LifeNews.com Pro-Life News Report
Friday, February 26, 2010
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Current Headlines
• Obama Told at White House Health Care Summit Americans Don't Want Abortion
• Nancy Pelosi Misleads Health Care Summit, Says Bill Has No Abortion Funding
• Americans Oppose Reconciliation, Pro-Abortion Health Care Bill
• Pro-Life Organizations React to White House Health Care Summit, Abortion Talk
• Obama May Have Plan B, Backup Pro-Abortion Health Care Plan if Summit Fails
• Secretary of State Hillary Clinton Faces Abortion Lecture at Congress Hearing
• Abortion Ban Based on Fetal Pain Could Be Partial-Birth Abortion Ban Followup
• Focus on the Family Founder Dobson Leaves Pro-Life Group After 33 Years
• Pro-Life Group Says Campaign to Stop Abortion After George Tiller is Successful
• Pro-Life Movie Sarah's Choice Makes Television Debut Saturday on TBN
• Spain's Parliament Passes Law Expanding Abortion, No Parental Consent
• British Pro-Life Group Says Starmer Guidelines Weaken Assisted Suicide Law
• Alaska Court Hears Lawsuit Against Parental Notification on Abortion Ballot Prop
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Obama Told at White House Health Care Summit Americans Don't Want Abortion
Washington, DC (LifeNews.com) -- It took almost the entire length of the debate at the White House health care summit for the issue of abortion to come up and, when it did, pro-life Rep. John Boehner told President Barack Obama that Americans don't want abortion funding in the health care bill Congress is considering. Boehner is the top Republican in the House who has been one of the leaders in the pressing the abortion case against the health care bill.
He had hoped Obama would invite Rep. Bart Stupak, the leading pro-life Democrat whose amendment stopped abortion funding in the House version of the bill, that will likely be scrapped in favor of the pro-abortion Senate version.
Boehner told Obama the House spoke and, on a lopsided bipartisan vote in approving the Stupak amendment, said it doesn't want abortion funding in the health care bill. "We have had this debate in the House. It was a very serious debate. But in the House, the House spoke. The House upheld the language we have had in law for 30 years that there will be no taxpayer funding of abortions," he said,
He also called out Obama for not mentioning abortion and for including massive abortion funding -- and expanding it -- in his proposed changes to the Senate bill.
"This bill that we have before us, and there was no reference to the issue in your outline, Mr. President, for the first time in 30 years allows the taxpayer funding of abortion," Boehner added. Full story at LifeNews.com
Nancy Pelosi Misleads Health Care Summit, Says Bill Has No Abortion Funding
Washington, DC (LifeNews.com) -- House Speaker Nancy Pelosi misled participants at the White House health care summit today by making the false statement that the Senate health care bill she, President Barack Obama and Democrats are pushing through Congress contains no abortion funding.
Pelosi's comments came in response to pro-life House Republican Leader John Boehner telling President Barack Obama that Americans don't want to be forced to finance abortions under the government-run health care bill.
I think it s really important to note, though, and I want the record to show, because two statements were made here that were not factual in relationship to these bills,' Pelosi claimed.
"My colleague, Leader Boehner, the law of the land is there is no public funding of abortion and there is no public funding of abortion in these bills and I don't want our listeners or viewers to get the wrong impression from what you said," Pelosi asserted.
However, the Senate bill that is the basis of the reconciliation push in Congress contains massive abortion funding and has other pro-abortion problems.
Douglas Johnson, the legislative director for the National Right to Life Committee, emailed LifeNews.com about Pelosi's error.
"Speaker Pelosi has her own idiosyncratic dictionary, in which federal agencies can pay for abortion on demand without spending 'public funds' or 'taxpayer funds' for abortion," Johnson said. "In ordinary English, however, this is deceptive claptrap." Full story at LifeNews.com
Americans Oppose Reconciliation, Pro-Abortion Health Care Bill as Summit Begins
Washington, DC (LifeNews.com) -- With President Barack Obama and top Republicans and Democrats meeting at the White House health care summit, Americans have a clear attitude towards the pro-abortion health care bill and the attempt by Obama and his allies to use reconciliation to pass it: they oppose both.
In a new CNN poll released today, just 25 percent of Americans say Congress should pass the Senate health care bill that contains massive abortion funding and other pro-abortion problems.
Another 48 percent say Congress should start over on an entirely new bill while another 25 percent say Congress should stop working on the issue of health care altogether.
A majority of Republicans questioned, 54 percent, want Congress to start from scratch while 40 percent say Congress shouldn't address health care and only 6 percent want the current pro-abortion health care bill. Among independents, 52 percent want a new bill, 27 percent say stop health care consideration, and just 18 percent favor the pro-abortion bill.
Half of all Democrats want the pro-abortion health care bill while nearly 40 percent say Congress should start over and about 10 percent say Congress should punt on health care altogether. Full story at LifeNews.com
Pro-Life Organizations React to White House Health Care Summit, Abortion Talk
Washington, DC (LifeNews.com) -- Several pro-life organizations have provided LifeNews.com with comment about today's White House Health Care summit. The event saw House GOP Leader John Boehner tell Barack Obama that abortion funding should be prohibited and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi mislead attendees on the main bill. Charmaine Yoest; President, Americans United for Life:
"The President s proposal was a pro-abortion health care plan before today s meeting and after six hours of political posturing, it s still a pro-abortion health care plan. Federal funding for abortion has become the deciding issue in this debate, and yet the issue was raised only briefly today.Remarkably when Minority Leader Boehner highlighted the abortion funding in the bill, the President did not respond.
This has been his approach to the abortion issue throughout this debate: to evade the question or misrepresent the facts to the American people. Among other anti-life provisions, the President's plan creates a first-ever 'abortion tax' to be paid by individuals participating in the health Exchange. The plan also includes $11 billion dollars of new funding for community health centers, some of which are abortion providers. And yet Speaker Nancy Pelosi today claimed falsely that 'there is no public funding of abortions in this bill.' Full story at LifeNews.com
Obama May Have Plan B, Backup Pro-Abortion Health Care Plan if Summit Fails
Washington, DC (LifeNews.com) -- President Barack Obama is using today's White House health care summit as a last-ditch effort to win more support for the pro-abortion health care bill. Should that fail, and Democrats find themselves with too few votes to push the measure through, Obama has come up with a backup plan.
Obama officials have prepared a more modest fallback proposal that is not as extensive as the current government-run health care bill.
But, like the plan for changes to the Senate bill Obama unveiled earlier this week, the fallback bill would not likely include language banning abortion funding.
Such a plan may lose Obama support form liberal Democrats who have been pushing for a pro-abortion health care bill since he won the 2008 presidential election, but it could help conservative and moderate Democrats who are concerned about losing their seats in Congress in the 2010 mid-term elections.
But Republicans say it would be better to start over with a brand new measure and bipartisan debate on how to fix health care.
"I hope that we can convince the president that we [should] go back to the beginning, and go step by step," said Sen. John McCain, according to the Wall St. Journal. Full story at LifeNews.com
Secretary of State Hillary Clinton Faces Abortion Lecture at Congressional Hearing
Washington, DC (LifeNews.com) -- Secretary of State Hillary Clinton testified before a Congressional committee on Thursday where two pro-life members of Congress presented her with a long lecture on abortion and how it hurts women. Clinton appeared before the House Foreign Affairs Committee to talk about the International Affairs Budget.
Congressmen Chris Smith, a New Jersey Republican, and Jeff Fortenberry, a Nebraska Republican, both addressed pro-life issues during the hearing.
Smith, who had frequently led the fight against abortion on an international scale, made his full remarks with Clinton sitting as the lone witness at the witness table.
"Secretary Clinton, the most persecuted and at risk minority in the world today are unborn children," Smith said. "Pregnancy is not a disease. The child in the womb is neither a tumor nor a parasite to be destroyed."
Smith said he is troubled by President Barack Obama's decision to overturn the Mexico City Policy and open the door forcing taxpayers to fund abortions in other nations. Full story at LifeNews.com
Abortion Ban Based on Fetal Pain Could Be Partial-Birth Abortion Ban Followup
Washington, DC (LifeNews.com) -- The ban on partial-birth abortions brought home the pro-life message that abortion kills an unborn child and was responsible for shifting public opinion on abortion squarely into the pro-life category. Now, Nebraska could pave the way for the next kind of abortion ban that could pique national interest.
Ironically, Nebraska was the state whose partial-birth abortion ban first got the Supreme Court to weigh in on the issue in 2000.
Eventually, Congress approved, and President George W. Bush signed, a national partial-birth abortion ban that the high court upheld on a 5-4 vote.
Now, Nebraska lawmakers are considering LB 1103, the Abortion Pain Prevention Act, that would ban abortions done on babies who are capable of feeling pain.
Fetal pain is not a new concept and the leading national expert on the topic confirms unborn children definitely have the capacity to feel intense pain during an abortion.
Dr. Kanwaljeet Anand of the University of Arkansas Medical Center has said he and other specialists in development of unborn children have shown that babies feel pain before birth as early as 20 weeks into the pregnancy. Full story at LifeNews.com
Focus on the Family Founder James Dobson Leaves Pro-Life Group After 33 Years
Colorado Sprins, CO (LifeNews.com) -- After three decades of leading one of the premier pro-life organizations in the country, Dr. James Dobson is saying goodbye to Focus on the Family. The psychologist turned the organization into one of the largest in the nation by focusing on moral values and helping families born and unborn.
Focus on the Family CEO and President Jim Daly and Focus on the Family radio host John Fuller paid tribute to Dobson on the Tuesday program.
"As many people know," Daly said, "this week marks the completion of a transition period that probably started more than 10 years ago."
Dobson himself signaled the beginning of the end of his tenure last year as he moved towards retirement.
"I have felt since the turn of the century," he wrote on Facebook, "that I needed to begin passing along the leadership of the ministry to a younger generation."
Dobson stepped down as chairman of the board of directors early last year but continued hosting the popular radio show. Dobson will host his final radio program, which built up his popularity to hundreds of millions of Christians worldwide, on Friday.
Dozens of Focus followers recorded emotional messages played during the broadcast -- thanking Dobson for his work and how he touched their lives. Full story at LifeNews.com
 Got $1? Help a pro-life activist take on a pro-choice Blue-Dog! Scott Folkens is a pro-life activist! Pregnancy Center Board Chairman, local coordinator for Life Chain and 40 Days for Life events and coordinator for Roe v. Wade Prayer vigil. Box 2102 San Bernardino, CA 92406. http://www.folkens4congress.com |
Pro-Life Group Says Campaign to Stop Abortion After George Tiller is Successful
Wichita, KS (LifeNews.com) -- After the shooting death of late-term abortion practitioner George Tiller by a militia activist not affiliated with the pro-life movement, pro-life advocates were concerned that a new abortion business would open in or near Wichita, Kansas to take his abortion center's place.
Operation Rescue officials say today that it's "Keep it Closed" campaign has been successful so far to prevent a new abortion business from opening.
The main goal of the campaign has been to ensure Omaha, Nebraska-based abortion practitioner Leroy Carhart did not expand his business, and OR president Troy Newman says that hasn't happened so far.
Operation Rescue launched the campaign in August, 2009, after Carhart, who also does late-term abortions, pledged last year to open an abortion clinic specializing in late second and third trimester abortions within 50 miles of Wichita to replace the now-closed Women's Health Care Services that Tiller ran.
"This campaign has reached all of its goals and has now been successfully concluded," Newman told LifeNews.com today. "As a result of our efforts to block the opening of another late-term abortion clinic, a huge region of the nation's heartland is now abortion-free." Full story at LifeNews.com
Pro-Life Movie Sarah's Choice Makes Television Debut Saturday on TBN
Washington, DC (LifeNews.com) -- The pro-life-themed movie Sarah's Choice, starring popular Christian pop singer Rebecca St. James, makes its television debut this weekend. The movie is slated to appear Saturday, February 27 on the Trinity Broadcasting Network (TBN).
An important theme throughout Sarah s Choice is God s forgiveness and redemption for those who have had an abortion.
The film will air uncut and commercial free at midnight EST and will reach TBN's global audience.
Released this past November by Pure Flix Entertainment, Sarah s Choice has had a major national impact with its profound message in support of pro life.
St. James herself recently promoted the film on Fox News and, throughout 2010, she is set to appear in a series of national speaking/performing events for CareNet and pregnancy centers that are showing the film in conjunction with St. James appearances. Full story at LifeNews.com
Spain's Parliament Passes Law Expanding Abortion, No Parental Consent for Teens
Madrid, Spain (LifeNews.com) -- The Spain Parliament on Wednesday approved the final version of a new law that expands abortions and provides no parental consent for teenagers wanting abortions. Strong opposition from pro-life advocates and the Catholic Church couldn't stop the bill, which receive a 132-126 vote in the Spain Senate.
Under the bill, abortions are allowed for any reason to 14 weeks, they are allowed up to 22 weeks if an abortion practitioner certifies a serious threat to the health of the mother, or says the unborn child is disabled.
Beyond 22 weeks, abortions are only allowed in serious cases of fetal disability and in cases where the pregnancy threatens the mother's life.
The new bill received automatic approval when a majority of senators rejected three proposals by conservative parties to veto it, and then rejected 88 amendments to water it down.
Abortion was officially allowed in 1985 but only for cases of rape or when a woman s life or health is in danger. Full story at LifeNews.com
British Pro-Life Group Says Starmer Guidelines Weaken Assisted Suicide Law
London, England (LifeNews.com) -- A British pro-life group says the new guidelines Britain's director of public prosecutions released on how cases of assisted suicide should be tried weakens the U.K. law against assisted suicide. The catalyst for the policy review was the case of Debbie Purdy, a 46-year-old multiple sclerosis patient.
The House of Lords agreed Purdy deserved to know if her husband would be prosecuted if he took her to Switzerland to kill herself.
Such suicide tourism technically violates the Britain assisted suicide law but DPP Keir Starmer, QC, has said people like him would not be prosecuted.
Starmer released 16 reasons for prosecuting and six reasons for not prosecuting such cases and said the factors that will weigh in favor of, or against, prosecution are largely based on whether someone would gain financially or the intent of the assisted suicide.
Starmer said, "The case of Purdy did not change the law, nor does this Policy, and suggestions to the contrary are simply wrong." Full story at LifeNews.com
Alaska Court Hears Lawsuit Against Parental Notification on Abortion Ballot Prop
Juneau, AK (LifeNews.com) -- An Alaska court on Wednesday held a hearing on a ballot initiative proposal that would allow parents to be informed when their minor daughter is considering an abortion. The Alaskans for Parental Rights submitted signatures in January to get the measure on the ballot but Planned Parenthood filed suit.
If the measure makes it before voters and receives their approval, then abortion centers in the state would be required to tell the parents of a teenager before doing an abortion that they want one.
This gives them a chance to guide their daughter towards positive alternatives.
Planned Parenthood presented its case in court on Wednesday, saying the Lieutenant Governor should not allow Alaska voters to consider the measure to reduce abortions. Full story at LifeNews.com
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Washington, DC (LifeNews.com) -- After a health care summit that saw him 
Philadelphia, PA (LifeNews.com) -- The abortion practitioner who received national attention recently when local officials found dozens of apparently late-term unborn children who were killed in abortions as long as 30 years ago isn't involved in an isolated case. Pro-life groups say abortion practitioner Kermit Gosnell has a long history of problems.
Fayetteville, AR (LifeNews.com) -- An Arkansas-based abortion practitioner's take on the international 40 Days for Life campaign is sure to draw guffaws from pro-life advocates. 
Washington, DC (LifeNews.com) -- The pro-abortion group NARAL has endorsed a nominee President Barack Obama put forward for a federal judgeship in Ohio. Obama has selected Timothy Black, a magistrate judge in the Southern District of Ohio since 2004, for the District Court Bench for the Southern District of Ohio. 
Washington, DC (LifeNews.com) -- A Republican member of Congress has released a new video showing him talking about the status of abortion in the United States. Rep. Trent Franks, an Arizona republican, is generating controversy by saying that abortion has been more devastating for the black community than slavery.
New York, NY (LifeNews.com/CFAM) -- Next week, thousands of participants are expected to descend upon the United Nations (UN) headquarters in New York for the annual Commission on the Status of Women (CSW). 
The Washington Post's Peter Slevin lauded abortion doctor Carol Ball on Feb. 26, for bravely traveling to perform elective abortions in South Dakota when no doctors in state will. 
Washington, DC (LifeNews.com) -- A Missouri state House committee voted 7-5 on a party line vote yesterday for a bill that would stop forced abortions and put a 24-hour abortion waiting period in place. The measure is designed to provide women more information than they otherwise receive from abortion centers. 
Boston, MA (LifeNews.com) -- A bill in the Massachusetts legislature would make the state the fourth to legalize the practice of assisted suicide, following Oregon, Washington and Montana. Several groups and 10 individuals testified against the legislation in a hearing that hasn't drawn much national attention yet.
Denver, CO (LifeNews.com) -- A lawsuit filed by a pro-life legal group is challenging $18 million in what the Alliance Defense Fund calls illegal contracts the Planned Parenthood abortion business entered into with the state of Colorado. ADF attorneys have appealed the decision of a Colorado court to dismiss the suit.
Washington, DC (LifeNews.com/CFAM) -- The Center for Reproductive Rights (CRR), a New York-based public interest law firm that seeks to expand abortion access globally, has issued a primer on "reproductive and sexual rights" jurisprudence in Africa, including abortion. Its launch comes at a time when largely western groups are increasing pressure on African nations to liberalize abortion laws. 
Boise, ID (LifeNews.com) -- The Idaho state Senate approved a bill today that would create statutory protections for health care professionals in specific areas of medical practice. Friday's 21-13 vote on SB 1353 came after the Senate State Affairs committee voted 6-3 to send the bill to the floor.
