LifeNews.com Pro-Life News Report
Thursday, July 15, 2010
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Current Headlines
• Obama Admin Approves Second Set of Abortion Funding Under Health Care Law
• Republican Leader, Pro-Life Groups Slam Obama Admin for HCR Abortion Funding
• Americans Split on Kagan Nomination, Oppose Her More Than Sotomayor
• Democrats Lobbied to Oppose Pro-Abortion Elena Kagan as GOP Opposes Her
• Congressman: Obama Admin Illegally Funding Pro-Abortion Kenya Constitution
• Stupak Denies Obama Funding Abortion in Health Care, Says Pro-Lifers Lie
• FDA Misleads Women on New Abortion Drug Ella, Billed as Morning After Pill
• Missouri Now 5th to Stop Abortion $ Under Health Care Law, OKs Ultrasound
• Bringing Science Back to the Abortion Debate: Helping Women, Unborn Children
• Democrats for Life Criticized for Using "Whole Life" Name of Pro-Life Group
• Spain Court Won't Suspend Law Expanding Abortions, Catholic Bishop Responds
• Nebraska Judge Halts Abortion Screening Law Helping Women Get More Info
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Obama Admin Approves Second Set of Abortion Funding Under Health Care Law
Washington, DC (LifeNews.com) -- The day after revelations that the Obama administration allowed federal taxpayer funding of abortions under the new national health care law that was supposed to prevent it, new information shows President Barack Obama has authorized abortion funding in a second state.
The first abortion funding had the Obama administration approve a Pennsylvania plan calling for the use of taxpayer funds to pay for abortions for virtually any reason through a new high risk insurance program created by the national health care law.
Now, the National Right to Life Committee, which uncovered the first case of abortion funding, has dug up a second set -- in New Mexico.
NRLC legislative director Douglas Johnson informed LifeNews.com of the first set and spoke with Kathryn Lopez of National Review about the abortion funding in the western state.
He said New Mexico state officials have put together a new $37 million high-risk pool that will begin enrolling members on July 1 and they will begin receiving benefits August 1 -- including federal funding for elective abortions according to the state insurance department's website. After the insured pays the deductible, taxpayer dollars from the federal government cover the remaining 80 percent.
"HHS has been hiding most of these high-risk plans, including the plan that HHS will administer directly in 21 states. Of the four state plans we've managed to ferret out, two provided coverage of essentially all abortions Pennsylvania and New Mexico," Johnson told National Review.
"This is part of a pattern, under this administration, of making 'soft' rhetorical statements on abortion policy, but consistently promoting and expanding abortion through low-visibility administrative decisions. The administration's heavy funding of groups pushing a proposed new pro-abortion constitution in Kenya is another example," Johnson added. Full story at LifeNews.com
Republican Leader, Pro-Life Groups Slam Obama Admin for HCR Abortion Funding
Washington, DC (LifeNews.com) -- The leader of the Republican party in the House and pro-life organizations are wasting little time in slamming the Obama administration over revelations that it has approved the first set of taxpayer-funded abortions under the new health care law President Barack Obama signed.
The language of the law, and an executive order accompanying it, were supposed to prevent taxpayer funding of abortions Obama and his allies told the public.
But the National Right to Life Committee has uncovered an authorization for a new high risk insurance program in Pennsylvania that will be directly paid for with federal funds via the new health care system -- and the funding will cover abortions.
House Republican Leader John Boehner sent a statement to LifeNews.com responding to the news that Department of Health & Human Services is providing $160 million to the state of Pennsylvania to set up a new high-risk insurance pool program that would cover virtually any abortion.
This is the boldest admission yet from the Obama administration that the President s Executive Order on taxpayer-funded abortion was a sham. The fact that the high-risk pool insurance program in Pennsylvania will use federal taxpayer dollars to fund abortions is unconscionable," he said.
Just last month at the White House I asked President Obama to provide the American people with a progress report on the implementation of his Executive Order, which purports to ban taxpayer-funding of abortions. Unfortunately, the President provided no information, and the American people are still waiting for answers," Boehner added.
The GOP House leader promised Republicans, if they gain control of the House following the November elections, would press for legislation to repeal the pro-abortion health care law. Full story at LifeNews.com
Americans Split on Kagan Nomination, Oppose Her More Than Sotomayor
Washington, DC (LifeNews.com) -- A new national survey finds Americans are split on the nomination of pro-abortion activist Elena Kagan to the Supreme Court, but they oppose her more than they did President Barack Obama's last pro-abortion Supreme Court nominee, Sonia Sotomayor.
A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey of likely voters finds them almost evenly divided on confirming Kagan with 39 percent saying yes, 40 percent saying no and 20 percent undecided.
Two weeks ago, after the close of the Senate Judiciary Committee hearings on Kagan's nomination, Rasmussen found 36 percent supported confirmation while 42 percent opposed her -- but ultimately there s been little movement in Kagan s numbers from the start.
Pollster Scott Rasmussen said that while support and opposition to Kagan run even, "By comparison, at this stage of the process last year, 41% supported the confirmation of the president s first Supreme Court nominee, Sonia Sotomayor, and 37% opposed it."
Meanwhile, the new survey finds 44% now have at least a somewhat favorable opinion of Kagan, while 45% view her unfavorably.
"This, too, marks a slight improvement from two weeks ago when 41% viewed her favorably and 46% unfavorably. In early May, she had favorables of 45% and unfavorables of 39%," Rasmussen said. Full story at LifeNews.com
Democrats Lobbied to Oppose Pro-Abortion Elena Kagan as GOP Opposes Her
Washington, DC (LifeNews.com) -- Democrats who face tough re-election campaigns and might be inclined to oppose the nomination of pro-abortion Solicitor general Elena Kagan to the Supreme Court are facing more pressure to oppose her confirmation. This comes as more Republican senators announce they will oppose her bid.
Curt Levey, executive director of the Committee for Justice told Politico, There s definitely the potential to get a few Democrats certainly much more so than last time."
That means senators like Blanche Lincoln of Arkansas and Ben Nelson of Nebraska are facing some intense pressure and lobbying to vote no as are Jon Tester of Montana, Mark Begich of Alaska and Jim Webb of Virginia.
For those running in red states in a Republican year, the motivation is obvious. I think even for those running in 2012, it s something of a motivation, Levey told the political news web site. The issues on which [Kagan] is vulnerable abortion, the military, gay rights are kind of 80-20 issues in these senators states.
Lincoln and Nelson are facing television ads in their state asking voters to contact them to oppose Kagan, and pro-life Republican Sen. Lindsey Graham, the lone Republican to hint he may support Kagan, is seeing television commercials in South Carolina as well. Full story at LifeNews.com
Congressman: Obama Admin Illegally Funding Pro-Abortion Kenya Constitution
Washignton, DC (LifeNews.com) -- Despite denials by the office of Vice President Joe Biden and the U.S. embassy in Kenya, the leading pro-life congressman says the Obama administration is absolutely engaging in illegal funding of a campaign to get voters in Kenya to adopt a pro-abortion constitution.
As LifeNews.com reported on Monday, the United States embassy in Kenya issued a statement saying the administration of President Barack Obama is not spending taxpayer dollars funding a campaign to support a pro-abortion Constitution Kenya voters will consider at the polls next month.
But Rep. Chris Smith, one of three U.S. lawmakers who have requested an investigation into U.S. activities leading up to the referendum, tells LifeNews.com today he has evidence the Obama administration is funding the Yes campaign.
Smith says Obama is doing so by providing taxpayer dollars for the Yes campaign via organizations that are actively supporting it on the ground in Kenya.
There is no doubt that the Obama Administration is funding the yes campaign in Kenya, he said. By funding NGOs charged with obtaining yes votes, the Administration has crossed the line."
"Directly supporting efforts to register yes voters and get out the yes vote means the U.S. government is running a political campaign in Kenya. U.S. taxpayer funds should not be used to support one side or the other," he added.
As part of ongoing discussions with the Office of the Inspector General of the US Agency for International Development (USAID), Representatives Smith and Florida Rep. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen and California Rep. Darrell Issa received a chart listing USAID funding recipients and a summary of their agreements. Full story at LifeNews.com
Stupak Denies Obama Funding Abortion in Health Care, Says Pro-Lifers Lie
Washington, DC (LifeNews.com) -- Congressman Bart Stupak, the lynchpin of the abortion funding in the national health care law, says in a new statement that he doesn't believe the Obama administration will be funding abortions in Pennsylvania and New Mexico. He also accuses pro-life organizations of lying about the funding.
Stupak released a statement to the Washington Examiner newspaper saying there is no way the Obama administration can fund abortions.
"The President s Executive Order makes clear that federal funds may not be used for abortion under the Affordable Care Act including the pre-existing condition insurance pools currently being implemented in Pennsylvania and states across the country," the Michigan congressman claims.
"In accordance with the Executive Order, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services has directed states that federal funds provided under health care reform may not be used to fund abortion," he said.
Stupak accuses pro-life advocates -- specifically the National Right to Life Committee, which uncovered both of the new cases of tax-funded abortions in the health care system -- of lying.
This is the latest example of some right to life groups politicizing life issues in an effort to undermine health care reform," he said. "HHS has reiterated this policy in response to the current accusations from the National Right to Life Committee." Full story at LifeNews.com
FDA Misleads Women on New Abortion Drug Ella, Billed as Morning After Pill
by Wendy Wright and Kristan Hawkins
The abortion debate is shifting. Americans are uncomfortable with abortion. They definitely do not want tax dollars paying for abortions. Most doctors aren't willing to participate.
So abortion advocates have a new plan: mislead and mislabel. They are steering the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to mislead women by mislabeling the new drug Ella to avoid mentioning that it can cause an abortion. Women and health providers will be enticed by the claim that it can prevent a pregnancy, unaware that it also can abort a pregnancy. And by not being labeled an "abortion drug," it may skirt federal laws against funding abortions - and the government will pay for it.
The question is: Will the FDA go along with this scheme?
This new drug is close to being introduced in the market. It can be taken up to five days after sexual intercourse. The drug sponsor touts Ella's ability to delay ovulation, but Dr. Jeffrey Bay, an FDA pharmacologist, admitted that Ella also may prohibit embryos from implanting in the uterus.
This is significant. Ella impacts embryos both before and after implantation by interfering with the hormone needed to line the uterus to support an embryo.
An FDA advisory panel recently approved Ella as an "emergency contraceptive." However, the drug contains virtually the same chemicals as the abortion drug RU-486 and acts the same way. By blocking progesterone receptors, it starves the baby to death.
Despite this, the FDA panel voted unanimously not to inform women that Ella may do more than prevent ovulation. Incredibly, it went further by discouraging studies to determine if Ella can cause birth defects in babies who survive. Full story at LifeNews.com
Missouri Now 5th to Stop Abortion $ Under Health Care Law, OKs Ultrasound
Jefferson City, MO (LifeNews.com) -- Missouri Governor Jay Nixon, who supports abortion, allowed a bill to become law without his signature that makes the state the fifth to opt out of some of the abortion funding in the national health care law President Barack Obama signed -- and that now officially allows abortion funding.
The bill also will provide women the ability to see an ultrasound of their unborn child before an abortion is done.
The measure also gives women considering abortions 24 hours to reflect on the ultrasound and information they would receive on fetal development.
The full House voted 113-37 in favor of the legislation on its side after the Senate voted 26-5 -- meaning the legislature likely had enough votes to override a Nixon veto.
Governor Bobby Jindal made Louisiana the fourth to opt out, following Arizona, Mississippi and Tennessee.
When Congress passed the government-run health care bill, it did so without any limits on abortion funding and language mandating taxpayer financing of abortion in certain circumstances. Full story at LifeNews.com
Bringing Science Back to the Abortion Debate: Helping Women, Unborn Children
by Gary Bauer and Daniel Alott
According to conventional wisdom, anti-abortion advocates are vulnerable to charges of being anti-woman and anti-science. Pro-lifers subordinate dispassionate scientific inquiry to irrational religious belief, many people believe, and their "fetus fetish" blinds them to the plight of women in crisis pregnancies.
But two novel laws passed recently in Nebraska explode those myths by highlighting how pro-lifers have embraced women and seized the mantle of science by revealing exactly what it is those who abort are choosing.
On July 15, the Women's Health Protection Act will take effect. The law will require women seeking abortions to be screened for mental health issues and other risk factors and to be asked whether they are being forced or pressured to abort.
The measure also will give women who develop mental or physical problems post-abortion the right to file civil lawsuits against abortion providers who failed to give proper pre-screening. Abortion providers will not face criminal charges or risk losing their medical licenses.
The new law erodes the notion advanced by Planned Parenthood and others that the emotional effects of abortion are "largely positive." Although post-abortion stress is a subject of considerable controversy, the new law affirms what numerous empirical studies have shown: that many women experience profound and long-lasting emotional grief after abortion.
The second law addresses not the pangs of the aborting mother but the excruciating pain of the aborted baby. The Pain-Capable Unborn Child Protection Act makes it illegal for a doctor to perform an abortion 20 weeks or more after fertilization, except to preserve the life of the mother. Full story at LifeNews.com
Democrats for Life Criticized for Using "Whole Life" Name of Pro-Life Group
Washington, DC (LifeNews.com) -- Democrats for Life of America is coming under fire from another pro-life organization that says it co-opted its name for a political action committee that is supporting 13 members of Congress who voted for the national health care bill that includes massive abortion funding.
The organization, which found respect from the pro-life movement for carrying the pro-life standard in the pro-abortion Democratic Party, announced earlier this month it would defend the Stupak dozen.
DFLA created the new political action committee bearing the moniker "Whole-Life Heroes," a reference to the Democrats for Life position that the bill is somehow pro-life because it supposedly will reduce abortions by providing a limited amount of support for pregnant women even though other pro-life groups unanimously say it contains taxpayer funding of abortions.
That name isn't going over very well with Jason Jones, the founder and president of the Human-Rights Education and Relief Organization (HERO) and its Whole Life America initiative.
Jones is noted for his role in producing the acclaimed pro-life movie Bella, and working with pro-life actor Eduardo Verestegui.
In a statement Jones sent to LifeNews.com, he called the new Democrats for Life of America political action committee name "extremely misleading." Full story at LifeNews.com
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Spain Court Won't Suspend Law Expanding Abortions, Catholic Bishop Responds
Madrid, Spain (LifeNews.com) -- The highest court in Spain has decided it not will suspend the new abortion law that allows abortions for any reason to 14 weeks and denies parents the right to know when their minor daughter is considering one. Meanwhile, a Catholic bishop is urging Spaniards to protest the new law.
The measure allows any abortions up to 14 weeks and 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 Supreme Court in Spain is examining a lawsuit filed by the center-right Popular Party to prevent the law from taking effect, but the law is going into place now. But the court said today it would allow the law to stand while it considers the lawsuit against it.
Meanwhile, according to CNA, Archbishop Francisco Gil Hellin of Burgos says Catholics in the nation should engage in direct opposition without distinction against the new law. Full story at LifeNews.com
Nebraska Judge Halts Abortion Screening Law Helping Women Get More Info
Lincoln, NE (LifeNews.com) -- A Nebraska judge has agreed with a request from abortion advocates to halt the implementation of a new screening law that helps women obtain more information about abortion risks.
Planned Parenthood of the Heartland filed a lawsuit against a bill designed to help women get the kind of information on abortion's risks and alternatives that it fails to provide.
The abortion business is challenging LB 594, the "Women s Health Protection Act" and complained the bill "imposes requirements that are both impossible to meet and require physicians to flood their patients with false and misleading information."
The new law tightens informed consent requirements that help women choose abortion alternatives. It helps women understand the physical, psychological, emotional, demographic or situational risk factors associated with an abortion.
U.S. District Judge Laurie Smith Camp granted Planned Parenthood its request for a preliminary injunction against the law, saying it may have possibly made abortions illegal in Nebraska. The order prevents the state from enforcing the pro-life law until the lawsuit is decided. Full story at LifeNews.com
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