LifeNews.com Pro-Life News Report
Monday, March 15, 2010
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Current Headlines
• House Democrats Don't Have Votes Yet for Senate's Pro-Abortion Health Care Bill
• Catholic Bishops Urge No Vote on Senate Health Care Bill Over Abortion Funding
• Labor Unions Attack Democrats Who Don't Support Pro-Abortion Health Care Bill
• Catholic Health Association Endorses Pro-Abortion Senate Health Care Bill
• U.S. Pro-Life Group Defends Mexico Human Life Amendment Against Abortion
• Canadian Parliament to Hold First-Hour of Debate on Assisted Suicide Bill Tuesday
• Tennessee Committee to Vote on Bill Stopping Forced Abortions on Tuesday
• Baby Isaiah Dies in Canada After Parents Battle Hospital Over Treatment
• British Pro-Life Group Lobbying Parliament Against Dangerous Sex-Ed Bill
• California Pro-Life Advocate Launches Campaign for Congress in San Diego
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House Democrats Don't Have Votes Yet for Senate's Pro-Abortion Health Care Bill
Washington, DC (LifeNews.com) -- The key lieutenant of House Speaker Nancy Pelosi who is responsible for heading up the arm twisting campaign to push the Senate pro-abortion health care bill admitted today that Democrats do not have the votes in the House yet to push it through. That gives pro-life groups further opportunity to lobby members.
This week, Democrats will move forward with a plan LifeNews.com outlined on Thursday that has a "shell" or reconciliation bill moving through the committee process.
Rep. James Clyburn of South Carolina, the House Majority Whip, told NBC's "Meet the Press" that there are not enough votes to meet the 216-vote majority they need.
We don't have [the votes] as of this morning, but we've been working this thing all weekend. We'll be working it going into the week, Clyburn said.
Pelosi herself said Saturday she is confident the pro-abortion bill will pass. "We're very excited about where we are and will not be deterred by estimates that have no basis in fact," she said of claims that Democrats currently lack the votes.
White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs predicted Sunday that the votes will eventually be there for the legislation by the end of the week when the vote is expected. "We'll have the votes when the House votes, I think, within the next week," Gibbs said on "Fox News Sunday."
Meanwhile, Rep. John Boehner, the leading Republican in the House, said his caucus would do everything possible to get Democrats to join them in opposing the pro-abortion bill. Full story at LifeNews.com
Catholic Bishops Urge No Vote on Senate Health Care Bill Over Abortion Funding
Washington, DC (LifeNews.com) -- In an updated action alert millions of Catholics received this weekend, the nations Catholic bishops restated their opposition to the Senate health care bill over abortion. With the House considering the bill this week and procedural maneuvers to approve it, their opposition could become a deciding factor.
The communication from the bishops comes as the Catholic Health Association is under fire for endorsing the pro-abortion Senate bill.
"As long-time advocates of health care reform, the U.S. Catholic bishops continue to make the moral case that genuine health care reform must protect the life, dignity, consciences and health of all, especially the poor and vulnerable," the updated legislative alert says.
"Health care reform should provide access to affordable and quality health care for all, and not advance a pro-abortion agenda in our country. Genuine health care reform is being blocked by those who insist on reversing widely supported policies against federal funding of abortion and plans which include abortion, not by those working simply to preserve these longstanding protections," they add.
Although the House backed a bill that stopped abortion funding and promotion, the Catholic bishops say the Senate measure lacks those pro-life protections. Full story at LifeNews.com
Labor Unions Attack Democrats Who Don't Support Pro-Abortion Health Care Bill
Washington, DC (LifeNews.com) -- The Service Employees International Union (SEIU), which represents nearly two million workers in over 100 occupations across the United States, is coming under fire. The labor union is pressuring Democratic lawmakers who oppose the pro-abortion health care bill.
In some cases, the union is threatening pro-life Democrats and others who are undecided on the legislation with supporting primary election opponents if they don't vote yes on the bill or motions to make the bill law.
The House is expected to vote as soon as this week on the Senate bill that includes abortion funding and promotion.
According to the Plum Line blog, Rep Mike McMahon of New York met recently with Mike Fishman, president of SEIU 32bj, the largest property workers union in the country.
Fishman threatened McMahon with dropping its support for him if he voted no and finding a primary opponent to run against him.
He let us know he s not supportive of the health care plan, Fishman said, according to Plum Line. We've let him know that we can't support somebody who doesn't support it. We are going to begin talking to other unions about finding someone else for that seat." "We're sending a message to Democrats: If you can't support this, we can't support you," he added.
ACTION: Contact SEIOU to complain at http://www.seiu.org/a/contact.php / Full story at LifeNews.com
Catholic Health Association Endorses Pro-Abortion Senate Health Care Bill
Washington, DC (LifeNews.com) -- The Catholic Health Association is coming under fire today for releasing a statement not only endorsing the pro-abortion Senate health care bill but issuing a misleading statement making it appear the bill does not fund abortions. The head of a national pro-life organization disabused the CHA in response.
Sister Carol Keehan, president of the Catholic Health Association, a network of Catholic hospitals, issued the new statement. "The time is now for health reform," the statement backing the bill said.
Although she admitted the bill is far from perfect, Keehan said the measure, which funds abortions and promotes abortions, "is an historic opportunity to make great improvements in the lives of so many Americans."
To justify the Catholic Health Association's support for the pro-abortion bill, Keehan misrepresented the language in the Senate measure the House plans to railroad through its body next week.
"The bill now being considered allows people buying insurance through an exchange to use federal dollars in the form of tax credits and their own dollars to buy a policy that covers their health care. If they choose a policy with abortion coverage, then they must write a separate personal check for the cost of that coverage," she claimed.
Douglas Johnson, legislative director for National Right to Life, spoke with LifeNews.com about Keehan's statement and dismissed the so-called segregation of funds as an accounting gimmick.
"The House and Senate bills do not merely differ on a 'technical issue,'as Carol Keehan would have people believe," he said. "This is another regrettably attempt to minimize the substantive issues involved in order to smooth the way for the Obama legislation."
"In reality, the Senate bill contains multiple pro-abortion provisions, which in total constitute the most pro-abortion single piece of legislation to reach the House floor since Roe v. Wade," Johnson added.
ACTION: Contact the Catholic Health Association with your objections at http://www.chausa.org/contenttwocolumn.aspx?pageid=211 / Full story at LifeNews.com
U.S. Pro-Life Group Defends Mexico Human Life Amendment Against Abortion
Mexico City, Mexico (LifeNews.com) -- Attorneys with Americans United for Life have filed a brief in the Mexican Supreme Court supporting a constitutional amendment from the Mexican state of Baja that protects human life from conception. In its brief, AUL argues that protecting unborn life also works to protect women from the harms of abortion. The Mexican Supreme Court has a unique opportunity to learn from the devastating consequences of the United States 37-year experiment with abortion-on-demand, said Denise Burke, a senior attorney with AUL. The medical evidence detailed in our brief proves that abortion hurts women and is not the panacea that pro-abortion advocates promised. Following a controversial 2008 ruling by the Mexican Supreme Court upholding a Mexico City law permitting first trimester abortions, 15 of Mexico s 31 states passed constitutional amendments protecting human life from conception. Most of these amendments passed overwhelmingly. Passed in December 2008, Baja s amendment garnered some legislative opposition and a constitutional challenge was later brought by Francisco Javier Sánchez, a former Baja human rights commissioner. The Mexican Supreme Court has agreed to hear the challenge, but no hearing date has been set.
Canadian Parliament to Hold First-Hour of Debate on Assisted Suicide Bill Tuesday
Ottawa, Canada (LifeNews.com) -- MPs in Canada are slated to hear arguments for and against legalizing assisted suicide. Alex Schadenberg, the head of the Euthanasia Prevention Coalition, informed LifeNews.com that Bill C-384, the bill that is sponsored by the Bloc Quebecois MP Francine that would legalize euthanasia and assisted suicide in Canada will (once again) have its first-hour of debate in parliament on Tuesday, March 16, 2010. The second-hour of debate is not yet scheduled but we anticipate that it will occur in the middle of May. Contact your MP and express your opposition to Bill C-384. Schadenberg talked about reasons to oppose the bill: "Remember: C-384 gives medical practitioners the right to directly and intentionally cause the death of their patients, if the patient 'appears to be lucid,' and is suffering chronic physical or mental pain or is terminally ill," he explained. "That means that a person who is not terminally ill but 'appears to be lucid' and is living with chronic depression can be directly and intentionally killed by a medical practitioner." A recent poll conducted by the polling firm Environics for a Canadian pro-life group shows residents of Canada support legalizing assisted suicide, but do so with considerable reservations. The poll finds 61% said they favored legalization if a patient consents but large majorities also have concerns.
Tennessee Committee to Vote on Bill Stopping Forced Abortions on Tuesday
Nashville, TN (LifeNews.com) -- On Tuesday, March 16, members of the House Health and Human Resources Committee and the Senate Judiciary Committee will hear Tennessee's Freedom from Coercion Act (House Bill 3301/Senate Bill 3812). Your contacts to legislators is especially important this week as pro-abortion opposition to the bill is expected to continue. Last week the House Public Health and Family Assistance sub-committee passed the House bill with a voice vote. Tennessee Right to Life thanks the bill's pro-life sponsor, Rep. Susan Lynn (R-Mt. Juliet) for her efforts to address sincere concerns and to find language acceptable to members of the sub-committee. The Freedom from Coercion Act (House Bill 3301) by pro-life Rep. Susan Lynn (R-Mt. Juliet) and Senate Bill 3812 by pro-life Sen. Jack Johnson (R-Franklin)would force abortion facilities to prominently post non-coercion policies, impose penalties against facilities which do not comply and reassure vulnerable women and girls that help and support are available. Tennessee Right to Life says, "Too many women and girls face intense pressure and threats of abandonment or abuse if they refuse to 'choose' abortion."
Baby Isaiah Dies in Canada After Parents Battle Hospital Over Treatment
Edmonton, Canada (LifeNews.com) -- Baby Isaiah, who was born in October and suffered severe oxygen deprivation, died last week. His parents were fighting a hospital in the latest futile care case to gain attention that had Alberta Health Services wanting to terminate treatment because Baby Isaiah's case was supposedly hopeless. Mark Pickup, a pro-life disability rights activist in Canada, informed LifeNews.com, "Baby Isaiah passed away today in his parents' arms at the Stollery Children's Hospital in Edmonton, Canada. I ask the pro-Life community and other people of good will to hold Rebecka and Isaac May up in prayer as they grieve the loss of their baby. We turn our attention to comforting them." Doctors said they've done everything possible. But his parents believed their son is showing signs of improvement. The boy was placed on a ventilator in the hospital s neonatal intensive care unit and then Alberta Health Services sent the parents a letter January 13 saying the boy's doctors believed all medical procedures had been exhausted.
British Pro-Life Group Lobbying Parliament Against Dangerous Sex-Ed Bill
London, England (LifeNews.com) -- The following alert comes form the British pro-life group SPUC: On Monday, March 8, the Children, Schools and Families bill was debated in the House of Lords at second reading. As per parliamentary convention, no vote was taken on the bill and the bill now awaits debate in committee. The imminent general election - almost certainly 6 May - means that the bill might not be debated again in this parliament. However, the bill should not be regarded as dead. The bill could be rushed through in the clearing-up procedure by which bills can pass through several readings in a matter of minutes, prior to an election. It is therefore vital that SPUC supporters continue to lobby. At this point, we would ask you to write to (1) The party leaders - especially Gordon Brown and David Cameron and (2) key peers. Please urge the government members not to attempt to force the bill through without proper consideration. Please urge the opposition to maintain their strong resistance to the bill. Thankfully, the Conservative opposition has tabled motions regarding the bill which, while not directly relevant to pro-life issues, will nonetheless help to delay and therefore obstruct the bill's progress.
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California Pro-Life Advocate Launches Campaign for Congress in San Diego
San Diego, CA (LifeNews.com) -- Mari Hamlin Fink, a pro-life Republican, has announced that she will seek the Republican nomination to challenge pro-abortion incumbent Democrat Susan Davis in the 53rd Congressional district of California, which encompasses San Diego. Davis has been a consistent vote for Planned Parenthood, EMILY's List, and NOW, even voting against the Unborn Victims of Violence Act, the Partial Birth Abortion Ban, and most recently, the Stupak Amendment that bars federal funding of abortions in health care legislation. Fink, the mother of three and a faithful Catholic, strongly believes in the sanctity of life and, if elected, pledges to be a voice for the voiceless unborn in the United States Congress. Fink is a ninth-generation San Diegan and has held various community leadership positions over the last thirty years. http://www.FinkForCongress.com for more information.
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