Government Relations

[Senate] Senate Approves Debate on Health Care Bill with Abortion Funding - 11/21/2009


by Steven Ertelt
LifeNews.com Editor
November 21, 2009

Washington, DC (LifeNews.com) -- With the bare minimum needed, Senate Democrats voted on Saturday night to begin the official debate and amendment process for a health care reform bill that allows for massive abortion funding. The measure sponsored by Senate leader Harry Reid could fund hundreds of thousands of abortions.

The vote split entirely on party lines with 60 Democrats voting to break the Republican filibuster supported by 39 party members in the Senate. Several Democrats who may ultimately vote against the bill supported cloture to end debate on the Motion to Proceed.

They included Sens. Ben Nelson of Nebraska and Bob Casey of Pennsylvania, the only Democrats in the Senate who call themselves pro-life and pro-abortion Sen. Kent Conrad of North Dakota, who joins then in wanting a Stupak-like amendment to ban the abortion funding.

Democrats in swing states, like Arkansas' Blanche Lincoln and Mary Landrieu of Louisiana, and independent Sen. Joe Lieberman -- each of whom could ultimately vote against the bill -- also supported cloture and the Motion to Proceed on debate. They said they hope to see the bill amended to correct some of their concerns.

But Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell of Kentucky said the best opportunity to change the bill is to defeat it.

"The best opportunity to change the bill would be at the beginning," he said. "Denying the majority leader the vote he needs to start the bill would have empowered any Democratic senator who is truly interested in making a change, whether the change was on abortion [or other issues] ... The time of maximum leverage would have been prior to tonight's vote."

The abortion funding comes in both the public option as well as through the affordability credits.

Americans United for Life Action president Charmaine Yoest talked with LifeNews.com about the vote.

“Senator Reid’s bill provides for an unprecedented expansion of federally-funded abortion," she said. "The majority of Americans who oppose federal funding of abortion will not stand for policies that force them into paying for abortions under the guise of health care reform.”

She said the bill contains five major threats to pro-life principles.

The bill allows the HHS Secretary to require coverage of any and all abortions through the public option, creates new federally-funded subsidies for private health plans that cover abortion, and requires every insurance market to include a private plan that covers abortion, Yoest explained.

The Senate health care bill also fails to sufficiently protect health care entities from discrimination on the basis that the health care entity does not provide, pay for, provide coverage of, or refer for abortions and fails to prohibit federal funding of assisted suicide.

Yoest confirmed that the Senate bill does not contain the Stupak amendment that the House added on a lopsided bipartisan vote.

“The Reid language in the new Senate health care bill is not the Stupak-Pitts language barring federal funds from going to abortion in health care. It is the opposite of the pro-life Stupak-Pitts language," she told LifeNews.com. The representative of the Catholic bishops has also blasted the pro-abortion provisions in the bill, saying the Senate bill "is actually the worst bill we've seen so far on the life issues."

Other leading pro-life groups like Americans United for Life, National Right to Life, the Family Research Council and Susan B. Anthony List have come to the same conclusion about the abortion funding in the Senate bill.

Richard Doerflinger, associate director of the bishops' conference Secretariat of Pro-Life Activities, called it "completely unacceptable," adding that "to say this reflects current law is ridiculous."

Senator Orrin Hatch, a Utah Republican, has said he would propose an amendment similar to the Stupak amendment, to remove the abortion funding from the legislation.

The bill has also comes under fire for raising taxes on special needs children and their families at a time when 90 percent of babies with disabilities are killed in abortion.

Sen. George Voinovich, an Ohio Republican, was absent from the vote but would have voted against the Moton to Proceed and the vote was not affected by his abcense.

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[] New Poll Says 51% Are Pro-Life - 8/25/2009


Source: Fox News

Poll: Majority of Americans Are Pro-Life for the First Time
Fifty-one percent of Americans consider themselves "pro-life" and just 42 percent say they are "pro-choice," the first time a majority of the country has stated a personal objection to abortion since Gallup polls began tracking the data 15 years ago.

Fifty-one percent of Americans consider themselves "pro-life," the first time a majority of the country has stated a personal objection to abortion since Gallup polls began tracking the data 15 years ago.

The numbers correspond with FOX News polls this month showing 49 percent of Americans as pro-life and 43 percent as pro-choice on abortion. Last year the numbers were essentially the reverse of the current findings: 41 percent were pro-life and 49 percent were pro-choice in September 2008.

The Gallup poll released Friday also marks a massive shift from one year ago, when 50 percent of Americans called themselves pro-choice, and just 44 percent said they were pro-life. Today 42 percent say they are pro-choice, by far the lowest level of support for abortion ever measured by the Gallup poll.

Despite that change in opinion, most Americans still believe that abortion should remain legal. Yet Gallup reports that the new numbers come in stark contrast with the last four years, when polls found a strong tilt of public opinion in favor of unrestricted abortions, which is now declining.

Fifty-three percent say abortions should remain legal under certain circumstances, and nearly equal numbers take hard-line views -- 23 percent say it should be illegal in all circumstances, and 22 percent say it should be legal no matter what.

The sample study of 1,015 adults was conducted from May 7-10 and has a margin of error of 3 points. Though the changes were notable for a single-year period, they were not an anomaly -- Gallup conducted two more polls on the issue and came out with nearly identical results.

The big jump came mostly from moderates and conservatives, whose personal opposition to abortion jumped 7 and 5 points respectively. Liberal support for abortion also increased this year.

Support for abortions has wavered among men and women in recent years, but Gallup noted that for the first time in nearly a decade significantly more men and women are pro-life than pro-choice.

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[House] Facts about Health Care Reform - 8/25/2009

The Facts About Health Care Reform and the Position of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops

Our U.S. Bishops have been consistent and very clear about their position on health care reform. They have affirmed Catholic Social Teaching on Health Care. (See “A Framework for Comprehensive Health Care Reform at www.usccb.org/sdwp/national/comphealth.shtml . On July 17, 2009, they issued an action alert, entitled “Reform Health Care and Protect Human Life and Dignity.” In this alert, the USCCB called upon Catholics to contact their legislators to tell them that health care reform should:

This action alert was followed by a July 27th alert that updates the progress of health care and underscores the Church’s position.

Also on July 17, 2009, Bishop William Murphy, Chairman of the USCCB Committee on Domestic Policy, sent a letter to Congress. Bishop Murphy described health care as “a basic right belonging to all human beings, from conception to natural death” and said that “the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops is working to ensure that needed health reform is not undermined by abandoning longstanding and widely supported policies against abortion funding and mandates and in favor of conscience protection.” Parishioners can find Bishop Murphy’s letter, as well as, a comprehensive listing of all the teaching and documents on health care reform, at www.usccb.org/sdwp/national/health1.shtml

The Diocesan Social Action Office (DSAO) would also like to recommend to you the July 30, 2009 statement of Cardinal Justin Rigali, Chairman of the U.S. Bishops’ Committee on Pro Life Activities. The Cardinal wrote to all members of the House Energy and Commerce Committee urging them to amend H.R. 3200 to retain longstanding government policies on abortion and conscience rights.

The DSAO has recently issued two legislative hotlines dated July 20 & 28 that mirror the position of the Bishops’ Conference. They can be found at our web site at www.catholic-action.org. (scroll down to the legislative hotline listings). We unequivocally support the moral framework advocated by the USCCB. We hope this short overview is of help to you. Please spread the word about these resources.

Prepared by: The Diocesan Social Action Office

August 7, 2009

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[House] Youngstown Bishop Voices Opposition to Congressman Ryan - 8/1/2009


Bishop George Murry, S.J., of the Catholic Diocese of Youngstown has voiced his opposition to Congressman Tim Ryan's bill, Preventing Unintended Pregnancies, Reducing the Need for Abortion and Supporting Parents Act (H.R. 3312). "This act is based on the mistaken belief that greater access to contraception reduces abortions and, in addition, some contraceptives may have an abortifacient effect," said Bishop Murry. "Numerous studies as well as life experiences have shown that taxpayer support of contraception does not reduce unintended pregnancies and abortions. For example, a 2006 study by the Alan Guttmacher Institute presents evidence that those States which are aggressive in promoting contraception also have the highest abortion rates."

Bishop Murry encouraged support for another bill currently before Congress, the Pregnant Women Support Act (S. 1032, H.R. 2035). The Pregnant Women Support Act makes adoption tax credits permanent, provides grants for ultrasound equipment, increases funding for domestic violence prevention programs, and ends discriminatory practices against women in the health insurance industry. "Certainly, this is a common sense approach to helping women in the decision to choose life for their babies," said Bishop Murry. "I urge Congressman Ryan’s support for this piece of legislation."

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For more information from the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops' position on these bills, visit www.cathdoy.org.

[House of Representatives and Senate] The Prevention First Act / S21 - 2/17/2009


On the first day of the Congressional Session Senator Reid, Senate Majority Leader, introduced The Prevention First Act. As he said in his opening statement: "The United States has one of the highest unintended pregnancy and STD rates in the industrial world." The cure-all, according to Mr. Reid, is more contraceptives despite the fact that Planned Parenthood data shows that approximately 50% of unintended pregnancies occur among women who do use contraceptives. But for Planned Parenthood (PP) it is a win/win situation. Planned Parenthood will sell contraceptives to the women they are consulting. If they are not used correctly, Planted Parenthood gives them an abortion.

This act will make Title X Permanent and PP would receive millions of taxpayer money. According to the Wall Street Journal they already receive $335 million from the government. According to the last report in 2006/2007, they had $114.8 million in excess revenue and $112 million in increased assets. They do not need more tax money to serve more clients.

The Prevention First Act demands that every insurance plan offer contraceptives and other abortifacients. This means that religious institutions that do not have contraceptives as part of their plan would be forced to do so.

This bill has many subheadings. The Emergency Contraception Education and Information Programs deals with the "morning after pill". Planned Parenthood makes a lot of money on this product. They buy a Plan B Kit for $4.25 and sell it for around $30.00. They claim that this drug "prevents pregnancy by preventing ovulation, fertilization of an egg, or implantation of an egg in the uterus." In section 401, Line 1 A states the woman is to be told that this doesn't cause an abortion. In normal language it is said that pregnancy is achieved when the egg and sperm unite, but according to Mr. Reid, pregnancy is achieved only when the "egg" plants itself in the uterus. (Actually, at the time of implantation, the developing embryo contains some 100 cells, and is no longer an egg)

Survivors of Sexual Assault: Any woman who goes to a hospital emergency room and says that she has been sexually assaulted is to be given emergency contraception immediately. Any hospital that refuses to do this will no longer be eligible to receive Medicare or Medicaid payments.

Under Teen Pregnancy Prevention there are to be no funds for abstinence-only programs. Mr. Reid thinks they are a failure. Dr. Adamek read this bill, and his remark was: "The abstinence-only programs have not been given ample time to work, we are trying to change a culture. It is clear, however, that the contraceptive approach has failed. In 1940 when the accepted norm was abstinence before marriage only 3.5% of births occurred outside of marriage. Currently in our contraceptive culture, 36.5% of births occur out side of wedlock. In 1940 there were no pills, IUD’s, or injections." The ABSTINENCE-ONLY PROGRAMS HAVE BEEN VERY SUCCESSFUL IN UGANDA IN STOPPING THE SPREAD OF HIV/AIDS. This bill does not admit anywhere that contraceptives and condoms do not prevent HIV or other STDs, nor does it discuss the hazards of contraception like breast cancer, and other health problems that can show up in later life.

DON’T FORGET, THIS WILL BE PAID BY YOUR TAX DOLLARS. PLEASE CALL YOUR U.S. SENATORS and CONGRESSMEN TODAY. For more on this bill go to: www.govtrack.us/congress/record.

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[State Government] Protecting Pregnant Women Act Passed - 1/10/2009


[Right to Life of Greater Cincinnati] - (Columbus) On December 17, 2008, the Ohio House of Representatives voted 91-2 to pass a revised version of the Protecting Pregnant Women from Coercion & Violence Bill.

Earlier this month, the Ohio Senate passed the bill by a 33-0 vote. Ohio Right to Life promoted and testified in support of the bill in both the Ohio House and Ohio Senate.

Sub. H.B. 280, which is sponsored by Rep. Michelle Schneider, would require abortion facilities to display posters, signs and notices indicating that "No One Can Force You to have an Abortion."

Further, the bill increases criminal penalties and requires a mandatory minimum prison term for assault if the offender knew the victim was pregnant.

Additionally, the Senate included provisions that increases penalties for "human trafficking" for prostitution.

The legislation will be delivered to Governor Strickland, who is expected to sign Sub. H.B. 280 into law.

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[Ohio House] Ohio General Assembly Passes Bill to Expand "Safe Havens" Law - 12/10/2008

the Ohio House of Representatives approved a bill that greatly expands the timeframe for taking a newborn baby to a "safe haven" as an alternative to unsafe abandonment.

[Ohio Right to Life] (Columbus) On December 9, 2008, the Ohio House of Representatives approved a bill, 90 - 0 that greatly expands the timeframe for taking a newborn baby to a "safe haven" as an alternative to unsafe abandonment. S.B. 304, which is sponsored by pro-life Senator Gary Cates, increases the timeframe that a parent could voluntarily deliver a newborn to a safe location from 72 hours to 30 days after birth. The bill also requires the state to develop a plan to educate "at-risk populations" about the Safe Haven law. Ohio Right to Life promoted and testified in support of the bill.

Ohio's Safe Haven Law provides immunity from criminal prosecution for parental abandonment of a newborn, who has not been abused, to a peace officer, a hospital worker, or an emergency medical service worker. "Safe Haven" laws, which have been adopted in all 50 states, are intended to reduce infanticide and unsafe newborn abandonment.

"We believe that extending the timeframe when a parent can use the Safe Haven law will help protect babies," said Mike Gonidakis, Executive Director of Ohio Right to Life.

The Ohio Department of Job and Family Services reports that, between April 2001, when Ohio's Safe Haven law went into effect, and June 30, 2007, 54 babies have been safely surrendered under the law. The National Council for Adoption reports that over 1,000 newborns have been surrendered under such laws in the U.S. The majority of state Safe Haven laws have timeframes longer than 72 hours.

The bill now goes to Governor Ted Strickland, who is expected to sign it.

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[Ohio House] Ohio House Passes Coerced Abortion Bill - 6/6/2008

The Ohio House of Representatives voted 89-7 to pass H.B. 280, the Protecting Pregnant Women from Coercion & Violence Bill

[Ohio Right to Life] On May 28, 2008, the Ohio House of Representatives voted 89-7 to pass H.B. 280, the Protecting Pregnant Women from Coercion & Violence Bill. The bill now goes to the Ohio Senate.

H.B. 280, which is sponsored by Rep. Michelle Schneider (R, Cincinnati), would do 2 things.

  1. The bill would require abortion facilities to post a "No One Can Force You to have an Abortion" poster. This notice would indicate that under Ohio law an abortion can only be performed if the woman signs a consent form indicating that she is consenting voluntarily and without coercion by any person. It would also inform the woman that, if she is being coerced into having an abortion, she should not sign a consent form and should inform clinic employees.
  2. The bill would increase penalties for domestic violence if the offender knew the victim was pregnant.

"We are delighted that the Ohio House of Representatives has acted to protect pregnant women," said Mike Gonidakis, Executive Director of Ohio Right to Life. "All Americans should join in opposing coerced abortion and violence against pregnant women," Gonidakis said.

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[Ohio Senate] Ohio Senate Passes The Buehrer Amendment Banning Funding Of Human Cloning - 5/29/2008

On Wednesday, May 28, the Ohio Senate voted 21-11 to ban the use of funds from the State's Biomedical Development Program for any activities involving human cloning

[Ohio Christian Alliance] On Wednesday, May 28, the Ohio Senate voted 21-11 to ban the use of funds from the State's Biomedical Development Program for any activities involving human cloning. The cloning funding ban was included in an amendment offered by Sen. Steve Buehrer (R, Delta) to H.B. 554, an "economic stimulus" bill that would provide one hundred million dollars in appropriation for grants, loans and loan guarantees for biomedical research and products.

Ohio Senators voting for the PRO-LIFE position FOR the Buehrer Amendment were: Ron Amstutz; Steve Austria; John Boccieri; Steve Buehrer; John Carey; Gary Cates; Kevin Coughlin; Keith Faber; Tim Grendell; Bill Harris; Jeff Jacobson; Larry Mumper; Tom Niehaus; Joy Padgett; Tim Schaffer; Robert Schuler; Kirk Schuring; Bill Seitz; Bob Spada; Steve Stivers; and Jason Wilson. (21)

Ohio Senators voting the ANTI-LIFE position AGAINST the Buehrer Amendment were: Capri Cafaro; Teresa Fedor; David Goodman; Eric Kearney; Lance Mason; Dale Miller; Ray Miller; Sue Morano; Tom Roberts; Tom Sawyer; and Shirley Smith. (11)

Senator Mark Wagoner was not present.

Special thanks should go to Senator Steve Buehrer, Senator Tim Grendell and Senate President Bill Harris for their role in this pro-life victory.

Thanks to all of you for your calls and e-mails. When your legislators hear from you, their constituents, it is what makes the difference. Please take a moment to e-mail your Senator and thank him/her for their support of the amendment banning human cloning funding.

OCA President Chris Long stated the following after yesterday's vote:

"This is the first step in sending the message that Ohioans want to ban the practice of human cloning. We will continue to pursue legislation that will enact a total ban on human cloning in Ohio."

Resources:

LIFE   Pro-Life Youth Congress