Catholic Bishops Condemn Obama Admin's Embryonic Stem Cell Research Rules
Washington, DC (LifeNews.com) -- Cardinal Justin Rigali, the chairman of the pro-life outreach for the nation's Catholic bishops is condemning the new rules the Obama administration put in place allowing taxpayer funding of embryonic stem cell research. The NIH guidelines come after President Barack Obama issued his executive order overturning the protections President Bush put in place. The National Institutes of Health provided the guidelines for scientists using federal funds to obtain human embryos supposedly left over form fertility clinics and destroy them for scientific research. Cardinal Rigali says the NIH guidelines "mark a new chapter in divorcing biomedical research from its necessary ethical foundation." "Without unconditional respect for the life of each and every member of the human race, research involving human subjects does not represent true progress. It becomes another way for some human beings to use and mistreat others for their own goals," he told LifeNews.com in a statement. Looking to practical concerns, Rigali is worried that the new guidelines are too broad in that they allow destruction of newly created embryos who were never frozen, thus increasing the prospects for a rushed and biased consent process. Rigali joins the National Right to Life in its concerns that the new NIH guidelines represent a first step in a strategy to overturn an important bioethics law. Full News Story at LifeNews.com
Washington, DC (LifeNews.com) -- Cardinal Justin Rigali, the chairman of the pro-life outreach for the nation's Catholic bishops is condemning the new rules the Obama administration put in place allowing taxpayer funding of embryonic stem cell research. The NIH guidelines come after President Barack Obama issued his executive order overturning the protections President Bush put in place. The National Institutes of Health provided the guidelines for scientists using federal funds to obtain human embryos supposedly left over form fertility clinics and destroy them for scientific research. Cardinal Rigali says the NIH guidelines "mark a new chapter in divorcing biomedical research from its necessary ethical foundation." "Without unconditional respect for the life of each and every member of the human race, research involving human subjects does not represent true progress. It becomes another way for some human beings to use and mistreat others for their own goals," he told LifeNews.com in a statement. Looking to practical concerns, Rigali is worried that the new guidelines are too broad in that they allow destruction of newly created embryos who were never frozen, thus increasing the prospects for a rushed and biased consent process. Rigali joins the National Right to Life in its concerns that the new NIH guidelines represent a first step in a strategy to overturn an important bioethics law. Full News Story at LifeNews.com Georgetown University to Honor Pro-Abortion Vice President Joe Biden With Award
Washington, DC (LifeNews.com) -- Georgetown University could find itself as the latest Catholic college to upset pro-life Catholics as it plans to present a legal award to pro-abortion Vice President Joe Biden. It could join the University of Notre Dame, which has invited President Barack Obama to give commencement, in the doghouse. Tomorrow, Georgetown University Law Center will host an event honoring Biden with the "Legal Momentum Hero Award." One pro-life group that monitors Catholic educational institutions says the award would be presented in direct violation of the U.S. bishops 2004 policy against such honors to pro-abortion politicians. Even as Notre Dame publicly snubs the Catholic bishops, Georgetown appears to be saying, "Me, too!," Cardinal Newman Society president Patrick Reilly told LifeNews.com. Vice President Joseph Biden, who calls himself a Catholic, is a fierce abortion proponent and someone who has made a reputation out of badgering Supreme Court nominees about abortion during confirmation hearings.
In fact, before he dropped out of the Democratic primary race Obama eventually won, Biden confirmed he would have a pro-abortion litmus test for his own possible judicial picks. ACTION: Express your disappointment about Georgetown University honoring Biden by contacting Georgetown University Law Center, 600 New Jersey Ave NW, Washington, DC 20001, (p) 202-662-9031. You can also use the contact form at http://www.law.georgetown.edu/
Washington, DC (LifeNews.com) -- Georgetown University could find itself as the latest Catholic college to upset pro-life Catholics as it plans to present a legal award to pro-abortion Vice President Joe Biden. It could join the University of Notre Dame, which has invited President Barack Obama to give commencement, in the doghouse. Tomorrow, Georgetown University Law Center will host an event honoring Biden with the "Legal Momentum Hero Award." One pro-life group that monitors Catholic educational institutions says the award would be presented in direct violation of the U.S. bishops 2004 policy against such honors to pro-abortion politicians. Even as Notre Dame publicly snubs the Catholic bishops, Georgetown appears to be saying, "Me, too!," Cardinal Newman Society president Patrick Reilly told LifeNews.com. Vice President Joseph Biden, who calls himself a Catholic, is a fierce abortion proponent and someone who has made a reputation out of badgering Supreme Court nominees about abortion during confirmation hearings. In fact, before he dropped out of the Democratic primary race Obama eventually won, Biden confirmed he would have a pro-abortion litmus test for his own possible judicial picks. ACTION: Express your disappointment about Georgetown University honoring Biden by contacting Georgetown University Law Center, 600 New Jersey Ave NW, Washington, DC 20001, (p) 202-662-9031. You can also use the contact form at http://www.law.georgetown.edu/
Congressman Asks Obama to Withdraw Pro-Abortion Dawn Johnsen's Nomination
Washington, DC (LifeNews.com) -- A pro-life Congressman is pressing further with his request for President Barack Obama to withdraw his nomination of Dawn Johnsen. She is a former NARAL legal director Obama appointed to head the Office of Legal Counsel, which provides legal advice to the president. Johnsen has drawn strong opposition not only for her ties to the pro-abortion group but for filing a legal paper on its behalf with the Supreme Court equating pregnancy with slavery. Rep. Steve King, an Iowa Republican, was part of a group of 63 lawmakers to previously ask Obama to withdraw the nomination and he sent his own letter today to further urge him to scrap Johnsen. Declaring that Dawn Johnsen "is so against an unborn child's right-to-live that she has labeled mothers-to-be 'fetal containers'," King says she is not the kind of person who should be providing any president with key legal advice. Meanwhile, an unrelated issue could affect Johnsen's nomination. The pressure for Obama to withdraw her nomination may grow now that Obama has released more Office of Legal Counsel memos detailing CIA interrogation tactics used during the Bush administration. Senate Republicans have threatened to filibuster the nominations of Johnsen and Harold Hongju Koh, an abortion advocate Obama nominated to become the legal counsel for the State Department, if President Obama released the memos. Full News Story at LifeNews.com
Washington, DC (LifeNews.com) -- A pro-life Congressman is pressing further with his request for President Barack Obama to withdraw his nomination of Dawn Johnsen. She is a former NARAL legal director Obama appointed to head the Office of Legal Counsel, which provides legal advice to the president. Johnsen has drawn strong opposition not only for her ties to the pro-abortion group but for filing a legal paper on its behalf with the Supreme Court equating pregnancy with slavery. Rep. Steve King, an Iowa Republican, was part of a group of 63 lawmakers to previously ask Obama to withdraw the nomination and he sent his own letter today to further urge him to scrap Johnsen. Declaring that Dawn Johnsen "is so against an unborn child's right-to-live that she has labeled mothers-to-be 'fetal containers'," King says she is not the kind of person who should be providing any president with key legal advice. Meanwhile, an unrelated issue could affect Johnsen's nomination. The pressure for Obama to withdraw her nomination may grow now that Obama has released more Office of Legal Counsel memos detailing CIA interrogation tactics used during the Bush administration. Senate Republicans have threatened to filibuster the nominations of Johnsen and Harold Hongju Koh, an abortion advocate Obama nominated to become the legal counsel for the State Department, if President Obama released the memos. Full News Story at LifeNews.com Time Magazine Promotes Euthanasia Kits Making Sure Assisted Suicide Really Kills
by Kathryn Jean Lopez
"Foolproofing Suicide with Euthanasia Test Kits." The matter-of-fact headline should chill you, especially since it didn't appear in some fringe publication or advocacy magazine. It appeared in Time magazine. "When someone with a terminal illness decides to end their life by overdosing on barbiturates, they hope the drugs will lull them into a peaceful and permanent sleep," the article began. But if these drugs have expired or are not dosed properly, the would-be suicide victim may actually survive, although possibly in a coma. Thank heavens (yes, that was sarcasm), euthanasia advocates plan to sell barbiturate-testing kits to confirm that deadly drug cocktails are, in fact, deadly. The kits debut in Britain in May for $50. The "seriously ill" don't want to mess around when they're trying to kill themselves, says Dr. Philip Nitschke. "They want to know they have the right concentration of drugs so that if they take them in the suggested way, it will provide them with a peaceful death." Full News Story at LifeNews.com
by Kathryn Jean Lopez
"Foolproofing Suicide with Euthanasia Test Kits." The matter-of-fact headline should chill you, especially since it didn't appear in some fringe publication or advocacy magazine. It appeared in Time magazine. "When someone with a terminal illness decides to end their life by overdosing on barbiturates, they hope the drugs will lull them into a peaceful and permanent sleep," the article began. But if these drugs have expired or are not dosed properly, the would-be suicide victim may actually survive, although possibly in a coma. Thank heavens (yes, that was sarcasm), euthanasia advocates plan to sell barbiturate-testing kits to confirm that deadly drug cocktails are, in fact, deadly. The kits debut in Britain in May for $50. The "seriously ill" don't want to mess around when they're trying to kill themselves, says Dr. Philip Nitschke. "They want to know they have the right concentration of drugs so that if they take them in the suggested way, it will provide them with a peaceful death." Full News Story at LifeNews.com Texas Committee Backs Choose Life License Plates Helping Pregnancy Centers
Austin, TX (LifeNews.com) -- A Texas state Senate committee has approved a bill that would create Choose Life specialty license plates. State motorists can purchase the plates at the Department of Motor Vehicles when they renew or obtain plates and part of the fees will go to pregnancy centers that provide women with abortion alternatives. The Senate Health and Human Services Committee approved the bill, SB 1098, on a 6-1 vote and now it heads to the full Senate for consideration. The House Transportation Subcommittee on License Plates held a hearing earlier this month on the House version of the measure, HB 109, but did not take a vote following the discussion. Rep. Larry Phillips, a Republican, is the sponsor of the that bill and 81 legislators have signed on as co-sponsors of it. "This bill, although it has a message of 'Choose Life,' the funds are going to go to promote adoption, because that is obviously a great opportunity to give an alternative," he told the panel. Full News Story at LifeNews.com
Austin, TX (LifeNews.com) -- A Texas state Senate committee has approved a bill that would create Choose Life specialty license plates. State motorists can purchase the plates at the Department of Motor Vehicles when they renew or obtain plates and part of the fees will go to pregnancy centers that provide women with abortion alternatives. The Senate Health and Human Services Committee approved the bill, SB 1098, on a 6-1 vote and now it heads to the full Senate for consideration. The House Transportation Subcommittee on License Plates held a hearing earlier this month on the House version of the measure, HB 109, but did not take a vote following the discussion. Rep. Larry Phillips, a Republican, is the sponsor of the that bill and 81 legislators have signed on as co-sponsors of it. "This bill, although it has a message of 'Choose Life,' the funds are going to go to promote adoption, because that is obviously a great opportunity to give an alternative," he told the panel. Full News Story at LifeNews.comIndiana Bill Requiring Admitting Privs for Abortion Practitioners Gets Conference
Indianapolis, IN (LifeNews.com) -- Legislation in Indiana that would require abortion practitioners to have admitting privileges at a local hospital is heading to a conference committee. Sen. Patricia Miller, a Republican who filed the bill in the Senate, says she doesn't like the changes the House made to the measure. In cases when an abortion goes horribly wrong and the abortion practitioner puts the life of the mother in jeopardy, the woman needs medical help. The bill says abortion practitioners must have hospital admitting privileges in order to do abortions in Indiana. The, Senate Bill 89, which cleared the House on a bipartisan 73-20 vote last week, and now it is heading to a legislative conference where lawmakers will work out the differences and craft a final version to go to the governor. "I'd like to put the language back in its original form," Miller, who filed an objection to the House changes, told the Fort Wayne Journal Gazette. The bill originally required abortion practitioners to obtain admitting privileges at a hospital in the county where the abortion is done or an adjacent county. The legislation came about because of problems in Fort Wayne, Indiana where local doctors had to take care of patients seen by out-of-state abortion practitioner George Klopfer at the Fort Wayne Women’s Health Organization. Full News Story at LifeNews.com
Indianapolis, IN (LifeNews.com) -- Legislation in Indiana that would require abortion practitioners to have admitting privileges at a local hospital is heading to a conference committee. Sen. Patricia Miller, a Republican who filed the bill in the Senate, says she doesn't like the changes the House made to the measure. In cases when an abortion goes horribly wrong and the abortion practitioner puts the life of the mother in jeopardy, the woman needs medical help. The bill says abortion practitioners must have hospital admitting privileges in order to do abortions in Indiana. The, Senate Bill 89, which cleared the House on a bipartisan 73-20 vote last week, and now it is heading to a legislative conference where lawmakers will work out the differences and craft a final version to go to the governor. "I'd like to put the language back in its original form," Miller, who filed an objection to the House changes, told the Fort Wayne Journal Gazette. The bill originally required abortion practitioners to obtain admitting privileges at a hospital in the county where the abortion is done or an adjacent county. The legislation came about because of problems in Fort Wayne, Indiana where local doctors had to take care of patients seen by out-of-state abortion practitioner George Klopfer at the Fort Wayne Women’s Health Organization. Full News Story at LifeNews.comMissouri Pro-Life Group Challenges Robin Carnahan on Abortion Funding Ban
Jefferson City, MO (LifeNews.com) -- A Missouri pro-life group is challenging Secretary of State Robin Carnahan over a ballot initiative it has proposed that would stop Missouri from funding abortion or embryonic stem cell research in some circumstances. On Monday, Missouri Roundtable for Life used polling data to make its point. The pro-life group filed the ballot initiative last year, but complained after Carnahan changed the wording of the summary that would appear on the ballot. Missouri Roundtable for Life says the wording Carnahan used is biased and would likely lead voters to oppose it because the language is negative and appears to oppose the initiative. The group filed a lawsuit last year against the state official. Now, the pro-life organization has supplied LifeNews.com with polling data using both the Carnahan language and its original language and testing how voters would respond. Full News Story at LifeNews.com
Virginia Man Convicted of Hiring Man to Kill His Girlfriend Who Refused AbortionJefferson City, MO (LifeNews.com) -- A Missouri pro-life group is challenging Secretary of State Robin Carnahan over a ballot initiative it has proposed that would stop Missouri from funding abortion or embryonic stem cell research in some circumstances. On Monday, Missouri Roundtable for Life used polling data to make its point. The pro-life group filed the ballot initiative last year, but complained after Carnahan changed the wording of the summary that would appear on the ballot. Missouri Roundtable for Life says the wording Carnahan used is biased and would likely lead voters to oppose it because the language is negative and appears to oppose the initiative. The group filed a lawsuit last year against the state official. Now, the pro-life organization has supplied LifeNews.com with polling data using both the Carnahan language and its original language and testing how voters would respond. Full News Story at LifeNews.com
Richmond, VA (LifeNews.com) -- A Virginia man was convicted on Monday of hiring a man to kill his pregnant ex-girlfriend who refused his request to have an abortion. Raymond Martin Scott, 32, pleaded no contest to charges of solicitation to murder Nakeisha Holliday and solicitation to kill an unborn child. Deputy Commonwealth's Attorney Tracy Thorne-Begland said Scott and Holliday worked together and that she was reportedly pregnant with his child. Scott wanted Holliday to get an abortion because he was also seeing another woman. When Holliday refused to get an abortion, Scott offered an unnamed man $1,300 to kill Holliday and her baby. Instead, the man contacted authorities and Holliday eventually gave birth to a baby boy in January. Full News Story at LifeNews.comWoman in India Dies During Botched Abortion Procedure, Father Claims Murder
Hyderabad, India (LifeNews.com) -- A woman in India has died on Monday following a botched legal abortion that saw her slip into a coma shortly after having anesthesia administered for the abortion procedure. The victim, identified as 22-year-old S Sneha died during the early morning hours yesterday at Care Hospital. The abortion was done a few days ago at a private hospital and the Express Buzz newspaper indicates she developed complications during the abortion. Sneha, who lived in Cherlapally with a co-worker named Gautam, to whom she supposedly recently married in January. Humayunnagar police sub-inspector Fayaz told the newspaper, Sneha was six weeks pregnant. On the night of April 8, Gautam, his sister Jyothsna and brother-in-law Ramesh, took Sneha to the Karan Maternity Hospital at Vijaynagar colony to get an abortion done. Jyothsna and Ramesh are also doctors." A doctor at the Government Maternity Hospital at Nayapul, Dr. Aruna, reportedly administered the anesthesia to Sneha, who apparently slipped into a coma shortly afterwards. Full News Story at LifeNews.comIreland Government Files Legal Papers Defending Abortion Ban at European Court
Dublin, Ireland (LifeNews.com) -- The government of Ireland has filed legal papers with the European Court of Human Rights in defense of it ban on most abortions. The court is slated to hold a hearing soon on a case involving three women who traveled to Britain to obtain abortions. They hope to overturn Ireland's strong pro-life laws that prohibit abortions unless the life of the mother is in danger. They say they were denied their rights because the Irish pro-life abortion law requires them to travel out of the country for an abortion. The Strasbourg-based court is considering whether it has standing to rule in the case. According to the Irish Times, the government is resting its defense on the contention that the women have not exhausted the legal remedies they have in Ireland. As a result, government attorneys say they should not have brought the case to the court, which covers the 42 members of the Council of Europe. The Irish government also insists the European Convention on Human Rights, on which the court operates, does not confer a right to abortion and the member states of the Council have never voted for the convention to authorize such a right. Full News Story at LifeNews.com
Dublin, Ireland (LifeNews.com) -- The government of Ireland has filed legal papers with the European Court of Human Rights in defense of it ban on most abortions. The court is slated to hold a hearing soon on a case involving three women who traveled to Britain to obtain abortions. They hope to overturn Ireland's strong pro-life laws that prohibit abortions unless the life of the mother is in danger. They say they were denied their rights because the Irish pro-life abortion law requires them to travel out of the country for an abortion. The Strasbourg-based court is considering whether it has standing to rule in the case. According to the Irish Times, the government is resting its defense on the contention that the women have not exhausted the legal remedies they have in Ireland. As a result, government attorneys say they should not have brought the case to the court, which covers the 42 members of the Council of Europe. The Irish government also insists the European Convention on Human Rights, on which the court operates, does not confer a right to abortion and the member states of the Council have never voted for the convention to authorize such a right. Full News Story at LifeNews.com
