LifeNews.com Pro-Life News Report
Thursday, December 10, 2009
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Current Headlines
• Senate Leaders May Water Down Public Option for Votes for Pro-Abortion Bill
• Harry Reid Could Use Manager's Amendment for Phony Abortion Funding Ban
• Undercover Video Shows Planned Parenthood Lying to Woman About Abortion
• Senator's Amendment Would Protect Conscience Rights of Pro-Life Staff
• Omnibus Spending Bill Funds Abortions in Nation's Capital, Vote Thursday
• Catholic Bishops Blast Nelson Amdt Defeat, Stop Short of Opposing Bill
• Martin Luther King Jr's Niece Blasts Harry Reid on Abortion-Slavery Comments
• Family Research Council Ups Effort for Vote on Pro-Abortion Senate Health Bill
• Senators Feinstein, Mikulski Call Taxpayer Funding of Abortion "Morally Correct"
• European Court Holds Hearing in Ireland Case to Overturn Abortion Law
• Woman Tried to Cut Unborn Baby From Mother's Stomach, Child Survives
• South Africa Case Postponed of Practitioner Doing Forced Abortion on Woman
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Senate Leaders May Water Down Public Option for 60 Votes for Pro-Abortion Bill
Washington, DC (LifeNews.com) -- Now that the Senate has rejected the Nelson amendment to remove the massive abortion funding from the government-run health care bill, Senate Leader Harry Reid is looking to shore up the 60 votes he needs to overcome a filibuster and pass the legislation.
Late Tuesday, Reid announced that Senate Democrats reached "a broad agreement" on watering down the public option enough to pick up the votes of some undecided moderate senators while retaining liberal lawmakers.
A group of 10 Senate Democrats, including five liberals and five moderates, have been working for days to find a substitute for the government-run public option that some lawmakers oppose.
The new substitute reportedly would create a non-profit plan operated by private insurers but administered by the Obama administration. It would include a trigger that would allow a public plan to kick in if private insurers did not come together to offer one.
The changes would eventually come by way of a manager's amendment that would be the final amendment to the bill before a vote on cloture to stop the filibuster is taken. Though the agreement was hailed as the final nail in the coffin to obtain 60 votes, some lawmakers say that may not be the case. Full story at LifeNews.com
Harry Reid Could Use Manager's Amendment for Phony Abortion Funding Ban
Washington, DC (LifeNews.com) -- Now that the Senate has defeated the Nelson amendment, an authentic attempt to prohibit taxpayer funding of abortions in the government-run health care bill, pro-life advocates are concerned that Senate leader Harry Reid could use a manager's amendment to insert phony language.
The amendment could also see authentic language included with the intent of removing it later in the legislative process.
Reid will likely sponsor a manager's amendment at the end of the debate on the bill that would make several changes to it -- including watering down the public option so he can get 60 votes to pass the pro-abortion legislation.
Reid will likely use the amendment as a way to get the much-needed vote of Sen. Ben Nelson of Nebraska, the sponsor of the amendment to stop the abortion funding.
Nelson has said repeatedly he will filibuster the final bill if it keeps abortion funding, but Reid could insert phony language that placates Nelson enough without truly prohibiting the funding of hundreds of thousands of abortions.
Reid talked vaguely about that potential after the vote. "If in fact he doesn't succeed here, we'll try something else," Reid said of Nelson before the vote. Full story at LifeNews.com
Undercover Video Shows Planned Parenthood Staff Lying to Woman About Abortion
Appleton, WI (LifeNews.com) -- A new undercover video released by the group that exposed Planned Parenthood staffers turning a deaf ear to potential cases of sexual abuse finds staff at a Wisconsin Planned Parenthood abortion center lying to women in abortion counseling about the development of their unborn child.
The undercover footage released by Live Action also shows abortion center staff, including the abortion practitioner, encouraging the one who is pregnant to obtain an abortion because "women die having babies."
In the undercover video, two women posing as potential abortion customers ask a Planned Parenthood counselor if the pregnant woman's 10-week-old unborn child has a heartbeat. The counselor emphasizes "heart tones," and answers, "Heart beat is when the fetus is active in the uterus--can survive--which is about seventeen or eighteen weeks."
However, biology textbooks and embryologists point out that the heart of an unborn child begins beating at around three weeks into the pregnancy, before most women realize they are pregnant.
The Planned Parenthood counselor then says, "A fetus is what's in the uterus right now. That is not a baby." Dr. Polhaska, the abortion practitioner, insists "It's not a baby at this stage or anything like that." Full story at LifeNews.com
Senator's Amendment Would Protect Conscience Rights of Pro-Life Medical Staff
Washington, DC (LifeNews.com) -- Although they were successful in getting the Senate to sign off on the Nelson amendment to ban abortion funding, pro-life lawmakers aren't giving up on trying to lessen the number of pro-abortion problems with the Senate version of the government-run health care bill.
Sen. Tom Coburn, a pro-life Oklahoma Republican who is a physician by trade, proposed an amendment to the bill on Monday that would provide protections for pro-life medical workers.
The Coburn amendment would ensure that health care providers do not have to participate in the performance of abortions. The amendment closely mirrors an amendment the House Energy & Commerce Committee adopted by a voice vote in July and that was retained in section 259 for the final version of the health care bill the House approved in November.
The Coburn amendment is also the same amendment he proposed during committee consideration of the Senate bill and that was defeated with only one Democrat joining Republicans to support it.
Coburn says the amendment is sorely needed because, despite federal laws to protect conscience rights, there are still numerous examples of health care providers being pressured or forced to do or assist in abortions -- and some cases have occurred as recently as earlier this year. Full story at LifeNews.com
Omnibus Spending Bill Funds Abortions in Nation's Capital, Vote Thursday
Washington, DC (LifeNews.com) -- A House-Senate Conference committee met Tuesday night to prepare an omnibus bill combining several spending measures that must be approved soon to fund the federal government. The omnibus bill includes a provision that would overturn a longstanding law that stops abortion funding in the nation's capital.
As LifeNews.com has reported, pro-life advocates were concerned about two other potential pro-abortion provisions.
The omnibus bill could have made permanent President Barack Obama's reversal of the Mexico City Policy -- his action made it so taxpayers are forced to fund groups that promote and perform abortions overseas. The omnibus could have also overturned a law that prohibits taxpayer funding of abortions in the health insurance plan for federal employees.
Members of the conference committee removed those two concerns, but left in place the language overturning the Dornan amendment. The Dornan language prevented the federal government from paying for abortions in the District of Columbia, whose budget is overseen by Congress.
The House will vote on the omnibus as soon as Thursday and pro-life advocates are urging members of the House to vote no on the bill because of the abortion funding. Full story at LifeNews.com
ACTION: Urge your member of Congress to oppose the omnibus appropriations bill unless all of the pro-life laws stopping taxpayer funding of abortion remain unchanged. Contact any House member thorough http://www.House.gov
Catholic Bishops Blast Nelson Abortion Amdt Defeat, Stop Short of Opposing Bill
Washington, DC (LifeNews.com) -- The nation's Catholic bishops are disappointed by yesterday's Senate vote to defeat the Nelson amendment to remove the abortion funding from the health care bill. However, they stopped short of asking senators to defeat the bill itself -- holding out hope that the legislation will ultimately not fund abortions.
"The Senate vote to table the Nelson-Hatch-Casey amendment is a grave mistake and a serious blow to genuine health care reform," Cardinal Francis George, president of the U.S. Conference of Catholic bishops, told LifeNews.com in a statement.
George said the Senate is ignoring "the will of the American people in failing to incorporate longstanding prohibitions on federal funding for abortion and plans that include abortion." Cardinal George continued: "While we deplore the Senate's refusal to adopt the Nelson-Hatch-Casey amendment, we remain hopeful that the protections overwhelmingly passed by the House will be incorporated into needed reform legislation."
The pro-life Catholic leader did make it clear that the USCCB could potentially oppose the health care bill if the final version, the one that will eventually emerge from a House-Senate conference committee if the Senate bill is approved, funds abortions. Full story at LifeNews.com
Martin Luther King Jr's Niece Blasts Harry Reid on Abortion Bill-Slavery Comments
Washington, DC (LifeNews.com) -- The niece of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. is upset by the comments Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid made about opponents of the pro-abortion Senate health care bill. Reid compared opposition to the bill, which funds abortions, to the 19th-century debate over slavery.
Reid on Monday said Republicans opposed to the bill were displaying the same mindset as those who supported slavery. "If you think you've heard these same excuses before, you're right," Reid said. "When this country belatedly recognized the wrongs of slavery, there were those who dug in their heels and said, 'Slow down, it's too early, things aren't bad enough.' "
Reid came under heavy criticism for the remarks and, on Tuesday, he defended his comments, saying critics were "distorting" them. "At pivotal points in American history, the tactics of distortion and delay have certainly been present," Reid said, according to The Hill. "They've certainly been used to stop progress. That's what we're talking about here."
Alveda King, the director of African American Outreach for Priests for Life, a national Catholic pro-life group, also has something to say. She said it is Reid who is more closely aligned with slavery and the mindset of those who support it.
"Senator Reid has written a bill that would force Americans to pay for the abortion of babies and he implies that opposition to his efforts is evil? His comments are outrageous," King said. Full story at LifeNews.com
Family Research Council Ups Effort for No Vote on Pro-Abortion Senate Health Bill
Washington, DC (LifeNews.com) -- The Family research Council is expanding its effort to get Democrats who voted for the Nelson amendment or who may vote against the pro-abortion Senate health care bill to ultimately do just that. They will be making hundreds of thousands of phone calls in several states.
FRC already announced it would call every household in Louisiana, home of Sen. Mary Landrieu, who voted against the Nelson amendment.
After the vote on the Nelson measure, the pro-life group said it will also call voters in Arkansas, South Dakota and Virginia -- each states with a senator who could oppose the bill.
"In response to today's Senate vote, FRC will expand its grassroots campaign in opposition to the health care overhaul bill," the group said in a statement. "Over the next eight weeks, FRC will call all household phones in Arkansas, South Dakota, and Louisiana to survey each household on provisions of the Senate health care bill. These include abortion funding, rationing, higher taxes, and government-run health care, or the public option," the group explained.
"Additionally, FRC will be calling pro-life households in Pennsylvania and Virginia. Survey participants who express opposition to the so-called health care reform will be given contact information for their senators," the group added. Full story at LifeNews.com
Senators Feinstein, Mikulski Call Taxpayer Funding of Abortion "Morally Correct"
Washington, DC (LifeNews.com) -- Two pro-abortion senators are drawing attention today for comments calling the forcing of Americans to pay for abortions "morally correct." Sens. Diane Feinstein and Barbara Mikulski have always been stalwart advocates for "choice" and it appears the choice they favor is forcing people to pay for abotions.
"Is it morally correct? Yes, I believe it is," Feinstein said in reacting to the Senate's vote to defeat the Nelson amendment to stop abortion funding in the health care bill.
Her comments came in response to a question from CNS News after the Nelson vote concluded. Feinstein added, "Abortion is legal, and there (are) certain very tragic circumstances that a woman finds herself in. Married, with an unborn baby that's unable to survive outside of the womb, her doctor tells her it's a threat to her health. I think she ought to have a policy available to her."
CNS News asked: "So it's morally right for pro-life taxpayers to have to help pay for plans that cover abortion?"
"Please. We pay for a lot of things that we may or may not agree with, and taxpayers pay for it, for those things, as well," Feinstein responded. Full story at LifeNews.com
European Court Holds Hearing in Ireland Women's Case to Overturn Abortion Law
Strasborg, France (LifeNews.com) -- A European court held a hearing on Tuesday in the case of three women from Ireland hoping to overturn the nation's law prohibiting abortions. The women traveled from Ireland to Britain to obtain abortions and they said it is an inconvenience to have to do so.
The women hope the European Convention on Human Rights will 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 three women were represented in court were represented by lawyer Julie Kay, according to the London Times. She said they all experienced medical complications from the abortion following their return to Ireland after the abortions. Full story at LifeNews.com
Woman Tried to Cut Unborn Baby From Mother's Stomach, Child Survives
Washington, DC (LifeNews.com) -- A woman near the nation's capital has been arrested in a chilling case that saw her capture a pregnant woman and hold her captive for days in her apartment. Eventually, Veronica D. Deramous used a box cutter to cut open the pregnant woman's stomach and attempt to take her unborn child.
Deramous kept the pregnant woman in her Suitland, Maryland home and provided her with food and water until she should get what she really wanted, the mother's child.
According to a Washington Post reported, over the weekend, Deramous turned up the volume of her television and duct-tapped a rag inside the mother's mouth.
"You're strong," Deramous told her victim, police said in a report on the brutal crime. "You can handle what I'm going to do to you." Full story at LifeNews.com
South Africa Case Postponed of Practitioner Doing Forced Abortion on Woman
Johannesburg, South Africa (LifeNews.com) -- The owner of an abortion business in Johannesburg appeared in court yesterday in a case that saw a woman accuse him of forcing her to have an abortion. Meriam Serefi, who runs The Rock Health Clinic abortion business, appeared in court on a hearing, posted bail, and left.
Serefi has been charged with doing a forced abortion on a 17-year-old girl who said she was five months pregnant at the time. Serefi is now out on R5000 bail, the Sowetan newspaper reports.
According to police, the teenager says her boyfriend, who is a police constable at the Wedela police station, took her to the abortion center under false pretenses -- saying he was taking her to have an ultrasound done.
"It looks as if the boyfriend had made prior arrangements with the clinic to perform the abortion," the unnamed young woman's mother told the newspaper. "On arrival my daughter was given abortion medicine. The nurses only told her about the abortion when she complained of labor pains. We then decided to open a case." Full story at LifeNews.com
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