LifeNews.com Pro-Life News Report
Thursday, August 26, 2010
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Current Headlines
• Democrat Pushes Bill to Fund Embryonic Stem Cell Research After Ruling
• Florida Voters Back Pro-Life Candidates Rubio, Scott; Set Up Abortion Battles
• Alaska Voters Pass Measure for Parental Notification Before Teen Abortions
• Catholic Bishops Welcome Ruling Striking Obama's Embryonic Stem Cell Funding
• CBS, NBC Issue Biased Reports on Embryonic Stem Cell Research Ruling
• Next 40 Days for Life Prayer, Fasting Campaign Against Abortion Largest Yet
• Pro-Abortion Republican Lisa Murkowski Losing to Pro-Life Joe Miller in Alaska
• California Senate Race Tied, New Poll Shows as Boxer Loses Lead to Fiorina
• West Virginia Pro-Life Group Endorses Republican Raese in Republican Primary
• Minnesota Positive Alternatives Program Helps 13,000 Women Avoid Abortions
• British Pro-Life Group Saddened New Figures Show Teen Abortions Up in Wales
• Pro-Life News: Florida, Colorado, Oregon, Mississippi, Massachusetts, Rhode Island
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Democrat Pushes Bill to Fund Embryonic Stem Cell Research After Ruling
Washington, DC (LifeNews.com) -- A member of Congress who has been the leading advocate for forcing taxpayers to fund embryonic stem cell research says she plans to move ahead with legislation that would make such funding federal law.
Representative Diana DeGette, a Colorado Democrat, is responding to a judge's decision issuing a temporary injunction against the funding President Barack Obama mandated through his executive order.
U.S. district court Judge Royce Lamberth granted a preliminary injunction against the funding.
Before the ruling, DeGette had filed legislation intended to codify Obama's executive order and overturn the Dickey-Wicker law preventing taxpayer funding involving the destruction of human embryos the judge used to stop Obama's order.
Although the Obama administration has announced it will appeal the decision later this week, DeGette wants Congress to consider her bill and she may push it hard because the makeup of Congress is expected to change significantly in the pro-life direction after the November elections.
DeGette hopes her bill will come to the floor when Congress reconvenes following its August recess.
"[The] ruling underscores why we must pass common-sense embryonic stem cell research legislation, placing these regulations into statute and once and for all, ensuring this critical life-saving research can be conducted for years to come, unimpeded by political whims or naysayers," she said.
She claimed, "Today s ruling is the case of one judge ignoring the scientific fact that research on pluripotent stem cells is not the same as research on an embryo."
Congress already twice approved a similar bill DeGette sponsored to mandate embryonic stem cell research funding prior to Obama's election and President George W. bush vetoed it twice saying it "crossed a moral boundary."
Florida Voters Back Pro-Life Candidates Rubio, Scott; Set Up Abortion Battles
Tallahassee, FL (LifeNews.com) -- Florida voters backed pro-life candidates for Senate and governor on Tuesday night and set up battles pitting pro-life and pro-abortion candidates against each other. In the gubernatorial race, pro-life Republican candidate Rick Scott defeated Attorney General Bill McCollum.
And in the Senate race, pro-life former House Speaker Marco Rubio is now preparing to take on pro-abortion Gov. Charlie Crist and pro-abortion Rep. Kendrick Meek.
Scott took 47 percent of the vote to 43 for McCollum in the Republican gubernatorial primary.
Scott, a businessman, ran as a pro-life candidate during the campaign and Florida Right to Life gave him an "A" grade and recommended him to voters.
"I am pro-life. I believe strongly in the sanctity of human life. I believe Roe v. Wade should be overturned, and as governor, would appoint judges who apply law and not impose their political agenda on the people, which was what was done in 1973 when Roe was wrongly decided," he says in an audio file on his web site.
Florida's pro-abortion Chief Financial officer, Alex Sink, captured the Democratic nomination to face Scott in November.
Meanwhile, in the Florida Senate race, pro-abortion Rep. Kendrick Meek picked up the Democratic nomination over billionaire Jeff Greene to face pro-life Rubio and Crist, who has repeatedly upset pro-life advocates.
Polling shows Meek was the best candidate for Rubio when it comes to a Democratic nominee because he draws Democrats away from Crist in surveys. Rubio stretches his lead over Crist to between 5 and 8 points with Meek as the Democratic candidate.
This week s Democratic-affiliated Public Policy Polling survey shows Rubio leading Crist 40 to 32 with Meek picking up just 17 percent and 11 percent remaining undecided. Full story at LifeNews.com
Alaska Voters Pass Measure for Parental Notification Before Teen Abortions
Juneau, AK (LifeNews.com) -- Alaska voters easily passed Measure 2, a ballot proposal to allow parents in the state the right to know when their teenage daughter is considering an abortion. The state will now have a law requiring abortion practitioners to notify a parent of a minor girl 48 hours before performing an abortion on her.
With 84 percent of the vote counted, 70,503 Alaskans voted for the measure while 56,354 voted against it. That had parental notification winning on a 55.5 to 44.4 percent margin.
Alaskans for Parental Rights spearheaded the effort while the ACLU joined Planned Parenthood in opposing it.
"I think that Alaskan parents are concerned. They want to be there for their girls and they want to be there even when the going gets tough," said Bernadette Wilson, campaign manager for Alaskans for Parental Rights, according to the Anchorage newspaper. "And I think we sent the message loud and clear that we want to care for these girls, even those girls who come from unhealthy home environments."
Charmaine Yoest, the president of Americans United for Life, applauded the result.
"The people of Alaska have made it clear that parents should have the fundamental right to be informed before their children make a life-changing decision to have an abortion," she told LifeNews.com this morning.
Alaska becomes the 37th state to require parental involvement before a minor can have an abortion. Full story at LifeNews.com
Catholic Bishops Welcome Ruling Striking Obama's Embryonic Stem Cell Funding
Washington, DC (LifeNews.com) -- The nation's Catholic bishops weighed in today welcoming a federal judge's ruling striking down the executive order President Barack Obama issued requiring Americans to pay for embryonic stem cell research that has never helped patients and involves the destruction of human life.
The Obama administration has announced it will appeal the deicsion.
Cardinal Daniel DiNardo of Galveston-Houston, chairman of the Committee on Pro-Life Activities of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, welcomed the federal court injunction against the Obama administration s funding of human embryonic stem cell research.
He called the ruling a victory for common sense and sound medical ethics.
He said this ruling also vindicates the bishops reading of the Dickey amendment, the amendment approved by Congress since 1996, which prevents federal funding of research in which human embryos are harmed or destroyed.
I hope this court decision will encourage our government to renew and expand its commitment to ethically sound avenues of stem cell research, Cardinal DiNardo added. These avenues are showing far more promise than destructive human embryo research in serving the needs of suffering patients.
Each year since 1996, Congress has approved the Dickey amendment to forbid funding any research in which human embryos are harmed or destroyed. Full story at LifeNews.com
CBS, NBC Issue Biased Reports on Embryonic Stem Cell Research Ruling
by Nathan Burchfiel
A recent court ruling found that federal funding for embryonic stem cell research violates laws prohibiting the government from using taxpayer money for research that destroys an embryo. The ruling has sent the evening network news broadcasts reeling.
While ABC's "World News" briefly reported on the ruling Aug. 23, the NBC "Nightly News" and CBS "Evening News" have both aired reports suggesting that the ruling would end life-saving research - in spite of the fact the embryonic research can continue if privately funded, and federal funding of adult stem cell research is unaffected.
NBC's Robert Bazell reported Aug. 24 that the ruling "left a lot of researchers fairly stunned." CBS's Wyatt Andrews called the ruling "a shock." But was it really? Neither report mentioned that federal funding for embryonic stem cell research was severely restricted under the Bush administration, and was only widened by the Obama administration in July 2009.
Both reports also suggested that the ruling would end life-saving research. Bazell featured Dr. Chuck Murray, who is "in the delicate business of rebuilding severely damaged hearts and has tried adult and embryonic stem cells in his efforts."
The segment featured heart muscle built from embryonic stem cells, and Bazell warned that "because of yesterday's court ruling, this research might have to stop by the end of the year." But he didn't mention that the rest of Dr. Murray's research - on adult stem cells - is unaffected by the ruling. Full story at LifeNews.com
Next 40 Days for Life Prayer, Fasting Campaign Against Abortion Largest Yet
Washington, DC (LifeNews.com) -- The next 40 Days for Life campaign involving prayer at abortion centers across the nation will be the largest one yet. The campaigns have been responsible for reinvigorating local pro-life efforts, closing abortion facilities and changing the minds of abortion staffers and women considering abortions.
40 Days for Life is preparing for its largest campaign to date with 238 sites in six countries participating in simultaneous campaigns from September 22 - October 31.
"This fall, an unprecedented number of people of faith will be turning to a higher power to bring an end to the tragedy of abortion through a 40-day program of prayer and fasting, peaceful vigil and community outreach," said Shawn Carney, director of the campaign.
Carney tells LifeNews.com there are 223 locations in 46 American states and the District of Columbia participating in 40 Days for Life efforts.
With nine locations in six provinces, this campaign will also mark the largest Canadian participation as well. Activists in the nations of Australia, Denmark, Northern Ireland, and -- for the first time -- England, are joining their pro-life colleagues in North America by holding events, too.
"Many of the people who volunteer to pray at 40 Days for Life's public vigils have never done anything like this before, and perhaps had never even considered it," said Carney. Full story at LifeNews.com
Pro-Abortion Republican Lisa Murkowski Losing to Pro-Life Joe Miller in Alaska
Juneau, AK (LifeNews.com) -- The Republican Party is predominantly pro-life and one of just a handful of pro-abortion Republicans in the U.S. Senate may have lost her bid party's nomination for her re-election campaign. Sen Lisa Murkowski is currently losing to pro-life candidate Joe Miller, after Tuesday night's primary.
With 97.9 percent of the vote counted, Miller come in with just under 46,000 votes and 51.09 percent of the vote. However, the race has not yet been called for Miller as more votes remain uncounted.
The totals show Murkowski getting a little under 44,000 votes and 48.91 percent of the vote from Alaska Republicans.
Murkowski, in the most recent Congress, has just a 71 percent pro-life voting record, according to numbers from the National Right to Life Committee.
In January 2009, she voted against a pro-life amendment seeking to restore the Mexico City Policy President Barack Obama overturned that limits taxpayer funding of groups that promote and perform abortions in other nations.
The same month, she opposed amendment to codify the "unborn child rule" and allow the State Children's Health Insurance (SCHIP) program to provide coverage for unborn children of poor women -- helping reduce the financial reasons women say make them consider abortions. Full story at LifeNews.com
California Senate Race Tied, New Poll Shows as Boxer Loses Lead to Fiorina
Sacramento, CA (LifeNews.com) -- After two polls showing her with a lead, Rasmussen Reports indicates pro-abortion California senator Barbara Boxer is now essentially tied with pro-life candidate Carly Fiorina. The polling firm is now moving the state from its "leans Democratic" to a toss-up category because of the new results.
The latest Rasmussen Reports telephone survey of likely voters in California shows Boxer with 44% support, while Fiorina picks up 43% of the vote.
Five percent (5%) like another candidate in the race, and eight percent (8%) are undecided.
Earlier this month, Boxer held a five-point lead, 45% to 40%, and she was ahead 49% to 42% in July. Since February, Boxer s support has ranged from 42% to 49%. In those same surveys, Fiorina, former CEO of Hewlett-Packard, has earned 38% to 43% of the vote.
When leaners are included in the new totals, Boxer moves ahead by five points 49% to 44%. Leaners are those who initially indicate no preference for either of the candidates but answer a follow-up question and say they are leaning towards a particular candidate.
Eighty-two percent (82%) of those who support Fiorina say they are already certain how they will vote in November. Seventy-seven percent (77%) of Boxer s supporters say the same, meaning more Boxer backers are less sure they will vote for her in November. Full story at LifeNews.com
West Virginia Pro-Life Group Endorses Republican Raese in Republican Primary
Charleston, WV (LifeNews.com) -- West Virginians for Life announced yesterday that its political action committee has decided to endorse Republican Senate candidate John Raese in the upcoming primary election.
The endorsement is not related to the general election in November, where Raese would be expected to face Governor Joe Manchin, the Democratic candidate. Both are seeking to replace the late pro-abortion Sen. Robert Byrd.
Karen Cross, the president of the West Virginia pro-life group, said the pro-life movement needed a strongly pro-life senator to replace Byrd, who compiled an extensive pro-abortion record in Congress.
"We must have strong pro-life candidates in both parties to assure us of having a good pro-life winner in November," said Cross.
"John Raese is a strong pro-life candidate. He has turned in a 100% candidate questionnaire, including the addendum on the Obamacare issue," Cross continued. "He has been pro-life and a supporter of ours for many years. We have always endorsed him in the past. We believe that he deserves our endorsement." Full story at LifeNews.com
Minnesota Positive Alternatives Program Helps 13,000 Women Avoid Abortions
St. Paul, MN (LifeNews.com) -- The Minnesota Positive Alternatives program continues to meet the needs of increasing numbers of girls and women throughout the state seeking help in a difficult pregnancy situation or who may be considering abortion. That's the report from the state's health department.
The Minnesota Department of Health shows 13,037 women received services from the Positive Alternatives grant during the second grant cycle of the program, running from July 2008 through June 2010.
After four extremely successful years, Positive Alternatives has been established as one of Minnesota s most essential and successful programs for women, said Scott Fischbach, executive director of Minnesota Citizens Concerned for Life, the state's pro-life gorup.
More people need to know how this program offers a lifeline to women in need every day across the state," he said.
More than 12,000 pregnant women were helped during the first two-year grant cycle, July 2006-June 2008. The latest numbers indicate that a growing number of women are finding help through Positive Alternatives grant recipients, such as pregnancy care centers.
Positive Alternatives was passed by the state legislature in 2005 with the support of MCCL and signed into law by pro-life Gov. Tim Pawlenty. Full story at LifeNews.com
British Pro-Life Group Saddened New Figures Show Teen Abortions Up in Wales
London, England (LifeNews.com) -- The British pro-life group SPUC is saddened to learn that the proportion of recorded teenage pregnancies which end in registered abortions has increased in Wales. More than half of teenage conceptions in Wales end in abortion, new figures show.
The figures show just under 60 percent of girls under 16 who become pregnant now have an abortion and 48 percent of girls under 18 do. That's a rise from the 50 percent and 40 percent figures from one year ago for each category.
A spokeswoman from Marie Stopes International, the British abortion business, admitted, No method of contraception is 100% effective," but the Assembly Government will soon push its Sexual Health and Wellbeing Action Plan for Wales 2010-2015 even though abortion rates are rising with the promotion of birth control.
Paul Tully, SPUC's general secretary, told Wales Online yesterday that the teen abortion rate in Wales "increased substantially in the past 5 years."
"We are deeply concerned that this reflects the pressures that young mothers face. We urgently need a change of policy on the part of the government and the medical profession to support all expectant mothers and their babies - abortion kills babies and hurts women," he said.
"These figures make a mockery of abortion law, which requires every abortion to be authorized by two doctors on medical grounds. In reality, there is no genuine medical indication in the vast majority of cases," he said. Full story at LifeNews.com
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Pro-Life News: Florida, Colorado, Oregon, Mississippi, Massachusetts, Rhode Island
Pro-Life Women's Group Glad Pam Bondi Won in Florida Attorney General Race
Tallahassee, FL (LifeNews.com) -- Susan B. Anthony List Candidate Fund-endorsed Pam Bondi qualified for the November general election for Florida s Attorney General race. If elected, Bondi will become the first woman to serve as Florida s Attorney General.
Colorado Poll Shows Pro-Life Buck, Pro-Abortion Hickenlooper Leading
Denver, CO (LifeNews.com) -- One of the first major polls in Colorado following the primary election in the state shows pro-life Senate candidate Ken Buck and pro-abortion gubernatorial candidate John Hickenlooper leading their respective campaigns.
Oregon Senate Poll Has Pro-Abortion Ron Wyden Leading Jim Huffman
Salem, OR (LifeNews.com) -- A new poll in the Oregon Senate race shows pro-abortion Sen. Ron Wyden with a big lead over Jim Huffman, the Republican who supports abortion but would, unlike Wyden, vote for some pro-life limits on it and potentially oppose Obama's pro-abortion judges.
Advocates for Life Law School Group Gearing up for New School Year
Washington, DC (LifeNews.com) -- Kellie Fiedorek, National Coordinator of Advocates for Life, has been working with Advocates chapters across the country as they prepare for the 2010-2011 school year.
AUL Honors Mississippi Legislators for Passing Opt-Out Bill
Jackson, MS (LifeNews.com) -- Of all the states that enacted new laws to opt-out of the abortion mandate in the federal health care law, Mississippi was one of the hardest to get done.
Rhode Island Democrat James Langevin Criticized by Pro-Life Organiztion
Providence, RI (LifeNews.com) -- Rep. James R. Langevin is at it once again, trying to mislead pro-life voters, says Rhode Island Right to Life.
Massachusetts Citizens for Life Announces State PAC Endorsements for Election
Boston, MA (LifeNews.com) -- Madeline McComish, Chairman of the MCFL State Political Action Committee, has announced these endorsements in the September 14th Primary for State Representative.
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