LifeNews.com Pro-Life News Report
Wednesday, October 14, 2009
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Current Headlines
• Senate Committee Votes for Fifth Health Care Bill Promoting Tax-Funded Abortions
• Pro-Life Group Pans Baucus Bill, Launches New Ad on Abortion and Health Care
• Majority of Americans Oppose Pro-Abortion Health Care Reform as Senate Votes
• New Stem Cell Research Bill Could Promote Human Cloning, Destroying Embryos
• Abortion Practitioner in California Apparently Violating Terms of Previous Probation
• New Guttmacher Institute Report on Illegal Abortions Relies on Abortion Advocates
• Illinois Parental Notification on Abortion Sued by ACLU, Wants Law Overturned
• Pennsylvania School Targets Student With "Abortion is Not Health Care" T-Shirt
• Pro-Life Sen. Jon Kyl Unfairly Painted as Anti-Woman by Abortion Backers
• Ohio Pro-Life Group Upset County Giving 50K to Planned Parenthood Abortion Biz
• Spain Government's Move to Expand Abortions Draws Plurality Opposition in Poll
• Princeton University Pro-Life Display Becomes Subject of Pro-Abortion Vandalism
LifeNews.com editor Steven Ertelt will be the keynote speaker at the annual Springfield, Illinois Right to Life banquet this Saturday. If you live in the area, make plans to attend and introduce yourself to him. Click here for tickets.
Senate Committee Votes for Fifth Health Care Bill Promoting Tax-Funded Abortions
Washington, DC (LifeNews.com) -- The Senate Finance Committee voted 14-9 today to send the fifth version of health care reform legislation to the floor of a chamber of Congress. The Baucus bill, named for the chairman of the panel who is its main sponsor, would fund abortions with massive subsidies. Lawmakers voted mostly along party lines with pro-abortion Republican Sen. Olympia Snowe of Maine joining the committee's pro-abortion Democrats to pass the bill. After rejecting pro-life amendments last week that would have ensured the Baucus health care bill does not fund abortions and to protect the conscience rights of medical professionals, pro-life groups urged opposition to the bill. On a 13-10 vote, the Senate Finance Committee rejected an amendment from Sen. Orrin Hatch that would have the bill conform to current federal law prohibiting direct abortion funding. The panel also rejected a second pro-life amendment that would have offered protection for medical workers who don't want to participate in or refer for abortions. A third amendment to stop rationing also went down in defeat. The finance panel is the last of five Congressional committees -- two in the Senate and three in the House -- to approve different health care bills. Full story at LifeNews.com
Pro-Life Group Pans Baucus Bill, Launches New Ad on Abortion and Health Care
Washington, DC (LifeNews.com) -- The national pro-life group Americans United for Life is panning the passage of the Baucus health care bill, the fifth piece of so-called reform legislation that promotes abortion. AUL is also preparing to launch tomorrow a new online ad that focuses on health care and abortion funding. A Senate committee passed the Baucus bill today on a largely partisan vote. Charmaine Yoest, the president of AUL, told LifeNews.com that the panel "joined the four other committees with jurisdiction over health care reform in reporting out a bill that does not include explicit language excluding abortion funding and coverage." "In fact, the Baucus bill explicitly includes abortion funding and coverage," she said. "History has shown that unless legislation relating to health care reform includes language that expressly excludes abortion, courts and administrative agencies will interpret the legislation as including abortion." Full story at LifeNews.com
Majority of Americans Oppose Pro-Abortion Health Care Reform as Senate Votes
Washington, DC (LifeNews.com) -- As a Senate committee votes today on what is the fifth pro-abortion health care "reform bill," a new poll shows a majority of Americans are still opposed. The Senate Finance Committee is expected to approve the Baucus health care bill, which allows massive abortion funding. Although polling data has shown some movement in favor of the pro-abortion health care legislation pending in Congress, a new Rasmussen poll released today reveals opposition is holding steady. Just 44 percent of voters nationwide favor the health care reform bills, none of which contain limits like the Hyde amendment on abortion funding. That is down two percent from the 46 percent level of support Rasmussen showed earlier this month. The latest Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds 50 percent of Americans are opposed to the government-run health care plans. Currently, 23% strongly favor the legislative effort and 39% are strongly opposed, and intensity has favored opponents throughout the debate. Full story at LifeNews.com
New Stem Cell Research Bill Could Promote Human Cloning, Destroying Embryos
Washington, DC (LifeNews.com) -- President Barack Obama issued an executive order this year to force taxpayers to fund embryonic stem cell research that destroys human life. Now that the National Institutes of Health (NIH) has issued the guidelines to implement that decision, a pro-cloning member of Congress wants to open the door further. Rep. Diana DeGette, a Colorado Democrat, will soon introduce the Stem Cell Research Enhancement Act of 2009. DeGette, as the Washington Post did in a supportive weekend editorial, will likely tout the legislation as a was to codify, or make as permanent law, Obama's decision. That means a future pro-life president would not be able to undo the decision with another executive order. But, DeGette's measure will likely go further and "enhance" or promote human cloning and the destruction of human embryos. DeGette introduced a similar bill earlier this year that would allow NIH to invest in other kinds of research -- perhaps including so-called "therapeutic cloning," which is human cloning done for dubious research purposes. Otherwise known as somatic cell nuclear transfer, it is the kind of human cloning in which scientists purposefully create days-old human embryos -- unique human beings -- for the sole purpose of killing them for research. 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 |
Abortion Practitioner in California Apparently Violating Terms of Previous Probation
San Diego, CA (LifeNews.com) -- An abortion practitioner in California is apparently violating the terms of a previous probation for prior acts of gross negligence. Andrew Rutland previously lost his license, but was reinstated under strict conditions by the Medical Board of California -- conditions he is apparently violating. Rutland formerly practiced as an obstetrician and lost his medical license for five years after he was accused of negligence in the death of two babies. Rutland surrendered his license in October 2002 after a two-year state investigation that resulted in accusations of negligence, misconduct and incompetence in his treatment of 20 pregnant women, newborns and gynecological patients The current abortion practitioner only admitted negligence in once case, that of Jillian Broussard, who suffered a torn spinal cord and died a week after she was delivered by forceps. After a medical board hearing during which Rutland apologized for his actions in the Broussard case, the medical board's Division of Medical Quality approved the reinstatement of Rutland's license with a provision that he be supervised by another physician. Unable to get work in legitimate medical fields because of the probation, Rutland has opened an abortion center in southern California, apparently with no other physician. Full story at LifeNews.com
New York, NY (LifeNews.com) -- A new report by the Guttmacher Institute claims as many as 70,000 women are dying from unsafe, illegal abortions across the globe. However, the former affiliate of the Planned Parenthood abortion business admits that its figures come from groups working to promote and legalize abortions. Guttmacher's new report indicates the number of abortions worldwide fell from an estimated 45.5 million in 1995 to 41.6 million in 2003. The abortion rate, it says, dropped between 1995 and 2003 from 20 to 15 per 1,000 women aged 15–44. About 70,000 women die each year from the effects of illegal abortions, Guttmacher claims, though it provides little in the way of proof of its numbers other than relying on disputed numbers from the United Nations. Full story at LifeNews.com| It's for young women and them only. |
| If you can't conceive and abort this isn't for you. Having a Choice sounds cool until you have to make it -- then it sucks. Choicekills.com, It's a quick read on a big issue, You'll feel better for having read it. http://www.ChoiceKills.com |
Illinois Parental Notification on Abortion Sued by ACLU, Wants Law Overturned
Springfield, IL (LifeNews.com) -- Not content to run an operation that guides young women on how to avoid a parental notification law and have a secret abortion, the ACLU of Illinois has filed a lawsuit seeking to overturn the statute. The measure itself has been unenforced for years but was set to finally come into play this year. The ACLU claims that having a teenage girl notify her parents that she wants to have a surgical procedure that would kill her unborn child and could possibly cause her medical and mental health problems presents "serious and irreversible
harm to teens." The lawsuit, on behalf of Illinois abortion centers, says "most young women who seek abortions already involve their parents," which makes pro-life advocates in the state wonder why the ACLU would sue to overturn the parental involvement law. Full story at LifeNews.com
Pennsylvania School Targets Student With "Abortion is Not Health Care" T-Shirt
Scranton, PA (LifeNews.com) -- Officials at a Pennsylvania school targeted a middle school student who came to class wearing a pro-life t-shirt with the message, "Abortion is Not Health Care." Officials at Crossroads Middle School in Lewisberry ordered the student to remove the shirt on the day of President Obama's public address to students. School officials deemed the shirt "inappropriate," saying it might insult somebody -- even though the school routinely allows students to wear other shirts with other potentially offensive messages. Alliance Defense Fund attorneys filed a lawsuit in federal court last week against the West Shore School District for prohibiting the student from wearing the shirt. "Pro-life students shouldn't be censored for their views," ADF Senior Legal Counsel David Cortman told LifeNews.com on Monday. Full story at LifeNews.com
Pro-Life Sen. Jon Kyl Unfairly Painted as Anti-Woman by Abortion Backers
Washington, DC (LifeNews.com) -- Abortion advocates are attempting to use a quote from pro-life Sen Jon Kyl of Arizona to paint him as anti-woman. During a recent exchange as a Senate committee considered a pro-abortion health care bill, Kyl made a point about driving up health care costs by requiring certain coverage. "I don't need maternity care," Kyl said about requirements that would make some pay for maternity coverage. "And so requiring that to be in my insurance policy is something that I don't need and will make the policy more expensive." Sen. Debbie Stabenow, a pro-abortion Michigan lawmaker, responded: "I think your mom probably did." Kyl shot back, "Yeah, over 60 years ago my mom did." Abortion advocates have seized on the comment in an effort to make it appear Kyl, a top pro-life advocate in the Senate, has a problem with women or helping pregnant women. Carrie Lukas writes in National Review Online today that nothing could be further from the truth. Full story at LifeNews.com
Ohio Pro-Life Group Upset County Giving 50K to Planned Parenthood Abortion Biz
Columbus, OH (LifeNews.com) -- Today, the Franklin County Board of Commissioners is expected to pass a resolution authorizing a $50,000 contract with Planned Parenthood of Central Ohio. The grant, which would fund sexual education programs in 19 Franklin County middle and high schools, is drawing opposition from Ohio Right to Life. The executive summary of the contract notes that the programs will promote "increase[d] access to reproductive health care for teenagers," which means getting more customers for Planed Parenthood. Mike Gonidakis, the director of Ohio Right to Life, told LifeNews.com on Monday that Planned Parenthood is the largest abortion business in the United States, doing 305,310 abortions in 2007 alone, and shouldn't be promoted by any Ohio county or school. He also noted that Planned Parenthood is not in need of funding, as it received $346.9 million dollars of taxpayer money nationally in 2008, more than $100 million in excess of what they received from private donations. Full story at LifeNews.com
Spain Government's Move to Expand Abortions Draws Plurality Opposition in Poll
Madrid, Spain (LifeNews.com) -- A move by the government of Spain to expand abortions is drawing the opposition of a plurality of voters, according to a new poll conducted by Instituto Noxa and published in La Vanguardia newspaper. The poll found 44 percent of Spanish citizens support expanding abortions while 46 percent oppose the move. Under existing legislation introduced in 1985, women in Spain can get an abortion in cases of rape, when the unborn child developmental problems, and if there is a supposed mental health risk for the mother. The last reason has been exploited to essentially allow abortion on demand. However, the Spanish government, headed by José Luis RodrÃguez Zapatero of the Socialist Worker's Party, has proposed legalizing all abortions for any woman over the age of 16 to have an abortion on demand in the first 14 weeks of pregnancy and the first 22 weeks if the baby has developmental issues. Full story at LifeNews.com
Princeton University Pro-Life Display Becomes Subject of Pro-Abortion Vandalism
Princeton, NJ (LifeNews.com) -- The pro-life student group at Princeton University is the latest to find itself on the receiving end of vandalism from pro-abortion activists not happy that students are exposed to the pro-life perspective. A lawn display advocating against abortion that Princeton Pro-Life sponsored was vandalized last week. Campus police were first notified of the vandalism early Thursday morning Princeton University spokeswoman Cass Cliatt told the student newspaper. The display consisted of large fetal development posters mounted on plywood boards and all six posters on the lawn had been torn off their plywood mounts. The abortion advocates responsible apparently didn't like the pictures of unborn children as they person or persons responsible tore the pictures and wrote, "debate with words, not soft-focus photography." Full story at LifeNews.com
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