63% of Americans oppose abortion), Planned Parenthood knows they are going to need federal funding of abortion to keep afloat. Today, we need Capitol Hill to hear your pro-life voice now more than ever.  Please call your senators TODAY and tell them that government funding of abortions is NOT healthcare and they should oppose it at all costs.  Click here for contact information on your senators. Also: Schaumburg Planned Parenthood Express clinic will be closing STOPP researcher Marie Hahnenberg has discovered that the Schaumburg, Illinois, Planned Parenthood express facility will be closing January 14, 2010, after six years in business.   Phone:  847-839-1600 to hear this message."Closing this facility was a difficult decision, but one we had to make to ensure we are able to serve the needs of all patients in the Chicagoland area," says the facility's recorded message. In an apparent frenzy to reduce its inventory and make some quick money, the facility is offering a buy-one, get-one-free deal on birth control pills, emergency contraception, the NuvaRing, the patch and condoms. Since PP increases the cost of its contraceptives fourfold, the affiliate still stands to reap a hefty profit from its two-for-one sale.

Sen. Nelson: I Won't Support a Health Bill Without Stupak Language

Sen. Nelson: I Won't Support a Health Bill Without Stupak Language WASHINGTON, D.C. - One Democrat senator has thrown a critical wrench in President Obama's health care plans by stating he will not support the measure unless it includes Hyde-amendment restrictions like those introduced by Rep. Bart Stupak in the bill's House counterpart. Democrat Senator Ben Nelson of Nebraska says he intends to introduce a Stupak-like amendment for his chamber's bill.  The Huffington Post reports that when asked by reporters if he would support a bill that lacked his amendment, Nelson replied, "No." Nelson's stand against the abortion-funding bill could prove fatal to the already-struggling legislation: Democrats are already scrambling for votes after Independent Senator Joe Lieberman vowed to staunchly oppose any bill with a public option, considered by many liberal Democrats an essential part of the plan.  The bill would need support by all 60 lawmakers who caucus with Democrats to defend against a GOP filibuster attempt. Nelson's amendment, which he said is "as identical to Stupak as it can be," has yet to be unveiled.  Republican Sen. Orrin Hatch of Utah is at least one co-sponsor of the amendment. Sen. Bob Casey, another Democrat who often votes pro-life, said that his own negotiations on the abortion funding are "ongoing." While pro-abortion lawmakers tout the Senate health care bill as maintaining the "status quo" on abortion policy, leading pro-life analysts have decried the bill's supposed ban on federal abortion funding as little more than an accounting gimmick. The Senate bill, like the defunct "Capps amendment" of the House bill, allows a government-run insurance option to cover abortions, and allows taxpayer subsidies to fund private insurance plans that cover abortions. The Hyde-amendment restrictions won an upset victory in the House last month after House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, seeking votes from conservative Democrats, made a sudden about-face and allowed a vote on the easily-passed Stupak amendment.  Pro-abortion lawmakers have since promised that the pro-life language would never make it into the final version of the bill. Contact: Kathleen Gilbert Source: LifeSiteNews.com Publish Date: December 1, 2009 Link to this article.   Send this article to a friend.

Breathing Easier with Adult Stem Cells

Breathing Easier with Adult Stem Cells Several recent reports, using animal models, provide evidence for treating lung disorders with adult stem cells. Premature babies are often placed on ventilators to deliver oxygen and expand underdeveloped lungs, but the high oxygen and mechanical ventilation can lead to lung inflammation, inhibit proper lung growth, and lead to long-term complications. Work out of Children's Hospital in Boston found that bone marrow stromal cells, a type of adult stem cell, can reduce inflammation in lung tissue. Using newborn mice as a model, the researchers injected adult bone marrow stem cells intravenously. The cells migrated to the lungs and prevented inflammation. The cells seem to work by secreting protective and stimulatory factors that help the lung cells and blood vessels; the same effects could be obtained by injecting the growth medium in which the adult stem cells had been grown. The results are published in the American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine. Similar results have been published by an international team, led by Canadian scientist Dr. Bernard Thébaud at the Stollery Children's Hospital, Edmonton, Alberta. Using a rat model, the scientists found that adult stem cells from bone marrow could repair lung damage in newborn rats as well as prevent further damage. According to Dr. Thébaud:     "The really exciting thing that we discovered was that stem cells are like little factories, pumping out healing factors." These results are also published in the American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine. More breathable news comes from a team in South Korea led by Dr. Won Soon Park from the Samsung Medical Center. Using newborn laboratory rats with oxygen-deprived lung injury, the researchers found that mesenchymal stem cells, a type of adult stem cell from umbilical cord blood, had a protective effect against low-oxygen-induced lung injury. They noted that their findings could have important therapeutic potential for the currently untreatable hyperoxic neonatal lung disease, or bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD), in premature human infants. The easy availability of umbilical cord blood is also an associated benefit. The results are published in the journal Cell Transplantation. And in a final breath of adult stem cell fresh air, a team at the University of Illinois at Chicago College of Medicine identified adult stem cells in the bone marrow of mice that could prevent and treat acute lung injury. The researchers discovered a way to grow and stimulate the adult stem cells, and when injected into mice with acute lung injury, the cells repaired the lung injury, prevented fluid build-up and improved survival of the mice. Results were published in the journal Stem Cells. So take a deep breath in appreciation of adult stem cells. Contact: David Prentice Source: FRCBlog Publish Date: December 2, 2009 Link to this article.   Send this article to a friend.

Research abandoned on contraceptive vaccine to ‘immunize’ women against pregnancy

Research abandoned on contraceptive vaccine to 'immunize' women against pregnancy Washington D.C. - A leading contraceptive researcher has abandoned her attempts to create a vaccine that would render a woman "immune" from pregnancy. The Population Research Institute lauded the end of the research, which it said tried to make a woman's body treat pregnancy as a disease. Based on research into women who are infertile because of antibodies that inhibit sperm from fertilizing the egg, Dr. Donnie Dunbar had hoped to develop a vaccine that would trick a healthy woman's immune system into a hostile reaction to her own eggs. She intended the vaccine to help combat what she saw as the "world population problem." Tests which injected rabbits with pig proteins caused an autoimmune response, but it completely destroyed the ovaries. "Unfortunately, we weren't just looking at preventing fertilization now; we generated a complete autoimmune disease, which is also known as premature ovarian failure," Dunbar said, according to the Population Research Institute. "I am responsible for killing this vaccine for further human research, and I made some people in my biotech company and some other people very unhappy." The Population Research Institute (PRI) described her vaccine as "an insidious attempt to make the body treat pregnancy as a disease." However, the organization said her refusal to develop the vaccine for humans showed "an integrity often absent among anti-fertility researchers." The former contraceptive vaccine is now being developed for possible use as a sterilizing agent for dogs and cats and for the culling of the African elephant population. Source: CNA Publish Date: December 1, 2009 Link to this article.   Send this article to a friend.

Vatican daily reminds Obama that U.S. is increasingly pro-life

Vatican daily reminds Obama that U.S. is increasingly pro-life Vatican City - L'Osservatore Romano (LOR) published an article last week reminding U.S. President Barack Obama that the number of Americans who oppose abortion continues to be on the rise. This was recently demonstrated by the nearly 200,000 signatures to the "Manhattan Declaration," a document drafted by various Christian leaders in defense of life, marriage, the family and religious freedom. LOR said: "The political and spiritual weight of the Manhattan Declaration is thus evident" as "this is a crucial moment for the Obama administration since the president's credibility is at risk over promises made during the campaign season, considering the not-so-encouraging results of the latest polls on the president's popularity." In recent days "the spotlight is on health care reform," which is currently being debated in the Senate, with a bill that is "quite different from the one approved only weeks ago by the House of Representatives." That bill prohibited the use of federal funds for abortion and established conscience protections through the Stupak amendment, which was lauded by the U.S. bishops. LOR pointed out that the difference in between the two bills cannot be considered an accident. "In fact it was Obama himself, in a recent interview, who said that the Stupak Amendment introduced unbalanced language in the health care reform and that "women's choices" should not be restricted. Thus, LOR argued, Obama is moving between two contrary positions: that of keeping his campaign promises "not to use federal funds for abortion and that the right to conscientious objection be respected," and that of "influential pro-choice groups who demand an ultimate liberalization of abortion practices." After noting that the Manhattan Declaration clearly defends life and opposes abortion, LOR explained that "polls in recent months show that the number of those who are pro-life continues to rise and is now larger than the number of Americans" who think unrestricted abortions should be allowed during the course of pregnancy. LOR said the change in public opinion in the U.S. is made evident by the Manhattan Declaration, which reads: "no power on earth, be it cultural or political, will intimidate us into silence or acquiescence. It is our duty to proclaim the Gospel of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ in its fullness, both in season and out of season. May God help us not to fail in that duty." Among the signers of the declaration are "Jonah Paffhausen, primate of the Orthodox Church in America, and Robert Duncan, Anglican Primate of North America, as well as the Rev. William Owens, president of the Coalition of African American Pastors. Signers such as these could make Obama campaign staffers recalculate," LOR said. Source: CNA Publish Date: November 30, 2009 Link to this article.   Send this article to a friend.

Compassion and Choice’s Elastic Definition of “Terminal Illness” and “Intolerable Dying Process”

Compassion and Choice's Elastic Definition of "Terminal Illness" and "Intolerable Dying Process" The assisted suicide ideologues at Compassion and Choices–formerly the Hemlock Society–pretend that their agenda is very limited and constrained, merely a teensy-weensy safety valve for use when nothing else can be done to relieve suffering. That's all phony, baloney of course. The ultimate agenda is expansive, well beyond the actively dying. Proof of this is found in answers to interrogatories C & C filed in connection with its Montana lawsuit, that asked its definition of a "terminally ill adult patient," who the complaint claimed had a state constitutional right to assisted suicide.  Usually, as in Oregon, this means 6 months or less to live regardless of the medical treatment available to the patient. But C & C's definition for Montana turns that more precise definition on its head. From its interrogatory answer # 4 (no link, my emphasis):     The term "terminally ill adult patient," as used in the complaint, means a person 18 years of age or older who has an incurable and irreversible condition that, without the administration of life-sustaining treatment, will in the opinion of his or her attending physician, result in death within a relative short time. The definition is not limited to any specific set of illnesses, conditions or diseases… In other words, the patient won't die even if he or she receives life sustaining or curative care, but if no such care is rendered. That's a very elastic definition.  Think about it: If a 20-year-old diabetic refuses insulin, he will die within "a relatively short time," but if he takes insulin, could live for decades, a full life span. Ditto, AIDS patients taking the viral inhibitors, cancer patients receiving chemotherapy, patients on kidney dialysis, perhaps even psychiatric patients who are not suicidal only because of anti depressants, etc. Also, get their description of "intolerable dying process," for which assisted suicide is the supposed remedy:     This is a subjective determination made by the individual patient based upon his or her medical condition, and circumstances, symptoms, and personal values and beliefs. In other words, it is whatever a patient says it is at the time he/she wants to commit suicide.  Such looseness over who qualifies makes impossible any meaningful controls over assisted suicide–which of course is the point. C & C are very cagy.  But in Montana, they have shown more of their true colors, for example, disdaining the kind of "protective guidelines" put into Oregon and Washington law.  So be very clear, the assisted suicide agenda is not narrow.  It is very broad.  Activists here–unlike their counterparts overseas–just generally lack the candor that would permit us to have a true debate about the means and ends of the ultimate assisted suicide/euthanasia agenda. Contact: Wesley J. Smith Source: Secondhand Smoke Publish Date: December 2, 2009 Link to this article.   Send this article to a friend.

NEWS SHORTS FOR WEDNESDAY

NEWS SHORTS FOR WEDNESDAY (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.) Abortions of Down Syndrome Babies 'Double Official Level' As Doctors Spare Women's Feelings But Not Babies' Abortionists in the UK are aborting twice as many unborn babies because the children have Down Syndrome (DS) as official figures suggest, an independent body has revealed. Doctors are trying to spare women's feelings at aborting disabled children by failing to classify the abortions as Down abortions, it was claimed. Instead, they record them as "social" abortions, which make up most abortions in the UK. Click here for the full article. Strip Mall Abortions: Upgraded Planned Parenthood Opens In Revamped Mall MADISON, WI - When it was time to get a urine sample from patients at the old Planned Parenthood facility on Park Street, staff members would put a collection cup inside a brown paper bag and escort the patient down a long hallway outside the clinic to the nearest bathroom. They tried to make the process as discreet as possible, but the setup was far from ideal, notes Deborah Hobbins, regional vice president of Planned Parenthood of Wisconsin. "It put the miles on," she notes dryly. Click here for the full article. March for life attracts 50,000 in Costa Rica San José, Costa Rica - Some 50,000 people participated in the "Costa Rica March for Life and the Family" on November 28, which concluded with an address calling on officials to reject any law that would attack these fundamental values. The address commits participants "to defend all human life" from conception to natural death. It also urges that marriage and the family be protected, "and for this reason we oppose, and we call on our representatives in the executive branch, legislative assembly and municipalities to reject any bill, policy or institutional activity" to the contrary. Click here for the full article. ACLU Sues to Block Alaska Personhood Initiative ANCHORAGE, Alaska - In the latest in a string of court proceedings against personhood initiatives nationwide, the Alaskan branch of the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) is backing a lawsuit against state officials for giving voters an opportunity to decide on a ballot initiative that would declare all human beings "persons." The suit alleges that the proposed language does not adequately present to voters the possible consequences of its enactment, such as the outlawing of abortion, and thus Lieutenant Governor Craig Campbell should not have approved it.  Plaintiffs, including Vic Fisher, a former Alaska Democratic legislator, argue that the signature-collecting process should be halted immediately. Click here for the full article. Adult Stem Cells Heal Human Hearts In a newly-published study, scientists from several institutions across the country report that use of adult stem cells can repair hearts damaged from heart attack. The researchers say that it's some of the strongest evidence yet that adult stem cells can turn into new heart cells to repair damaged tissue. The study suggests that adult stem cells, in this case derived from bone marrow, are more flexible than previously thought. The published study looks at 53 patients who had heart attacks within the previous ten days. Patients were injected intravenously with mesenchymal adult stem cells; the cells migrated to the damaged heart and began repair. Patients who received the adult stem cells showed improvement over those who did not receive the cells. According to Dr. Joshua Hare, a University of Miami cardiologist and lead author of the 10-university study... Click here for the full article.

'60 Minutes' Segment Explores the Ideas of Rationing, 'Pulling the Plug on Grandma'

'60 Minutes' Segment Explores the Ideas of Rationing, 'Pulling the Plug on Grandma'



"60 Minutes" correspondent Steve Kroft took an in-depth look at one of the most expensive aspects of modern health care - the cost of end of life care. However, he didn't highlight the federal government's culpability in driving up those costs, or what it might mean for health care reform. "Every medical study ever conducted has concluded 100 percent of all Americans will eventually die," Kroft said. "This comes as no great surprise. But, the amount of money being spent at the end of people lives probably will. Last year, Medicare paid $50 billion just for doctors' and hospital bills during the last two months of patients lives. That's more than the budget of the Department of Homeland Security or the Department of Education. And it's been estimated that 20 to 30 percent of these medical expenditures may have had no meaningful impact." 

Click here for the video.

Click here for the full article.

CDC Abortion Data Reveals Small Uptick in 2006, but Overall Decline over Past Decade

CDC Abortion Data Reveals Small Uptick in 2006, but Overall Decline over Past Decade



WASHINGTON, D.C. - The US Center for Disease Control (CDC) has released its latest available figures on abortion submitted to the federal agency, which shows an overall decrease in the number of abortions for the ten years between 1997 and 2006, but with a small uptick in abortion rates and ratios between 2005 and 2006, which CDC analysts believe may be attributable to an accompanying rise in fertility rates.

While the CDC report provides an analysis of trends in abortion patterns, it qualifies that its data reflects approximately 65 to 69 percent of the actual total numbers of abortions in the US: three states - California, Louisiana, and New Hampshire - do not submit any abortion data to the federal health agency, and not all reporting areas use the CDC forms for data collection. CDC data on the rate of abortions consistently remains 11 percent lower than those figures recorded by the Alan Guttmacher Institute, the research arm of Planned Parenthood, which solicits data directly from abortion providers.

Forty-nine reporting areas show that in 2006, a total of 846,181 abortions were documented. Between 1997 and 2006, the total number of abortions declined 5.7 percent, the rate of abortions (abortions per 1000 women aged 15-44) declined 8.8 percent, and the ratio of abortions (abortions per thousand live births) also fell 14.8 percent.

The CDC showed that the greatest rate of decline occurred in the years between 1996 and 2000, when total abortions fell on average by 20,605 per year. For the years between 2001 and 2006, the number of abortions fell by a much smaller margin, decreasing an average 2,163 abortions per year.

But 2006, the last year of available collected data, showed a small uptick in abortion that diverges from this downward trend. The total number of abortions in 2006 increased from 2005 levels by 3.1 percent: 820,151 abortions up to 846,181 abortions; the abortion rate rose by 3.2 percent from 15.6 to 16.1 (abortions per 1000 women aged 15-44), while the ratio of women aborting their unborn children remained the same in both years (236 abortions per 1000 live-births).

However, the CDC surmised that the abortion rate remained stable, and a rise in overall fertility for 2006 may serve as a likely explanation for the increase. For that year, the CDC found that the number of live births and the fertility rate (live births per 1000 women aged 15-44) increased by three percent, which the CDC said was the "largest single-year increase in more than 15 years."

The federal agency said that additional surveillance data would be necessary over the next few years to establish conclusively whether abortions are increasing without an accompanying increase in fertility.

Women in their twenties accounted for the majority of all abortions, at 56.8 percent. Abortion rates were highest in the 20-24 age demographic, with 29.9 abortions per 1000 women in that range, and 22.2 abortions per 1000 women in the 25-29 age group.

Among adolescents, CDC analysts noted that while abortion rates among adolescents (15-19 years) increased between 2005-2006, the number of live-births increased by an even greater proportion, which they stated "might be attributable to an increasing tendency for adolescents to continue their pregnancies." This is suggested by data that shows the ratio of abortion continued to decline in that period, despite the increased abortion rate.

Marital status also had an impact on those who were likely to seek abortions. Approximately 83.5 percent of women aborting their children were unmarried in the 43 areas that reported marital status.

In terms of race and ethnicity, whites (including Hispanic whites) accounted for 55.8 percent of the total number of abortions, with a rate of 10.8 abortions per 1000 women and 162 abortions per 1000 live births.

Breaking those values down further: data showed that Hispanic women account for 20.1 percent of the total number of abortions, a proportion that has increased over the 10 years between 1997-2006. In 1997, Hispanic women accounted for 17 percent of abortions.  The CDC surmised this increase could be attributable to the fact that Hispanics now constitute a greater proportion of the resident US population.

Nevertheless, the overall rate of Hispanic women seeking abortion is down 19.1 percent from 1997: 28.7 to 23.2 abortions per 1000 women in that group, along with the abortion ratio: 292 to 223 abortions per 1000 live-births.

However, black women bear a staggeringly high proportion of abortions, accounting for 36.4 percent of the total number of abortions. Black abortion rates (33.9 abortions per 1000 women) and ratios (459 abortions for 1000 live-births) were higher than all the other reported racial groups. Nevertheless, only among black women did the abortion rate decline in 2006, in opposition to the general uptick in abortion that occurred that year.

Click here to see teh full CDC abstract with accompanying data, including tables and figures.

Contact: Peter J. Smith
Source: LifeSiteNews.com
Publish Date: November 30, 2009
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New Presidential Bioethics Commission

New Presidential Bioethics Commission



The previous President's Council on Bioethics was terminated before its time by President Obama back in June. Its charter was scheduled to expire in September, and there was some thought it was booted early to clear the deck for a new bioethics group aligned with the president. But no new bioethics council was formed to fill the void. Seems likely the old bioethics council was just giving contrary signals to the President (10 of the 18 members criticized the President after his March 9 speech where he opened the possibility of using more human embryos for research, including creating cloned human embryos for experiments.) Given that the NIH was preparing to promulgate new guidelines for using human embryos, including the steps to take for their destruction to allow federal taxpayer funding of their harvested cells, the "President's" bioethics council presented an official unwelcome burr under the saddle.

Finally, well after the old council's term would have expired, we now have the announcement that a new Presidential Commission for the Study of Bioethical Issues will be established (Executive Order 13521). The announcement actually was made a week ago, on November 24. However, as of this writing the Executive Order still does not appear on the White House website (they must have been in a hurry to get to the state dinner.) However, the Executive Order was finally published in the Federal Register on Monday, November 30. The press release names the chair (Amy Gutmann, President of the University of Pennsylvania) and vice chair (James Wagner, president of Emory University) but does not name the other members of the commission (not more than 13 members total.) An interesting part of the Executive Order states that "at least one and not more than three of whom may be bioethicists or scientists drawn from the executive branch, as designated by the President." So, there is a chance to seed the commission with like-minded folks. Nature notes that the new group is "explicitly charged with recommending legislative and regulatory action and promises to have more influence on policy." The article also quotes George Annas opinion that the previous bioethics council had a "narrow, embryo-centric agenda". Nothing could be further from the truth, as evidenced by the range of topics covered by the previous council, including aging, genetic screening, and determination of death (the council's archived website should soon be available from the National Reference Center for Bioethics Literature).

It will be interesting to see the final composition of this new presidential bioethics group, and whether they can live up to the openness, education of the public, and representation of diverse views seen with the last bioethics council. If not, it will just be a rubber stamp for presidential policies.

Contact: David Prentice
Source: FRCBlog
Publish Date: December 1, 2009
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