LifeNews.com Pro-Life News Report
Tuesday, August 3, 2010
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Current Headlines
• Senator's Amendment Would Permanently Support Tax-Funded Abortion Abroad
• Judge OKs Lawsuit Against Pro-Abortion Health Care, GOP Hopes to Stop Funding
• Opposition to Obama's Pro-Abortion Health Care Law Hits New High in Poll
• Ben Nelson Becomes First Democrat to Oppose Pro-Abortion Elena Kagan
• House Members Condemn Obama Push for Pro-Abortion Kenya Constitution
• AP Surprises With Article Noting Adult Stem Cell Research Outpacing Embryonic
• HHS Dept Releases Funding for Abstinence Education Despite Obama Plan
• Pro-Lifer Arrested for Praying at Planned Parenthood Gets National Focus
• Pro-Life Television Show Facing Life Head-On Receives Prestigious Emmy Award
• Pro-Life News: Donald Berwick, Stem Cells, Pennsylvania, Kentucky, Wisconsin
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Senator's Amendment Would Permanently Support Tax-Funded Abortion Abroad
Washington, DC (LifeNews.com) -- Late Friday, pro-abortion Sen. Frank Lautenberg slipped an amendment into the foreign appropriations bill that would make permanent President Barack Obama's overturning of the Mexico City Policy. That's the rule that stops tax dollars from going to groups that promote and perform abortions overseas.
In January, Obama overturned the policy during his first week in office and opened the door to abortion businesses like Planned Parenthood receiving a share of $457 million designed to help impoverished nations.
The Appropriations Committee voted 18-12 to accept Lautenberg's proposal to make Obama's pro-abortion decision permanent.
If the bill becomes law with his provision attached, a pro-life president would not be able to reinstate the Mexico City Policy and protect taxpayers from funding abortions and abortion promotion. Congress would have to go back and pass a bill repealing the Lautenberg provision and a president would have to sign that bill into law.
The Senate State, Foreign Operations Appropriations bill also has another concern for pro-life advocates.
The legislation funnels millions more taxpayer dollars to groups like the United Nations Family Planning Fund (UNFPA), which has worked hand-in-hand with the population control officials in China who have enforced the nation's one-child policy with forced abortions and other human rights abuses. Full story at LifeNews.com
Judge OKs Lawsuit Against Pro-Abortion Health Care, GOP Hopes to Stop Funding
Washington, DC (LifeNews.com) -- A federal judge ruled today that the lawsuit the state of Virginia and several others filed against the pro-abortion health care law passed in March can go forward. Meanwhile, Republicans in Congress are pushing a plan to cut off funding for the health care scheme in case the lawsuit or repeal bids fail.
U.S. District Court Judge Henry Hudson issued a decision today saying the states can move forward with their lawsuit against the health care law, which allows massive abortion funding.
"While this case raises a host of complex constitutional issues, all seem to distill to the single question of whether or not Congress has the power to regulate -- and tax -- a citizen's decision not to participate in interstate commerce," Hudson wrote. "Given the presence of some authority arguably supporting the theory underlying each side's position, this court cannot conclude at this stage that the complaint fails to state a cause of action."
Virginia Attorney General Ken Cuccinelli, who is pro-life, filed a lawsuit immediately after President Barack Obama signed the bill into law.
The Department of Health and Human Services, led by pro-abortion Kathleen Sebelius, filed a motion to dismiss the lawsuit but Judge Hudson's decision denies that motion.
Meanwhile, while Republicans may not be able to repeal the pro-abortion health care law next year -- because President Barack Obama would veto such a bill doing so, they are hoping to deny the administration the funds needed to implement it. They are now working on such a message and getting it out to candidates on the campaign trail. Full story at LifeNews.com
Opposition to Obama's Pro-Abortion Health Care Law Hits New High in Poll
Washington, DC (LifeNews.com) -- Opposition to the pro-abortion health care bill President Barack Obama signed into law has reached new heights, according to a new Rasmussen Reports poll. The results come after a pro-life group exposed the way in which the new law would fund abortions in high risk insurance polls.
The Obama administration eventually backed down after the National Right to Life Committee exposed the funding in three states and it promised no funding would occur in the polls the new law created.
A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds 57 percent of likely voters say the recently-passed health care law will be bad for the country. Thirty-two percent say the health care plan will be good for the United States.
Prior to this survey, belief that the plan is good for the country ranged from 34% to 41%, while those who predict it will be bad for the country range from 49% to 54%.
"That s the highest level of pessimism measured since regular tracking began following Congress' passage of the law in late March," Rasmussen noted. "Voter pessimism towards the new national health care bill has reached an all-time high."
Fifty-nine percent of all voters now favor repeal of the health care bill compared to 38 percent who oppose repealing it. These findings include 45% who strongly favor repeal and 28 percent who strongly oppose it. Support for repeal has ranged from 52% to 63%, while opposition has ranged from 32% to 42%. Full story at LifeNews.com
Ben Nelson Becomes First Democrat to Oppose Pro-Abortion Elena Kagan
Washington, DC (LifeNews.com) -- Late last week, Nebraska Sen. Ben Nelson became the first Democrat to jump ship from his party and announce he would oppose the nomination of pro-abortion activist Elena Kagan to the Supreme Court. Nelson, who typically votes pro-life, joins most Republicans who plan on voting against Kagan.
Like Republicans, Nelson said he finds Kagan has little judicial experience and would become an activist if confirmed for the nation's highest court.
"I have heard concerns from Nebraskans regarding Ms. Kagan, and her lack of a judicial record makes it difficult for me to discount the concerns raised by Nebraskans, or to reach a level of comfort that these concerns are unfounded," he said in a statement.
"Therefore, I will not vote to confirm Ms. Kagan s nomination," Nelson said.
Nelson's vote adds to the tally of votes against Kagan, but his statement made it even more clear that a filibuster would likely not be attempted against her nomination and that one would not succeed if launched.
As a member of the bipartisan Gang of 14, I will follow our agreement that judicial nominees should be filibustered only under extraordinary circumstances," Nelson said. "If a cloture vote is held on the nomination of Elena Kagan to the U.S. Supreme Court, I am prepared to vote for cloture and oppose a filibuster because, in my view, this nominee deserves an up or down vote in the Senate." Full story at LifeNews.com
House Members Condemn Obama Push for Pro-Abortion Kenya Constitution
Washington, DC (LifeNews.com) -- With voters in Kenya heading to the polls on Wednesday to decide whether or not to support a new constitution that would also legalize abortion, members of Congress in the United States are speaking out against the Obama administration's spending $23 million supporting it.
Growing evidence of U.S. taxpayer money spent on the controversial proposed Kenyan constitution vote, set for August 4th, drew sharp criticism from four Members of the House of Representatives this afternoon.
Reps. Trent Franks of Arizona, Jeff Fortenberry of Nebraska, Joseph Pitts of Pennsylvania, and Chris Smith of New Jersey criticized the Obama Administration s spending to influence the vote on the referendum through the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID).
USAID has reported spending at least $23 million to promote the proposed constitution. The lawmakers questioned the legality of the spending, since current U.S. law bars funding to either advocate either for or against abortion, and the proposed document dramatically changes existing Kenyan abortion laws.
In the run up to the August 4 referendum on the constitution just like any other election the United States and other interested parties have a profoundly important, but narrow role to play, Smith said.
"And that is to ensure to the greatest extent possible that the referendum is free, fair and peaceful. Under no circumstances should the U.S. government take sides by supporting, facilitating and funding projects designed to identify and motivate votes for either side. Yet that is precisely what the Obama Administration has done," he said. Full story at LifeNews.com
AP Surprises With Article Noting Adult Stem Cell Research Outpacing Embryonic
Washington, DC (LifeNews.com) -- The Associated Press surprised readers with a new story on the contrasts between adult and embryonic stem cell research and a headline indicating what pro-life advocates have long known: the use of adult stem cell research is helping patients now and far outpacing embryonic studies.
"For all the emotional debate that began about a decade ago on allowing the use of embryonic stem cells, it's adult stem cells that are in human testing today. An extensive review of stem cell projects and interviews with two dozen experts reveal a wide range of potential treatments," AP admitted.
A few of the examples highlighted include multiple sclerosis, heart damage, juvenile diabetes, and blindness from chemical burns.
"Apart from these efforts, transplants of adult stem cells have become a standard lifesaving therapy for perhaps hundreds of thousands of people with leukemia, lymphoma and other blood diseases," AP noted.
Dr. David Scadden of Harvard told the news service that the ability of adult stem cells to help patients with a wide range of diseases and conditions helps it stand out from embryonic, which has never helped a single person. Full story at LifeNews.com
HHS Dept Releases Funding for Abstinence Education Despite Obama Plan
Washington, DC (LifeNews.com) -- The Department Health and Human Services has released the federal funding for abstinence education that groups fought for in Congress after President Barack Obama made a request to eliminate it. The funding is one of the few silver linings of the pro-abortion health care bill Obama signed.
In May, Obama announced he would zero out all funding for abstinence education and replace it with $178 million to prevent teen pregnancy."
The National Abstinence Education Association and others fought the request and members of Congress eventually voted to restore some of the funding.
The bipartisan vote among members of Congress that provided for the continuation of this funding, demonstrates an understanding of the common sense approach that Abstinence Education provides and that a majority of Americans support," said Valerie Huber, the director of the group.
Members of Congress originally began funding abstinence education during the 1990s and Title V abstinence funding was recently extended under the health care bill.
This funding is provided to states yearly until 2014 and the program will be implemented through the Administration for Children and Families, which is currently accepting applications from U.S. states and territories for funding requests. Full story at LifeNews.com
Pro-Lifer Arrested for Praying at Planned Parenthood Gets National Focus
Chicago, IL (LifeNews.com) -- The case of Joe Holland has received national attention with a Fox News report making the rounds on the Internet today focusing on how this college student was arrested merely for praying in front of a Chicago-area Planned Parenthood abortion business.
As LifeNews.com reported last week, Holland is the first pro-life person charged under the new bubble zone law in Chicago that local citizens say has robbed them of their free speech rights outside abortion centers.
The city council approved the new last October and pro-life groups say it targets those who provide women abortion alternatives.
Holland, a Northwestern University graduate student, was praying the rosary on a public sidewalk outside the Planned Parenthood Near North abortion facility on July 3 when staff called the police, claiming that he had violated the new ordinance.
"I was just standing by the building praying the rosary and one of the Planned Parenthood volunteers came up to me and started yelling at me that I needed to move 8 feet away, but the thing is I didn't actually approach anyone; I was just standing by the building and the building doesn't actually have a bubble," Holland told Fox News.
The pro-life college student said he never responded to the Planned Parenthood volunteer or any other abortion center officials or anyone entering the abortion business. Full story at LifeNews.com
Pro-Life Television Show Facing Life Head-On Receives Prestigious Emmy Award
Columbus, OH (LifeNews.com) -- The weekly pro-life television program Facing Life Head-On received an Emmy Award at a recent awards ceremony in central Ohio. The National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences presented host Brad Mattes the award the Emmy statue Saturday evening at an awards ceremony in Columbus.
This weekly, half-hour TV program is available to well over 100 million households, presents compelling pro-life messages.
Facing Life Head-On received the regional Emmy for a television series that was the "best of the best" in the category of Interview and Discussion.
Obviously we're quite thrilled by the honor, said Brad Mattes, host and executive producer of the program as well as the director of Life Issues Institute, an educational pro-life group.
I'm not aware of the pro-life movement receiving an accolade at this level by the media industry, much less the Academy. We're absolutely delighted," he told LifeNews.com.
In his acceptance speech during the black-tie awards ceremony, Mattes thanked his television guests for being an inspiration to their viewers. He dedicated the award to the men and women in Afghanistan and Iraq who risk their lives and sometimes die to defend the freedoms we hold dear. Full story at LifeNews.com
Pro-Life News: Donald Berwick, Stem Cells, Pennsylvania, Kentucky, Wisconsin
Terri Schiavo's Brother Bobby Schinder Discusses Donald Berwick Appointment
Washington, DC (LifeNews.com) -- Terri Schiavo's brother Bobby Schinder has weighed in on the recess appointment of Donald Berwick, the rationing advocate President Barack Obama named to head the Center for Medicare and Medicaid.
Windpipes Made with Adult Stem Cells Help Cancer Patients
by David Prentice
Rome, Italy (LifeNews.com) -- Italian doctors have announced the use of patients own adult stem cells to fabricate new tracheas for two cancer patients.
Pennsylvania Pro-Life Gov Candidate Tom Corbett Runs Ahead of Dan Onorato
Harrisburg, PA (LifeNews.com) -- Little has changed in Pennsylvania's race for governor, with Republican State Attorney General Tom Corbett earning 50% support this month against Democrat Dan Onorato.
South Carolina Pro-Life Governor Candidate Nikki Haley Continues Leading Race
Columbia, SC (LifeNews.com) -- Republican Nikki Haley continues to hold a double-digit lead over Democratic State Senator Vincent Sheheen in South Carolina s race for governor.
Kentucky Senate Poll Has Republican Rand Paul Leading Democrat Jack Conway
Frankfort, KY (LifeNews.com) -- A new poll conducted by the Bluegrass Poll for the Louisville Courier-Journal finds Republican Rand Paul is still running ahead of Democrat Jack Conway in the race for Kentucky's open seat in the Senate.
Hemlock Society Helium Bags Claim Two Lives in Milwaukee
by Wisconsin Right to Life
Milwaukee, WI (LifeNews.com) -- Derek Humphry is a familiar name in the euthanasia debate. He headed the Hemlock Society for many years and wrote extensively on euthanasia and assisted suicide.
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