Friday, July 17, 2009

FROM LIFENEWS.COM: TODAY'S PRO-LIFE HEADLINES


Sotomayor Accused of Contradicting Herself on Involvement in Pro-Abortion Group
Washington, DC (LifeNews.com) -- There is no question that Supreme Court nominee Sonia Sotomayor served on the board of directors of a pro-abortion Hispanic group. What is not known is whether Sotomayor had involvement in or knowledge of several legal briefs the group filed promoting unlimited abortions and taxpayer funding of them. During questioning yesterday before the Senate Judiciary Committee, Sotomayor talked about her involvement in the Puerto Rican Legal Defense and Education Fund. She told pro-life Sen. Lindsey Graham that she did not participate in reviewing or drafting the legal memos PRLDEF filed with the Supreme Court urging it to allow unrestricted abortion. "I didn't review the briefs. I did know that the fund had a health care docket that included challenges to certain limitations on a woman’s right to terminate her pregnancy under certain circumstances," she said. 
Dawn Eden of Americans United for Life says Sotomayor later "made a serious contradiction of her own testimony" that was "at the very least misleading." "When Sotomayor said she knew the Fund had a 'docket,' she was saying that she knew in advance that the Fund was making the argument against" abortion limits," Eden explains. "She knew that opposing common-sense abortion regulations was the Fund’s policy." Full story at LifeNews.com





House Panel Will Vote Soon on Promoting Abortion in Health Care Reform Bill
Washington, DC (LifeNews.com) -- Another Congressional committee will consider an amendment to make sure a government-funded health care restructuring plan does not include abortion. Keeping abortion out of health care is quickly becoming the main objective of the pro-life community as the debate heats up. With pro-abortion President Barack Obama asking members of the House and Senate to get him a health care bill quickly, pro-life lawmakers have been scrambling to keep abortion out of it. They, along with national pro-life organizations, are very concerned that the final product will leave it up to the Obama administration to decide if abortions will be publicly funded or insurance companies forced to cover it. The House Energy and Commerce Committee could see the next vote on abortion and health care as it considered HR 3200 on either Monday or Tuesday. When the committee takes up the bill for possible amendments, pro-life Rep. Joe Pitts, a Pennsylvania Republican, plans to offer three to make the bill abortion neutral. Full story at LifeNews.com
ACTION: Contact members of the House Energy and Commerce Committee and urge strong support for the Pitts amendment to exclude abortion from the health care bill, HR 3200. Call 202-224-3121 or go to http://www.House.gov for specific contact information.



Congressman to Offer Amendment to De-Fund Planned Parenthood Abortion Biz
Washington, DC (LifeNews.com) -- The most recent annual report shows Planned Parenthood, the nation's largest abortion business, received $350 million in taxpayer dollars from state, local and federal governments. Congressman Mike Pence says that's too much money and he is floating an amendment to reduce the flow. Pence, an Indiana Republican, will offer an amendment next week to the appropriations bill that funds the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). The amendment would stop HHS’ Family Planning funding (Title X) from going to Planned Parenthood. 
"Planned Parenthood is the largest recipient of family planning money and is also the largest abortion provider in America—this should not be," Pence's office told LifeNews.com on Friday. "Although Title X cannot be used to directly pay for abortions, government financial assistance is a vital tool in offsetting operational costs, therefore freeing up money to provide more abortions." Full story at LifeNews.com
ACTION: Contact members of the House Rules Committee and urge support for a vote on the Pence amendment. Find a list of members here.




Conservative Democrats Could Help Stop Health Care Bill With Pro-Abortion Effect
Washington, DC (LifeNews.com) -- As the pro-life movement continues fighting the inclusion and promotion of abortion in the various health care bills Congress is considering, conservative Democrats are speaking up against the measures and could provide help in defeating them. With President Barack Obama calling for Congress to deliver him a health care bill by the end of the month, some Democrats are rebelling against the decision to railroad bills through the House and Senate. Late yesterday, Arkansas Rep. Mike Ross, a spokesman for the 52 members of the Democrats in the conservative Blue Dog Coalition, said pro-abortion Democratic leaders don't have the votes they need to pass the bills. “There’s no way [party leaders] can pass the current bill on the House floor” without major changes to it, Ross said. Ross says seven members of his group who sit on the Energy and Commerce Committee will vote against the bill unless major changes are made. “I suspect we'll have all the time we need [to make changes], given they don't have the votes to get it out of committee," he said. 
Full story at LifeNews.com


Top Senate Republican Opposes Sotomayor, Some GOP Lawmakers Back Her
Washington, DC (LifeNews.com) -- Now that the Senate Judiciary Committee's hearings on the Supreme Court nomination of Sonia Sotomayor are complete, some senators are already announcing how they intend to vote. While the top Senate Republican plans to oppose her, other Republicans are backing her bid. Should Sotomayor be confirmed, which appears increasingly likely given a reduced threat of a filibuster, the only hope for pro-life advocates to stop her nomination, she would replace retiring pro-abortion Justice David Souter. Today, Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, a pro-life Kentucky Republican, said he would vote against Sotomayor. “Judge Sotomayor’s record of written statements suggests an alarming lack of respect for the notion of equal justice, and therefore, in my view, an insufficient willingness to abide by the judicial oath,” he said in a floor speech. Meanwhile, Sen. Richard Lugar, an Indiana Republican who tends to vote pro-life, says he is in Sotomayor's corner. Full story at LifeNews.com





Study: Abortion Funding Cuts Reduce Abortions, Why Does Obama Want More?
Washington, DC (LifeNews.com) -- The Alan Guttmacher Institute, the premier pro-abortion research group, has released a new report admitting that almost all of the public studies on the subject show cutting taxpayer-funding for abortions reduces the number of abortions. AGI's recent literature review about limits on Medicaid funding of abortions reveals 20 of 24 academic studies arrive at that conclusion. Dr. Michael New, a political science professor at the University of Alabama, talked about the new AGI review in a column at National Review. "Overall, the results indicate that there is a very strong consensus among both public-health researchers and economists that public funding restrictions lower abortion rates," he explains. "These studies analyze data from a range of sources including surveys and aggregate data from the federal, state, and local level." The other four studies AGI surveyed do not show that abortion funding cuts increase abortions, they merely were unable to reach a conclusion about the effect of such policies. "The evidence presented about the effectiveness of public funding restrictions is very persuasive," New says. 
Full story at LifeNews.com
The battle against FOCA still lies ahead of us - YOUR SIGNATURE MATTERS! If you oppose FOCA provisions and do not want them passed in bits and pieces or under a bill with a different name, then click here and do your part in stopping them!

Women Who Have Repeat Abortions More Likely to Have Abusive Relationships
London, England (LifeNews.com) -- A new study from England finds that women who have repeat abortions are more likely to be involved in abusive relationships with their partner. The findings should prompt abortion centers to do a better job of assisting women who may be pressured or coerced by a violent partner into having an abortion. The new report, published in the The Obstetrician and Gynaecologist (TOG) medical journal, found 30 percent of women who get a second abortion say they were involved in an abusive relationship at the time. Women who were getting their third or more abortion were at a much higher percentage chance of involvement in a problematic relationship at the time of the abortion. “These findings highlight the need for health professionals to be aware of, and sensitive to, the possibility of violence in the lives of women seeking abortion," Jason Waugh, editor of the medical journal, told the UK-based Christian Institute in response. "Our society should have zero tolerance for domestic violence.” “Given the high prevalence of violence in pregnancy, it is important to ask women seeking both maternity and abortion services about domestic violence," he said. "Knowing about domestic violence can help to ensure that women are provided with the support and information that they need.” Full story at LifeNews.com



Scott Peterson's Family Seeking Donations to Help Appeal of Double Murder Case
Modesto, CA (LifeNews.com) -- The family of Scott Peterson, who was convicted of the double murders in the killings of his wife Laci Peterson and unborn child Conner, are seeking donations. They are saying on their web site that they need cash to pay for legal help in the appeal of Peterson's convictions. Peterson was sentenced in 2004 to the death penalty after a jury found him guilty of killing Laci and Conner. He now resides in San Quentin State Prison while his case is on appeal to the California Supreme Court. Even though the state of California pays for the appeal, because it is triggered automatically by state law in death penalty cases, the Peterson family is seeking $95,000 to pay for an independent investigation to provide ammunition to help Peterson win. 
"We have been very blessed in that our parents have been able to pay for Scott's defense and appellate attorneys for the past 6 years. But the reality of today is that they have exhausted their resources," Peterson's siblings say on a web site dedicated to his case. Full story at LifeNews.com

Virginia Governor Candidate Deeds Gets Backing of Pro-Abortion Organization
Richmond, VA (LifeNews.com) -- A pro-abortion Virginia group has endorsed the Democratic candidate for governor in November's election, state Sen. Creigh Deeds. The Planned Parenthood Advocates of Virginia, the political extension of the state's biggest abortion business, announced today it is backing Deeds. In a statement, the pro-abortion group cited Deeds' "consistent voting record in favor of protecting reproductive choice," a euphemism for abortion, as the reason for the endorsement. Planned Parenthood also attacks the pro-life record of gubernatorial candidate Bob McDonnell, the former attorney general and state Delegate from Virginia Beach. The group laments that he is "opposed to reproductive choice," another code phrase for abortion. The endorsement stands in contrast to the support McDonnell has received from pro-life advocates. Olivia Gans, the president of the Virginia Society for Human Life, says the group is "proud to support Bob McDonnell in his bid for the governorship of Virginia." Full story at LifeNews.com



Ohio Bill Would Include Father's Right's in Abortion Decision-Making Process
Columbus, OH (LifeNews.com) -- An Ohio lawmaker has re-introduced legislation that would include a father's rights in the abortion decision-making process. Under Roe v. Wade, fathers are left out of the equation when a woman considers whether or not to have an abortion that would end the life of their child. Rep. John Adams, a Republican from Sidney, wants to change that and the legislation he introduced today, House Bill 252, would require the biological father's consent before an abortion can be done. The bill would apply to any abortion and would require written consent before it can be done. Adams told the Daily Reporter newspaper that abortion centers would "need to get consent from the biological father" before the abortion can proceed and he called the measure a "father's right bill" to protect the interest of fathers who are given no say in the abortion process. He also said the bill provides for criminal penalties for women seeking abortions who do not obtain consent properly. "Providing a false biological father would be a first-degree misdemeanor the first time, which means not more than six months and jail, and a maximum $1,000 fine," Adams said. "And on the second occasion, providing false information would be considered a fifth-degree felony." Full story at LifeNews.com

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