Obama Scam Paves Way for Abortion Mandate

National Right to Life Committee:
New Obama Scam (You Must Pay, But Nobody Pays)
Lays Groundwork for Future National Abortion Mandate

 WASHINGTON– In response to criticism of its recent regulation requiring coverage of FDA-approved birth control drugs and devices, the White House today announced a purported “compromise” under which insurance plans will be required to provide the coverage in all plans, without charging anything additional for it. 

 The Administration position is that insurers can be required to provide the coverage for “free” because birth control is less expensive than childbirth.  The National Right to Life Committee (NRLC), the national federation of right-to-life organizations, issued the following comment, any part of which may be attributed to NRLC Legislative Director Douglas Johnson:

 “President Obama today promulgated a scam that, if he is re-elected, will allow him to mandate that every health plan in America cover abortion on demand,” said NRLC Legislative Director Douglas Johnson.  “The same twisted logic will be applied:  By ordering health plans to cover elective abortion, health plans would save the much higher costs of prenatal care, childbirth, and care for the baby — and under the Obama scam, if a procedure saves money, then that means that you’re not really paying for it when the government mandates it.”

 By this form of doublespeak, one could say that the federal Medicaid program was not really “funding abortion” when it paid for 300,000 abortions a year (prior to adoption of the Hyde Amendment in 1976), because after all, every abortion that the government paid for also saved the government money.  

 The Obama “you must pay, but nobody pays” scam might also be applied to other “cost-cutting” mandates.  Perhaps every health plan will be mandated to cover physician-assisted suicide, in states in which assisted suicide is legal.  After all, each suicide would result in a net savings to the plan, and under the Obama scam, that means it is really free and nobody really pays for it.

 Some journalists have wrongly reported that the ObamaCare law contains language prohibiting the federal government from mandating that health plans cover abortions.  This is erroneous.  The law prevents the Secretary of Health and Human Services from including abortion in a list of federally mandated “essential health benefits.”  But the birth control mandate is based on an entirely different provision of the law, which allows the Secretary to mandate that all health plans cover any service that the Secretary places on a list of “preventive” services.  There is nothing in the law to prevent the Secretary from placing abortion, assisted suicide, or any other additional services on the preventive services list, nor does the Secretary require the agreement of any other authority in the government to do so — except, perhaps, the president.

 At his press conference today, President Obama suggested that the birth-control mandate was recommended by “the nation’s leading medical experts.”  The actual make up of the handpicked panel that made the birth control recommendations was reported by Kathryn Jean Lopez of National Review Online here (http://nrlc.co/wlEyK4).

 NRLC supports enactment of the Respect for Rights of Conscience Act (S. 1467, H.R. 1179) (http://nrlc.co/zKiSSV), which would allow health providers to decline to provide abortions or other specific medical services on the basis of religious belief or moral convictions.

 Founded in 1968, the National Right to Life Committee (NRLC), the federation of 50 state right-to-life affiliates and more than 3,000 local chapters, is the nation’s oldest and largest grassroots pro-life organization. Recognized as the flagship of the pro-life movement, NRLC works through legislation and education to protect innocent human life from abortion, infanticide, assisted suicide and euthanasia.

National Right to Life Announces Priorities for 2012

Defeat Barack Obama and Protect Pain-Capable Unborn Children
in the States and the District of Columbia

 WASHINGTON – As right-to-life activists gathered across the country to mourn the loss of more than 54 million unborn children since the U.S. Supreme Court’s January 22, 1973 Roe v. Wade decision, the National Right to Life Committee (NRLC), the federation of 50 state right-to-life affiliates, announced its political and legislative priorities for 2012.

 “It should not be a surprise to anyone that the top priority for National Right to Life’s Political Action Committee this year is defeating Barack Obama and electing a pro-life president,” said Carol Tobias, president of National Right to Life.  “Additionally, building upon recent success in five states, National Right to Life will urge Congress to adopt a ban on aborting pain-capable unborn children in the Federal District, and will push for enactment of this ban in several more states.”

 The Pain-Capable Unborn Child Protection Act developed by National Right to Life has served as a model for laws enacted so far in Nebraska, Kansas, Idaho, Alabama, and Oklahoma.  Already in 2012, similar bills have been introduced in legislatures in Virginia, New Hampshire, and Florida, with additional states expected to join the list.

 In states that have passed the law, the legislatures declared that there is substantial scientific evidence that the unborn child is capable of experiencing great pain during abortion procedures by 20 weeks after fertilization, and on the basis of those findings, applied general bans on abortion from that point on (i.e., from about the beginning of the sixth month, in layman’s terminology), except for rare cases in which acute physical disorders endanger the mother.  No serious legal challenge has yet been mounted to any of these five laws.  

 Congressman Trent Franks (R-Az.) will today introduce the District of Columbia Pain-Capable Unborn Child Protection Act in the U.S. House of Representatives.  This bill would ban abortion of pain-capable unborn children within the Federal District – the district created by the U.S. Constitution for the specific purpose of serving as the seat of the national government. 

“Today, in our nation’s capital, an unborn child can be killed at any point prior to birth, for any reason,” said NRLC Federal Legislative Director Douglas Johnson.  “Under the U.S. Constitution, the sole and exclusive legislative authority to protect unborn children within the Federal District resides with the Congress.  If abortion remains unrestricted in the nation’s capital, during the sixth, seventh, eighth, and ninth months, it will be because certain members of Congress, or the President, have obstructed this bill.  If they do that, then they alone, under the Constitution, are fully accountable for that policy.”

 At least two abortion providers currently are advertising that they provide abortions in the District past the point that the bill would establish protection – one to 24 weeks after fertilization, and the other during the third trimester, at least to seven and one-half months, and perhaps later.

“Enactment of the D.C. Pain-Capable Unborn Child Protection Act will be a top legislative priority for National Right to Life during 2012,” said Johnson.  “The capital city of the United States should not also be the capital for causing torment to unborn babies in the sixth month and later.”

 “Pro-abortionists often say that limiting abortion would ‘take us backwards,’ but really, they are the ones who insist that society must remain locked in the Dark Ages of ignorance regarding the capacities of unborn children,” noted Mary Spaulding Balch, J.D., National Right to Life director of state legislation. “Our knowledge about the capacities of the unborn child has increased by orders of magnitude since Roe v. Wade, thanks in part of 4-D ultrasound and other sophisticated imaging techniques.  Our legislation also reflects what medical science has learned about the necessity for controlling the baby’s pain during open-womb fetal surgery, and when performing painful procedures on very premature newborn infants.”

 Founded in 1968, the National Right to Life Committee (NRLC), the federation of 50 state right-to-life affiliates and more than 3,000 local chapters, is the nation’s oldest and largest grassroots pro-life organization. Recognized as the flagship of the pro-life movement, NRLC works through legislation and education to protect innocent human life from abortion, infanticide, assisted suicide and euthanasia.

What are they afraid of?

Pro-abortion groups file suit against North Carolina “Woman’s Right to Know” law

 WASHINGTON – Today, pro-abortion advocates in North Carolina (including two Planned Parenthood affiliates) filed suit in the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of North Carolina seeking to block the North Carolina “Woman’s Right to Know” law from going into effect.  The law, which was enacted in July over Governor Beverly Perdue’s veto, requires that mothers seeking abortion be given information about the abortion and that a real-time ultrasound image of her unborn child be displayed so that she may view the image before the abortion can be performed.

 “What are abortion advocates afraid of? Probably that when mothers see the recognizable images of their unborn children as they kick and move inside the womb, with beating hearts, abortionists will lose business, ” said Mary Spaulding Balch, J.D., director of state legislation for the National Right to Life Committee.

 Enacted by a bi-partisan override of Governor Perdue’s July veto, the informed consent law provides that a booklet containing scientifically accurate information about risks, alternatives and information on the development of the unborn child, compiled by the Department of Health and Human Services, be offered to the mother at least 24 hours prior to an abortion so that she might have the opportunity to read and understand the information.  It also provides that an ultrasound image of the unborn child be displayed at least four hours prior to an abortion so that the mother might view it.

 Balch added: “As U.S. Supreme Court Justice Anthony Kennedy wrote in Gonzales v. Carhart in 2007, ‘Whether to have an abortion requires a difficult and painful moral decision….The State has an interest in ensuring so grave a choice is well informed. It is self-evident that a mother who comes to regret her choice to abort must struggle with grief more anguished and sorrow more profound when she learns, only after the event, what she once did not know…’”

 Founded in 1968, the National Right to Life Committee (NRLC), the federation of 50 state right-to-life affiliates and more than 3,000 local chapters, is the nation’s oldest and largest grassroots pro-life organization. Recognized as the flagship of the pro-life movement, NRLC works through legislation and education to protect innocent human life from abortion, infanticide, assisted suicide and euthanasia.

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New Video: The Truth About Planned Parenthood

Resources:

NRLC Director of Education and Research Dr. Randall K. O’Bannon has written extensively about Planned Parenthood’s abortion numbers and funding:

• Planned Parenthood: More Funding, More Abortion (April 20, 2011):
  http://nrlc.co/nkGnKZ
• Planned Parenthood is “Big Abortion” (May 12, 2011):
  http://nrlc.co/ijeXqx
• Why PP’s numbers are misleading (April 15, 2011):
  http://nrlc.co/otQ9fD

NH Governor to Parents: You have no rights if your daughter is pregnant

WASHINGTON – The New Hampshire Parental Notification Bill, which was passed earlier this year by large majorities in the state’s legislature was vetoed yesterday by pro-abortion Governor John Lynch.  The legislation would have required that abortionists give written notice to at least one parent or guardian of a minor girl 48 hours prior to performing an abortion.  The bill passed the New Hampshire state House of Representatives in March, 256-102; and in the state Senate May 25, 17-7.

 “Governor Lynch’s veto says to New Hampshire’s parents: if your minor daughter is pregnant, you have no rights,” said Mary Spaulding Balch, J.D., National Right to Life director of state legislation.  “When a minor girl is the victim of abuse by an adult male predator and becomes pregnant, that is the time she needs her parents the most.  What Governor Lynch wants is to have a secret abortion performed on the minor girl and send her back to the abusive situation.  This is a totally irresponsible decision which can only give comfort to pedophiles.” 

 In vetoing the bill, Gov. Lynch used a litany of excuses regarding lack of exceptions for certain cases – all of which, if allowed for in the bill, would cover up crimes perpetrated against minor girls and do nothing but protect their abusers.  The bill contained both a judicial bypass measure and a medical emergency exception which allowed for ” a condition that, on the basis of the physician’s good-faith clinical judgment, so complicates the medical condition of a pregnant woman as to necessitate the immediate abortion of her pregnancy to avert her death or for which a delay will create serious risk of substantial and irreversible impairment of a major bodily function.”

 Twenty-nine states currently have parental involvement laws in effect.  The full text of the New Hampshire bill is here: http://www.gencourt.state.nh.us/legislation/2011/HB0329.html

 “This veto is an affront to parents across the state and it puts minor girls in very real danger,” Balch added.  “We join with our New Hampshire affiliate, Citizens for Life, in calling on the state’s legislators to override this outrageous veto.”

 Founded in 1968, the National Right to Life Committee (NRLC), the federation of 50 state right-to-life affiliates and more than 3,000 local chapters, is the nation’s oldest and largest grassroots pro-life organization. Recognized as the flagship of the pro-life movement, NRLC works through legislation and education to protect innocent human life from abortion, infanticide, assisted suicide and euthanasia.

 

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Pain-Capable Unborn Child Protection Act Becomes Law in Alabama

Governor Robert Bentley signs law protecting unborn children who can feel pain

 WASHINGTON – Yesterday, Alabama Governor Robert Bentley signed the Pain-Capable Unborn Child Protection Act. In signing the law, Governor Bentley remarked, “I believe that life begins at conception and I signed this bill to further commit my promise to protect the life of an unborn child.” The state legislature last week passed the measure which protects from abortion the unborn child capable of feeling pain  Alabama becomes the fifth state to enact the protective law.

 “We commend Governor Bentley for quickly signing the Pain-Capable Unborn Child Protection Act making Alabama the fifth state to recognize the compelling interest the state has in protecting unborn children capable of feeling pain,” said Mary Spaulding Balch, J.D., director of state legislation for the National Right to Life Committee (NRLC).  “We are encouraged by the growing trend to enact the model Pain-Capable Unborn Child Protection Act and other pro-life laws that protect unborn children and help their mothers.”

In all, 50 Alabama legislators co-sponsored the model Pain-Capable Unborn Child Protection Act which, as drafted by the National Right to Life Committee’s state legislation department, protects the life of the unborn child at the point that they are capable of feeling pain, except when the mother “has a condition which so complicates her medical condition as to necessitate the abortion of her pregnancy to avert death or to avert serious risk of substantial or irreversible physical impairment of a major bodily function or…it is necessary to preserve the life of an unborn child.” 

Further documentation on the science behind the pain of the unborn child is available at:www.doctorsonfetalpain.com.

“Today is a good day for unborn children in Alabama,” said Cheryl Ciamarra, Alabama Citizens for Life national director.  “We are proud of our pro-life state legislators and pro-life Governor Bentley for protecting pain-capable unborn children. Special thanks go to House Speaker Mike Hubbard for making this legislation a priority and to the main sponsors, Rep. Kerry Rich (Albertville) and Sen. Scott Beason (Gardendale).”

The Nebraska legislature enacted the law last year.  During this year’s spring legislative session three other states, in addition to Alabama, have passed the law: Idaho, Kansas and Oklahoma.  The National Right to Life model Pain-Capable Unborn Child Protection Act is currently under consideration in Oregon and Massachusetts. A Minnesota version was vetoed by pro-abortion Governor Mark Dayton.

Founded in 1968, the National Right to Life Committee (NRLC), the federation of 50 state right-to-life affiliates and more than 3,000 local chapters, is the nation’s oldest and largest grassroots pro-life organization. Recognized as the flagship of the pro-life movement, NRLC works through legislation and education to protect innocent human life from abortion, infanticide, assisted suicide and euthanasia.

New Video: Rationing in the Obama Health Care Law

National Right to Life President Carol Tobias discusses how the Obama Health Care Law will ration your health care.

BBC Airs Assisted Suicide Documentary; NRLC responds

The BBC aired a documentary produced by author Terry Pratchett last night which shows the final moments of Peter Smedley’s life in a Dignitas assisted suicide clinic in Switzerland.  NRL News Editor Dave Andrusko wrote about the show for NRL News Today.  According to London’s Daily Mail, as of just a few hours ago, the BBC has received nearly 900 complaints about the one-sided presentation “romanticizing” assisted suicide.

Early today, we received a call for a response from NTN24, a Colombian-based 24-hour cable news outlet which can be seen both in the United States and throughout Latin America.  National Right to Life’s Cristina Minniti-Perez responded to the documentary saying compassion, not death, is what patentients need.  Cristina’s interview served to provide a strong pro-life pespective to viewers around the world.

Alabama Legislature Sends Pain-Capable Unborn Child Protection Act to Governor

WASHINGTON – With less than 30 minutes before the midnight deadline, the Alabama legislature sent the Pain-Capable Unborn Child Protection Act to Governor Robert Bentley’s desk for his signature.

 “Modern medical science furnishes us with compelling evidence that unborn children recoil from painful stimuli, that their stress hormones increase when they are subjected to any painful stimuli, and that they require anesthesia for fetal surgery,” said Mary Spaulding Balch, J.D., director of state legislation for the National Right to Life Committee (NRLC).  “Therefore, the states have a compelling interest in protecting unborn children who are capable of feeling pain from abortion. We strongly encourage Governor Bentley to make Alabama the fifth state to recognize this obligation by signing the Pain-Capable Unborn Child Protection Act into law.”

 The Alabama House, led by Representative Rich, passed the Pain-Capable Unborn Protection bill with a vote of 69-19.  The Alabama’s Senate, led by Senator Beason, passed the bill by a vote of 26-5.

 As drafted by National Right to Life’s state legislation department, the model Pain-Capable Unborn Child Protection Act protects from abortion unborn children who are capable of feeling pain except when the mother “has a condition which so complicates her medical condition as to necessitate the abortion of her pregnancy to avert death or to avert serious risk of substantial or irreversible physical impairment of a major bodily function or..it is necessary to preserve the life of an unborn child.”

 Further documentation and links to the scientific studies can be found at: www.doctorsonfetalpain.com.

 “We commend Representative Kerry Rich and Senator Scott Beason for their actions in protecting unborn children and helping their mothers through enactment of the Pain-Capable Unborn Child Protection Act,” added Cheryl Ciamarra, Alabama Citizens for Life’s representative to the Board of Directors of the National Right to Life Committee. “We ask Governor Bentley to sign this bill into law so that Alabama becomes a state which protects from abortion unborn child who are capable of feeling pain.”

 Founded in 1968, the National Right to Life Committee (NRLC), the federation of 50 state right-to-life affiliates and more than 3,000 local chapters, is the nation’s oldest and largest grassroots pro-life organization. Recognized as the flagship of the pro-life movement, NRLC works through legislation and education to protect innocent human life from abortion, infanticide, assisted suicide and euthanasia.

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Alabama Senate Votes to Protect Pain-Capable Unborn Children

NRLC urges Alabama House to take final action before midnight

WASHINGTON – Today, the Alabama Senate voted 26-5 to pass the Pain-Capable Unborn Child Protection Act, which protects unborn children capable of feeling pain. The action of the Alabama Senate continues a trend sweeping through the state legislatures. Already this session, the Alabama House has voted in favor of enacting similar legislation this past April. The House has until midnight tonight to concur with the small changes made by the Senate.

 “Alabama is the latest in a line of states poised to protect unborn children capable of feeling pain,” said Mary Spaulding Balch, J.D., director of state legislation for the National Right to Life Committee (NRLC).  “State legislatures are stepping up to protect these children, thus reflecting the majority wishes of their constituents.”

The model Pain-Capable Unborn Child Protection Act, drafted by the National Right to Life Committee’s state legislation department, protects the life of the unborn child at the point that they are capable of feeling pain except when the mother “has a condition which so complicates her medical condition as to necessitate the abortion of her pregnancy to avert death or to avert serious risk of substantial or irreversible physical impairment of a major bodily function or…it is necessary to preserve the life of an unborn child.”  Further documentation and links to the scientific studies can be found at: www.doctorsonfetalpain.com.

 “We are calling on the Alabama House of Representatives, which already passed the bill, to quickly concur with the Senate version before tonight’s midnight legislative deadline,” said Cheryl Ciamarra, Alabama Citizens for Life national director.

 This continued trend in the states during the spring legislative session began in Nebraska last year when they passed this first-of-its-kind legislation. Already this year, the legislation has been passed in Idaho, Kansas and Oklahoma.  In addition to Alabama, the National Right to Life model Pain-Capable Unborn Child Protection Act is currently under consideration in Oregon, Massachusetts, and Minnesota.

 “We are pleased with the progress we have been making in the states,” said Spaulding Balch.  “We are working to ensure that pain-capable unborn children all across the country will be protected from horrendous death by abortion.”

 Founded in 1968, the National Right to Life Committee (NRLC), the federation of 50 state right-to-life affiliates and more than 3,000 local chapters, is the nation’s oldest and largest grassroots pro-life organization. Recognized as the flagship of the pro-life movement, NRLC works through legislation and education to protect innocent human life from abortion, infanticide, assisted suicide and euthanasia.

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