LifeNews.com Pro-Life News Report
Wednesday, September 30, 2009
| For news updated throughout the day, visit LifeNews.com. |
Current Headlines
• Senate Panel Defeats Public Option in Baucus Health Care Reform Measure
• Key Pro-Life Democrat Gets Mtg With Nancy Pelosi on Abortion, Health Care
• New NIH Web Site Promotes Obama's Embryonic Stem Cell Research
• Planned Parenthood Gives Abortion Practitioner George Tiller Top Award
• Ex-CBS Anchor Dan Rather to Headline Planned Parenthood Abortion Event
• Congressman Defends Saying Obama the "Enemy of Humanity" Over Abortion
• Fertility Clinics in California, Louisiana Face Suits Over Destroying Embryos
• Council of Europe Assembly to Vote on Pro-Abortion Report Friday
• Duggar Family's 19th Child Points to Underpopulation, Social Security
• Washington State Quickly Taking First Place in Promoting Assisted Suicide
• Tennessee Man Kills Pregnant Girlfriend, Unborn Baby After Abortion Refusal
• California Pro-Lifers Lila Rose, Walter Hoye Behind Personhood Campaign
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Senate Panel Defeats Public Option in Baucus Health Care Reform Measure
Washington, DC (LifeNews.com) -- A Senate committee today voted to defeat an amendment to include the public option in the Baucus health care "reform" legislation. The public option is the government-run health care program that pro-life groups worry would expand abortion funding more that is already present in the bill. The Senate Finance Committee rejected an amendment from Democratic Sen. Jay Rockefeller of West Virginia on a 15-8 vote to include the government-run health care plan in the Baucus bill. Sen. Max Baucus, the sponsor of the measure, voted against the public option along with four other Democrats and all 10 Republicans who are members of the committee. During the debate, Baucus said he liked much about the public option but decided to vote against it because he worried adding it would kill the bill since the government option doesn't have the support of a majority of the members of the Senate. "I fear if this provision is in the bill, it will hold back meaningful reform this year," Baucus said. Full story at LifeNews.com
ACTION: Contact members of the Senate Finance Committee and urge them to support amendments to make sure abortion funding and coverage -- as well as rationing -- are specifically excluded from the Baucus bill. You can find members of the panel here. http://finance.senate.gov/sitepages/committee.htm
Key Pro-Life Democrat Gets Mtg With Nancy Pelosi on Abortion, Health Care
Washington, DC (LifeNews.com) -- After months of no response from House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, pro-life Democrats scored a meeting today with the pro-abortion leader. They have written two letters to Pelosi asking for a chance to have a vote on banning abortion funding in the health care bills and they finally got their chance today. Rep. Bart Stupak, a pro-life Democrat from Michigan, has led efforts to remove the massive abortion subsidies and mandates from HR 3200. He has been unable to get a commitment from Pelosi to allow a vote on his amendment on the House floor that, with the support of pro-life groups, would remove abortion funding. Stupak told the New York Times today that he finally got a call back from President Barack Obama after waiting for weeks for a meeting. "He said: 'Look, try to get this thing worked out among the Democrats. We want you to work it out within the party,'" Stupak said. Obama, who has given what pro-life organizations call a disingenuous pledge that abortion funding will not appear in a health care reform bill he signs, did not pledge to support Stupak's amendment, he told the newspaper, but he saw the silver lining. "We got his attention, which we never had before," he said. The call has prompted Pelosi to give Stupak a chance to make his case today. Full story at LifeNews.com
New NIH Web Site Promotes Obama's Embryonic Stem Cell Research Tax-Funding
Washington, DC (LifeNews.com) -- The National Institutes of Health has set up a new web site that will further implement the decision by President Barack Obama to force taxpayers to fund embryonic stem cell research. The research has yet to help any patients, unlike the use of adult stem cells which has proven particularly useful. In March, Obama signed an executive order forcing funding for the unproven research that requires the destruction of human life. in July, he directed the NIH to adopt rules implementing the decision and now the agency launched a website through which scientists can request their human embryonic stem cell lines receive taxpayer funding. Eligible lines will appear on the NIH Human Embryonic Stem Cell Registry and NIH director Dr Francis Collins has appointed a working group to assist him in deciding which lines will be approved for federal funds. The working group reportedly will consist of experts in genetics, law, medicine and ethics and will be chaired by Dr Jeffrey Botkin, a medical ethicist at the University of Utah. Full story at LifeNews.com
Planned Parenthood Gives Late-Term Abortion Practitioner George Tiller Top Award
Washington, DC (LifeNews.com) -- The International Federation of Planned Parenthood Foundation gave slain late-term abortion practitioner George Tiller its highest award over the weekend. The international abortion business honored Tiller posthumously in Washington months after he was shot and killed in his Kansas church. Planned Parenthood gave Tiller its Medal of Honor for "outstanding individual contribution to sexual and reproductive health." According to a Wichita News report, Tiller's widow Jeanne accepted the award on her late husband's behalf. Alexander Sanger, grandson of Margaret Sanger, the woman who founded Planned parenthood and who has come under fire for having racist views for doing so, presented Tiller with the award. Before his death, the state board that monitors doctors was close to revoking Tiller's medical license on allegations that he falsified the age of unborn children before the late-term abortions that took their lives. He allegedly did so to stay within the confines of state law. Tiller also injured numerous women in botched abortions and was responsible for overseeing another abortion practitioner, LeRoy Carhart, who killed mentally disabled teenager Christin Gilbert in a failed abortion. Full story at LifeNews.com
 Medical professionals are on the frontlines of battle in life issues. From abortion to assisted suicide and euthanasia and all issues in between we are challenged in the workplace to defend our beliefs and risk our employment. The National Association of Pro-life Nurses has been here for nurses since the beginning of this battle. Join with us in our efforts to protect those voices at www.nursesforlife.org |
Ex-CBS Anchor Dan Rather to Headline Planned Parenthood Abortion Biz Event
Minneapolis, MN (LifeNews.com) -- Most viewers can easily pinpoint the pro-abortion bias in news reports by the so-called mainstream media, but former CBS newsman Dan Rather is confirmation what they already know. Rather will headline a fundraising event for a local affiliate of the Planned Parenthood abortion business. Planned Parenthood Minnesota, North Dakota, South Dakota tapped Rather to be the keynote speaker at its October 13 banquet at the Minneapolis Hilton. "Dan Rather, the voice, heart and soul of American journalism, is one of the most recognized and renowned reporters of our time," the abortion business trumpets in an announcement of the event. Tickets for the swanky pro-abortion fundraiser with Rather start at $150 and go up to $5,000 -- which guarantees the abortion advocate preferred seating near the former CBS anchor. Full story at LifeNews.com
Washington, DC (LifeNews.com) -- Congressman Trent Franks of Arizona has found himself the subject of criticism due to some "frank" comments he made at a recent conservative conference. Over the weekend, Frank said President Barack Obama was the "enemy of humanity" because of his aggressive pro-abortion record. Franks has issued a statement clarifying and defending those remarks -- especially from critics who did not realize he was referring to abortion. "My recent comment regarding President Obama was specifically related to the President's policies on abortion. For that reason I should certainly have said 'unborn' humanity," he told LifeNews.com in a statement. Franks called Obama a man with "genuine noble impulses" but one who ignored his encouragement at the beginning of his administration not to promote abortion. Full story at LifeNews.com| Choicekills.com can change discussion from Defense to Offense |
 A woman's right to choose has succeeded in in forcing us to defend the right to life. Accusing Choice of being a killer TURNS THE TABLES and forces our opponents to defend against the reality that Choice facilitates abortion. Not an easy task. http://www.ChoiceKills.com |
Fertility Clinics in California, Louisiana Face Lawsuits Over Destroying Embryos
Washington, DC (LifeNews.com) -- Fertility clinics in Louisiana and California are facing lawsuits over their destruction or mishandling of human embryos -- the unique human beings waiting to be born. The lawsuits highlight the problems of fertility clinics having such a direct control over the life and death of people in their earliest days. In New Orleans, Ochsner Hospital has admitted to mishandling human embryos that were eventually destroyed or for which they can't account. Lawyers for as many as 100 clients say they have already filed or will be filing lawsuits against the medical center. "My clients have struggled with this travesty for the last year," Melanie Lagarde, an attorney for Kim and Abraham Whitney, who lost four embryos in the mix-ups, told CBS News. "They want to know what happened to these embryos." Despite supposed safeguards, Ochsner has admitted that some human beings were destroyed and others are missing and its fertility clinic can't determine their whereabouts. Full story at LifeNews.com
Council of Europe Parliamentary Assembly to Vote on Pro-Abortion Report Friday
London, England (LifeNews.com) -- The Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) will hold a debate on vote on Friday on a report that pro-life groups tell LifeNews.com. The European Centre for Law and Justice (ECLJ) and the British pro-life group SPUC are asking for calls and emails in advance of the vote. The ECLJ, in an email today to LifeNews.com, says the PACE report "promotes abortion as a means of family planning and population control in developing countries." At issue is a report and resolution entitled: "Fifteen Years Since the International Conference on Population and Development Programme of Action." The report encourages the Committee of Ministers to start developing a European convention on sexual and reproductive health, and to achieve universal access to sexual and reproductive health and rights by 2015. The convention will undoubtedly promote abortion, according to one top European pro-life group. Full story at LifeNews.com
Duggar Family's 19th Child Points to Problem of Underpopulation, Social Security
by Steve Mosher
I am not a big fan of reality TV. My tastes run instead to EWTN, FOX News and -- because I travel a lot and have a farm -- The Weather Channel. But the news that D-Health reality-show stars Jim Bob and Michelle Duggar are expecting their 19th child somehow reached me through the Internet anyway. I cheered the news, as you might have expected. My wife and I have a large family -- albeit only half the size of the Duggars -- and at PRI we encourage others to do the same. One of my talks is entitled "Ten Great Reasons to have Another Child." There is plenty of room on God's green earth for all of us, I tell audiences. The Left predictably responded to the new arrival with jeers. Don't you know that babies cause global warming, Al Gore was heard to mutter, while David Letterman spewed his usual ration of dirty jokes. For the population controllers at Planned Parenthood it was no laughing matter, however. They have a particular animus towards those couples who are generous in welcoming children into their families. "Breeders," they sneeringly call us. Full story at LifeNews.com
Washington State Quickly Taking First Place in Promotion of Assisted Suicide
Live in Washington State? In a crisis? Suicidal? Call 911. Then what? A dispatcher sends crisis negotiators who, if they follow the suggestions provided at a recent negotiators' training session, could help you consider "all options." If you're eligible, you may be referred to friendly volunteers who will help you find a doctor willing to prescribe a deadly drug overdose. Just take the prescription to a pharmacy. Have it filled by a pharmacist who hands it to you with instructions to "take this with a light snack and alcohol to cause death." But what if the pharmacy has opted out of participation in assisted suicide? Not to worry. Washington pharmacies are required to fill your prescription. Full story at LifeNews.com
Tennessee Man Kills Pregnant Girlfriend, Unborn Baby After Abortion Refusal
Murfreesboro, TN (LifeNews.com) -- A Tennessee man has been charged with two counts of murder for killing his pregnant girlfriend and her unborn child after she refused his request to get an abortion. Tarance Nelson is charged with two counts of first-degree murder in the shooting deaths of Tonya Johnson, 36, and her baby. Nelson allegedly killed Johnson and her baby in Friday night and now the 26-year-old remains in custody without bond. He will appear in court before Judge Lee Wilson, who heads the new Domestic Violence Court, on October 13 to say whether or not he can afford an attorney or needs one appointed for him. According to the Memphis Commercial Appeal newspaper, friends and neighbors told local police that Johnson and Nelson had been arguing about her pregnancy and that she refused his request to get an abortion. Full story at LifeNews.com
California Pro-Life Activists Lila Rose, Walter Hoye Behind Personhood Campaign
Sacramento, CA (LifeNews.com) -- Some familiar faces are behind the new abortion-personhood campaign in California. Lila Rose and Walter Hoye are behind the effort to get the state to recognize human rights and personhood for all human beings from the biological beginning of development. They submitted the California Human Rights Amendment to Attorney General Jerry Brown following a press conference Monday in Sacramento. Rose is a 21-year-old pro-life activist who is the president of Live Action, which has engaged in a campaign to expose illegal and unethical activities at Planned Parenthood centers. Her group's videos have exposed actions such as covering up potential cases of statutory rape and promoting secret abortions without parental involvement. Full story at LifeNews.com
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