LifeNews.com Pro-Life News Report
Saturay, November 7, 2009
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Current Headlines
• Pro-Abortion Health Bill Lacks Enough Votes, Vote Delay to Sunday Possible
• President Barack Obama Officially Endorses Abortion-Funding Health Care Bill
• Pro-Life Groups Run Ad on CNN Exposing Abortion Funding in Health Care Bill
• Bishops Call on House to Allow Amendment to Stop Abortion in Health Care
• Pro-Life Doctors Release Video: Pro-Abortion health Care to Cause Shortage
• Pro-Abortion MoveOn to Challenge Pro-Life Democrats Voting No on Health Care
• Abortion Business in Florida Closes After Operating for Year Without License
• Democrat Behind Fake Abortion Funding Amendment Draws Strong Opposition
• Abstinence Education Backers Say CDC Report Shows Success of Programs
• Next Debate on Canada Bill to Legalize Assisted Suicide Pushed to December
• Scientists Say Newborn Babies Cry in Native Language Learned in the Womb
• Illinois Judge Dismisses Lawsuit Against Aurora on Planned Parenthood OK
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Pro-Abortion Health Care Bill Lacks Enough Votes, Vote Delay to Sunday Possible
Washington, DC (LifeNews.com) -- In a conference call with liberal activists, Majority Leader Steny Hoyer just revealed that the health care reform bill with massive abortion funding may lack enough votes for a majority. The bill is slated to get a vote Saturday evening, but he said that could be pushed back to Sunday or early next week.
Hoyer, in a conference call with reporters and the liberal health care advocacy group Families USA, said pro-abortion Democrats were "very close" to securing enough votes for passage.
"As of now we're expecting to consider the legislation [Saturday] however we could make additional time as needed," he said. "I think we can finish the debate by 7 or 8 o'clock [Saturday] night." "We're very close," to having enough votes, Hoyer said. "There are many people that are still looking for a comfort level [with the bill]."
Asked Thursday if she had the votes, Speaker Nancy Pelosi replied: "We will" -- an indication that they are not collected and more time may be needed.
Part of the comfort level revolves around abortion and whether or not he and Speaker Nancy Pelosi will include the Ellsworth amendment in the Rule for debate on the bill. The amendment is the fake version of the authentic pro-life Stupak amendment that would actually ban all abortion funding. Full story at LifeNews.com
ACTION: Contact your member of the House immediately and urge a no vote on the Rule and HR 3962 because the health care bill contains massive abortion funding. Get contact information at http://www.House.gov.
President Barack Obama Officially Endorses Abortion-Funding Health Care Bill
Washington, DC (LifeNews.com) -- With a new statement released today from the White House, President Barack Obama finally officially put his imprimatur on the House health care bill that contains massive abortion funding. Obama has previously been criticized for saying he wanted no abortion funding but lobbying for the bill.
Now, with the new statement from his administration, Obama is officially on record supporting the bill, HR 3962, and its abortion funding components.
"The Administration strongly supports House passage of H.R. 3962, the Affordable Health Care for America Act, a bill that represents a critical milestone in the effort to reform our health care system," the administration said in a statement for Obama. "The Administration looks forward to continuing to work with the Congress on this legislation and urges quick action on this landmark bill."
The statement said the bill "meets the President's criteria for health insurance reform" but makes no mention of abortion. The statement also says Obama "is pleased that the bill includes a public health insurance option offered in an exchange" -- even though that is one abortion-funding component of the bill.
The legislation sets up abortion funding in two ways -- first, it sets up the public option. That is a government-run health care plan that will pay for abortions. Secondly, the bill gives members of the public affordability credits that can be used to pay for abortions.
Supporting a bill with massive abortion funding directly undercuts Obama's pledge in September to craft a health care bill that doesn't do so. During an address to Congress in September, Obama said, "One more misunderstanding I want to clear up -- under our plan, no federal dollars will be used to fund abortions."
Leading pro-life organizations say Obama is violating his pledge to Congress and the American people to support health care reform that is abortion neutral. Full story at LifeNews.com
Pro-Life Groups Run New Ad on CNN Exposing Abortion Funding in Health Care Bill
Washington, DC (LifeNews.com) -- In an effort to build more opposition to the pro-abortion health care bill before the expected votes today and tomorrow, a collection of pro-life groups are running a new television commercial on CNN that will appear throughout the day Friday and Saturday on its Headline News station.
The ad is sponsored by members of the Stop the Abortion Mandate Coalition, of which LifeNews.com is a member.
The ad is the brain child of Americans United for Life and the Susan B. Anthony List, two pro-life groups that have been working overtime to stop HR 3962 because of the massive abortion funding the bill contains.
"It's a fact that an unborn child has a heartbeat and that abortion stops it," the ad says.
"Do you want your tax dollars to pay for abortions in healthcare reform?" the ad asks. "Seventy-one percent of Americans don't want to either but pro-abortion politicians are planning to use your tax dollars to fund abortion in healthcare reform." Full story at LifeNews.com
Bishops Call on House Leaders to Allow Amendment to Stop Abortion in Health Care
Washington, DC (LifeNews.com) -- In its fourth letter to members of Congress in recent weeks an the health care bills and abortion founding, the nation's Catholic bishops are calling on House leaders to allow a vote on an authentic amendment that would allow lawmakers a chance to remove abortion funding from HR 3962.
The legislation, as it stands now, contains massive abortion funding through both the public option and the affordability credits.
Moments before members of the House Rules Committee started their meeting to determine whether they would allow a vote on the pro-life Stupak amendment, include the phony Ellsworth amendment or allow no vote on abortion, the USCCB sent members a letter.
The bishops called for "a fair process" that would permit discussion of "an amendment to keep in place current federal law on abortion funding and conscience protections."
Bishop William Murphy of Rockville Centre, New York, who is the chairman of the bishops' Domestic Justice Committee; Cardinal Justin Rigali, chair of the Committee on pro-life activities; and Bishop John Wester of Salt Lake City each signed off on the bill.
"We write to strongly urge you to vote for essential changes and a fair process in the House of Representatives to ensure that needed health care reform legislation truly protects the life, dignity, health and consciences of all," they say. "Unfortunately, the legislation moving to the House floor falls fundamentally short of this essential goal."
'We urge members of the House to support an amendment to keep in place current federal law on abortion funding and conscience protections and to oppose a closed rule that would prevent the House from voting on this crucial matter," they wrote in the letter provided to LifeNews.com. Full story at LifeNews.com
Pro-Life Doctors Release Video: Pro-Abortion health Care Bill to Cause Shortage
Washington, DC (LifeNews.com) -- A group of pro-life doctors and a coalition of pro-life groups are challenging the American Medical Associations endorsement of the pro-abortion health care bill in the House. They say the bill not only pays for abortions with government funds but fails to offer full conscience protection.
The 16,000-member Christian Medical Association and Freedom2Care, an association of pro-life groups, have jointly released a new video describing the problems with HR 3962, the House health care bill, and the need for conscience protections for medical professions.
The video points out how doctors are not all supportive of a pro-abortion bill and it focuses on the link between patient access and the number of doctors who would leave their practices if a time came when they were forced to choose between violating their conscience or holding their job.
The video features an opening slide asking, "Why could government-run healthcare mean delay or denial of care for you?"
A dial tone followed by sounds of punching in a phone number followed by two rings is heard with a doctor's voice saying, "Doctor's office, please hold."
Alice Tsai M.D., a pro-life physician, comes on screen to alert viewers: "One of six patients are cared for in a Catholic hospital. Over 600 Catholic hospitals care for patients nationally, in the United States alone. Congress is considering healthcare bills now that could force compassionate, faith-based doctors out of practice." Full story at LifeNews.com
Pro-Abortion MoveOn to Challenge Pro-Life Democrats Voting No on Health Care
Washington, DC (LifeNews.com) -- The pro-abortion grassroots activist group MoveOn says it has raised millions of dollars to take on any pro-life or moderate Democrat who would vote against or hold up the health care reform bill. Pro-life groups oppose the bills because they currently contain massive government funding of abortions. MoveOn informed its members in a Thursday email that it has raised well over $3 million to fund pro-abortion challenges to any Democrat who votes against the bills. It says it has raised $3,578,117 to challenge "any Democratic senator who blocks an up-or-down vote on health care reform with a public option."
The email warned that any Democratic lawmaker who joins Republicans to filibuster or vote against the pro-abortion health care bills will "face an enormous backlash from the grassroots."
The email also says MoveOn is joining Democracy for America, the activist group created by pro-abortion former Democratic Party chairman and presidential candidate Howard Dean, to call on Democrats in Congress to strip committee chairmanships from any Democrat who opposes the pro-abortion bill. Full story at LifeNews.com
Abortion Business in Florida Closes After Operating for Year Without License
Pensacola, FL (LifeNews.com) -- An abortion business in Pensacola, Florida has closed after state officials determined it had operated for well over a year without a proper medical license. The Community Healthcare Center, one of two area abortion centers, closed its doors on Friday.
Officials with the Florida Agency for Healthcare Administration inspected the abortion business last month and determined the center's laboratory license had been expired for 413 days.
The abortion center had a choice to close down or pay a $413,000 fine to the for Agency for Healthcare Administration and it chose to cease operating.
Abortion center staff have refused to talk with local media so far about whether the facility will close for good, but the state says it can't reopen until the fine is paid. The state offered the abortion center a reduced fine but never heard back.
Ernie Cyr, the Pensacola coordinator of the local 40 Days for Life pro-life prayer campaign, is excited by the news. He said he first learned of the Community Healthcare Center's closing when he read a legal notice in the newspaper. Full story at LifeNews.com
Democrat Behind Fake Abortion Funding Amendment Draws Strong Opposition
Washington, DC (LifeNews.com) -- Before this week, Indiana congressman Brad Ellsworth was regarded as one of the consistently pro-life Democratic members of Congress. Once applauded as one of the much-needed pro-life Democrats to stop the pro-abortion health care bill, Ellsworth could single-handedly get it approved.
That's because he is trying to siphon off Democrats once thought to be a part of a solid block of 40 pro-life stalwarts.
Pro-life advocates were counting on them to join pro-life Republicans in defeating the pro-abortion health care bill unless Speaker Nancy Pelosi would relent and allow a vote on an authentically pro-life amendment from Democratic Rep. Bart Stupak to block all abortion funding.
As LifeNews.com reported earlier this week, Ellsworth has worked with pro-abortion Democrats to come up with a new amendment that claims to ban abortion funding but doesn't. Now, he is facing tough scrutiny from pro-life groups and at home.
Doug Johnson, the legislative director for the National Right to Life Committee, went as far as saying it was a "bayonet in the back from someone who said he was on our side."
Indiana Right to Life is so disappointed that it has launched two radio ads for stations in Indiana's eight congressional district highlighting the problems with the amendment. Full story at LifeNews.com
Abstinence Education Backers Say CDC Report Shows Success of Programs
Washington, DC (LifeNews.com) -- Data from an analysis conducted by the CDC shows positive evidence that abstinence education is delivering an effective message for teenagers. The report is prompting abstinence education advocates to call for more funding and pro-abstinence policies because abstinence is delaying sex among teens.
The CDC Task Force on Community Preventive Services, a 15-member body, ultimately reached no negative conclusions about abstinence.
They reviewed an analysis of 83 studies of sexual education programs run between 1980 and 2007 and, according to CDC official Randy Elder, determined there "was insufficient evidence" about whether abstinence programs work.
The positive results came from 10 different studies by six different authors.
Two members of the panel of consultants for the analysis reported that the abstinence education programs in the study produced a statistically significant reduction in teen sexual activity for periods averaging about one year. They produced a minority report saying the majority of the panel dismissed these studies showing positive results for abstinence education.
Valerie Huber, the director of the National Abstinence Education Association, told LifeNews.com, that the panel should have concluded that abstinence programs are effective and comprehensive programs are not. Full story at LifeNews.com
Next Debate on Canada Bill to Legalize Assisted Suicide Pushed to December
Ottawa, Canada (LifeNews.com) -- The next debate on the bill in the Canadian Parliament that would legalize assisted suicide has been pushed backed to December. The news comes after a new poll showing Canadians have strong concerns about how the legislation would adversely affect the elderly and disabled.
Alex Schadenberg, the director of the Euthanasia Prevention Coalition, informs LifeNews.com that MP Francine Lalonde, the bill's sponsor, has now traded her date for the second hour of debate on C-384 twice.
The original date for the second hour of debate was November 16, but Schadenberg learned that she had traded with another Bloc MP to move the date back to November 19. Yesterday, Lalonde pushed back the date to December 1 with the vote taking place the next day.
"I can only guess that she is attempting to get more time to find support for her bill. The information that we have indicates that C-384 will be strongly defeated," Schadenberg said. Full story at LifeNews.com
Scientists Say Newborn Babies Cry in Native Language Learned in the Womb
Berlin, Germany (LifeNews.com) -- Scientists have determined that unborn children learn language skills in the womb and their mother's dialect -- which contributes to a baby's cry when she is born. The research suggests that the language a mother speaks greatly influences the cries her babies learns in the womb and produces after birth.
French newborns tend to cry with rising melody patterns, slowly increasing in pitch from the beginning to the end, the scientists noted. On the other hand, German newborns seem to prefer falling melody patterns. Both crying patterns are consistent with the speech patterns of people who speak the two different languages.
Kathleen Wermke, a medical anthropologist at the University of Würzburg in Germany is behind the research and she follows on research already showing that speech in the womb is influential as babies prefer the voice of the mother.
Wermke and her team recorded and analyzed the cries of 60 healthy newborns when they were three to five days old with 30 coming from French-speaking families and 30 coming from families that speak German. Full story at LifeNews.com
Illinois Judge Dismisses Lawsuit Against City of Aurora on Planned Parenthood OK
Aurora, IL (LifeNews.com) -- An Illinois judge has dismissed the lawsuit local pro-life advocates filed against city officials for voting to dismiss motions they filed to reverse permit decisions allowing the building of a new Planned Parenthood abortion business. The Aurora Zoning Appeals Board voted unanimously to dismiss the motions.
City officials disagreed with their contention that the approval of the building permit for Planned Parenthood's new abortion center at 3051 E. New York Street violated zoning rules. The zoning board dismissed the case saying the appeal didn't fall within its jurisdiction. The board also claimed the appeal wasn't filed in time.
A group of citizens teamed up with Fox Valley Families Against Planned Parenthood for a lawsuit filed for them by the Thomas More Society, a pro-life law firm.
Today, DuPage County Circuit Judge Neal Cerne dismissed all five counts of the lawsuit, according to the Suburban Chicago News, but gave pro-life advocates another chance to plead their case next month. Full story at LifeNews.com
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