Next Board Meeting to be held Thursday, November 17, 2011 at 7:30 PM at Our Lady of Mount Carmel Church in the lower level in the Holy Family room. Click here for directions to Our Lady of Mount Carmel.

Pro-Life Mass: Saturday, November 19, 2011 at 8:30 AM at St. Michael's Catholic church located on 3354 W 30th St, Indianapolis, IN 46222-2183. We will begin with mass followed by exposition of the Blessed Sacrament, and then we will go to the abortion mill and pray the rosary for life and then conclude with benediction. Click here for directions to St. Michael's.

Recent Brochure Orders - Praise God!

50 brochures have been ordered from Henderson, KY

300 brochures have been ordered from Brusly, LA

500 brochures have been ordered from Duson, LA

500 brochures have been ordered from Elk Grove Village, IL

500 brochures have been ordered from Father Nagel at St. John's in downtown Indpls.

75 brochures have been ordered from Kaplan, LA

100 brochures have been ordered from Crowley, LA

200 brochures have been ordered from Carencro, LA

450 brochures have been ordered from Lake Station , IN

1100 brochures have been ordered from Paslatine, IL

900 brochures have been ordered from Opelousas LA

50 brochures have been ordered from Warren NJ

St Matthews Church in Indpls. has ordered 300 brochures

400 brochures were ordered from Pleasantville, New York on Sept. 6th

250 brochures were ordered from Duhon, Louisiana on Sept. 7th

200 brochures were ordered from New Rochelle, New York on Sept. 9th

We just received an order from the Diocese of Jefferson City Missouri for 500 brochures on July 27, 2010. Praise God!

We have received an order for 1000 brochures from the Diocese of Metuchen in New Jersey. Thank you Jesus!

500 brochures were ordered by the Diocese of Paterson in New Jersey!

Thank you to the Holy Spirit at Geist Men's Club who just gave us a $272 contribution for our Pro-Life Efforts! God bless you!

Mark sent a mailing to 45 Dioceses in Canada today. It was done in a similar way as was done with the Dioceses in the United States.

Mark spoke about our brochure at my last Knights of Columbus council meeting and we picked up several people who would like to help us! Mark has been invited to speak at another Knights of Columbus council in Indianapolis.

Mark Hosbein spoke at his home parish (St. Lawrence) on the weekend of June 19,20th. We were able to leave brochures in all of the pews and Mark was given 3 minutes at announcement time to speak about our program. Many people took brochures with them.

We have been invited to have brochures on tables at the back of the church for interested parishioners to take with them next weekend( July 10,11th) at St. John the Evangelist in Indianapolis( 126 W.
Georgia St). Masses are at 5:30pm Sat. Vigil, Sunday at 8:00, 11:00, and a young adult Mass at 7:00pm.

St. Andrews parish ( 4052 E. 38th St. , Indianapolis ) has invited us to speak at their parish on the weekend of July 17,18th. We will have brochures in the pews for interested parishioners to take with them. We will have a few minutes at each Mass to promote our program.
Details to come!

Indianapolis Right to Life welcomed Mark Hosbein on November 18th to speak to the Teens for Life group at Secina High School. The students and adults were very receptive to the Hearts for Life message of Spiritual Adoption. There were about 75 students from high schools in the area and all including the adults took a brochure with them.

We have received our determinations letter from the federal government stating that we have officially attained tax exempt status.

We have raised over $4000 towards our goal of purchasing 50,000-100,000 additional brochures

In 2006 we began our distribution of the brochure by giving 10,000 copies to "Crossroads" who are the pro-life group who walk across the country spreading the pro-life message to every parish and abortion clinic that they pass along the way! We have received many orders for more brochures from different parts of the country which came from the "Crossroads" pro-life walk."Crossroads" also had a walk in Canada and we even received orders from Canada as a result of this walk!

We have passed out 500-800 brochures at each of the last two pro-life rallies in Washington D. C. on the anniversary of the Roe v. Wade supreme court decision. This work has also yielded orders for more brochures from different parts of the country.

We visited a pro-life Christian concert given by the group "Casting Crowns" and passed out 300 brochures to the pro-life crowd.

We ordered 70,000 brochures in 2006 to begin our distribution and we have about 22,500 remaining. We plan to order 50,000-100,000 more brochures in the near future with our second printing!

We plan to send online copies of our brochure(along with an invitation to visit our website) to pro-life groups across the country.Some of these include: parishes, Catholic dioceses, Christian newspapers, Knights of Columbus organizations, schools and pro-life organizations.We believe this work will lead to many orders for more brochures.

We also plan to visit many of these types of organizations and continue to be a voice for these unborn babies who have no voice of their own.

"God works in mysterious ways."

Please sit down and read this whole story. Our God of mystery has outdone Himself this time!

A young woman in Indianapolis, Indiana -- we'll call her Erin -- woke up, saw her kids off to school, dropped her preschoolers at a friend's house ... and noticed that she was late for an appointment ...

... at Planned Parenthood ...

... for an abortion.

So Erin picked up her phone and called to see if she could still come in. She thought she was calling Planned Parenthood. In her haste, she dialed a wrong number.

Instead of Planned Parenthood, she got Joseph ... who was answering the cell phone that's being used by ...

... get ready for this ...

... 40 Days for Life in Indianapolis!

Joseph took a deep breath and tried to be as calm as possible. He took Erin's name and number and simply said that a counselor would call her back.

So Elizabeth, the counselor, called Erin. Elizabeth begged her not to hang up, and then explained that she had not reached Planned Parenthood. Asked if she was a Christian, Erin said "yes." So Elizabeth told her God's grace was at work in this "wrong number" situation.

So what had led Erin to the abortion center?

Simply put -- desperation.

She has four children, their father is in jail, she had lost her job, her electricity is about to be shut off, and she doesn't have enough money to pay the rent.

Later, Erin arrived at Planned Parenthood with her aunt. The aunt told counselors she opposed the abortion, but Erin's mother and sister insist it's the best answer. They say Erin just can't handle another child.

In the meantime, Elizabeth had spread the word about Erin's situation. A volunteer offered to pay her electric bill. Ten others pooled their cash to pay her rent.

Eileen in Indianapolis says a local group is now working with Erin to help her find a job. "She has a lot of potential," Eileen said, "but needs support since her mother and sister are still encouraging her to abort the baby."
 
Erin has reacted with both joy and disbelief that strangers were helping her. She has called Planned Parenthood to cancel her appointment and request a refund.

Please keep Erin and her family -- and all those helping her -- in your prayers.

So, you see God DOES work in mysterious ways. There are no coincidences ...

... and in this case, no wrong numbers!

Click here for a photo of the Indianapolis vigil:

When I was on the bus returning from our first trip to Washington D. C. on the anniversary of Roe. v. Wade the priest on our bus told me that he prays the the Spiritual Adoption Prayer for his spiritually adopted child every night before he goes to bed. He then taught the Spiritual Adoption Prayer to every student on the bus!

American Life League                    

American Life League is one of the most influential pro-life organizations in the US. We inform, educate, and inspire with a goal of having an America that respects and protects human life from the moment of fertilization. www.all.org

Catholics United for Life

Catholics United for Life is an organization to pray and give witness for all innocent human life especially the preborn.  Join our online perpetual Rosary. We also have photographs depicting the truth about abortion. cul.detmich.com

Crossroads Pro Life 

Crossroads was founded in 1995 in response to the Holy Father's call to the youth of America to help spread the Gospel of Life and to take to the "highways and byways" like the apostles. www.crossroadswalk.org

Human Life International 

Human Life International (HLI) is the world's largest pro-life, pro-family organization, with many branches around the globe. HLI's global mission is to protect and defend the rights of the unborn child, the disabled, and those threatened by euthanasia. www.hli.org

Priests for Life

We are an officially approved association of clergy who emphasize the pro-life teachings of the Catholic Church. We educate the clergy on the topics of abortion and euthanasia as well as offering training and resources to the entire pro-life movement. We feature a substantial amount of Spanish resources. www.priestsforlife.org

Pro-Life Action League

Providing information for experienced pro-lifers, for individuals who are interested in learning more about the movement, and for those who are personally affected by abortion.  www.prolifeaction.org

Project Rachel

Project Rachel is the name of the Catholic Church's healing ministry to those who have been involved in abortion.  www.hopeafterabortion.com

The Great Prayer Project - End Abortion

A site whose goal starting March 25, 2010 to have one continuous year covered in prayer to end abortion. Sign up on-line at www.luke181.com

Avellana Web Design Group

Hearts for Life board member Tony Avellana has donated his time and talent to develop this website which has been used as a wonderful vehicle to communicate our mission and interact with all of our supporters. If you have any web design and development needs please don't hesitate to contact Tony's company at avellanawebdesign.com

Thank you Tony!

One Million Rosaries!

On May 6-8 people around the world are asked to pray the rosary for an end to the killing of unborn human persons.  The goal is to register 1,000,000 rosaries for this intention during these three days.  Please consider praying at least one rosary for this intention during these three days and register your rosary at www.saintmichaelthearchangelorganization.org 

You may also send your name, country and number of rosaries to St. Michael the Archangel Organization, PO Box 41257, Memphis, TN 38174.    

Indiana Right to Life seeks investigation into whether Indianapolis human trafficking ring sought or received services at Planned Parenthood of Indiana

Indiana Right to Life today will formally submit a letter to Attorney General of the United States Eric Holder asking for investigation into whether the recently exposed human trafficking ring operating in northwest Indianapolis is the same group referenced in a January 18, 2011, letter from the Planned Parenthood Federation of America  to the Justice Department, and, if so, whether persons engaged in the Indianapolis human trafficking ring received any services from Planned Parenthood of Indiana.

Federal authorities announced multiple arrests on May 4 in connection to a multi-state human-trafficking ring in which women were brought across U.S. borders to serve as prostitutes in the Hispanic community on Indianapolis' northwest side.  According to U.S. Attorney Joe Hogsett, the human trafficking ring had been operating in Indianapolis for several years.  More on the Indianapolis human trafficking ring

On January 18, 2011, Planned Parenthood Federation of America President Cecile Richards sent a letter to U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder indicating that "multi-state visits [to Planned Parenthood offices] from men claiming to be engaged in sex trafficking of minors may be a hoax."  Richards' letter was sent in reaction to the release of undercover videos by the group Live Action in which individuals claiming to be engaged in human trafficking sought services from Planned Parenthood offices on the East Coast.  Read the PPFA letter referencing Indiana

One of the states in which Richards claimed such activity occurred is Indiana.  However, Live Action has told Indiana Right to Life that it had no involvement with any undercover operations in Indiana in which they claimed to be involved in a human trafficking ring.

"It appears that we have three parts of a puzzle.  Federal authorities have busted a major human trafficking ring in Indianapolis, Planned Parenthood claims a man approached one of its Indiana offices claiming to be engaged in a sex trafficking ring, and Live Action confirms it did not engage in such undercover activity in Indiana," states Indiana Right to Life President and CEO Mike Fichter.  "This leaves two major questions that must be answered: was the man referenced in Planned Parenthood's letter actually from the recently busted human trafficking ring, and if he was, did Planned Parenthood provide any services to persons engaged in the human trafficking ring  We will never know the answer to these questions without a thorough investigation from authorities."

While Cecile Richards' letter does not specify which of its Indiana offices may have been approached by someone claiming to be involved with a human trafficking ring, Planned Parenthood of Indiana's largest abortion center in Indiana is located on Indianapolis' northwest side in the general area where the human trafficking ring was reportedly operating.

Governor Mitch Daniels signs most significant pro-life legislation in Indiana since Roe vs. Wade   
 
Indiana Right to Life is applauding Governor Mitch Daniels for signing into law today the most sweeping pro-life initiatives in Indiana since the Supreme Court legalized abortion on demand with the Roe vs. Wade and Doe vs. Bolton decisions in 1973.

HEA 1210 contains provisions to end all state-directed funding for businesses that do abortions, to establish Indiana's compelling interest in protecting pain-capable unborn children beginning at 20 weeks, to opt-out of abortion coverage in any state health exchanges required under the new federal health law, to require that women considering abortion be given full, factual information in writing, and to require doctors who do abortions, or their designees, to maintain local hospital admitting privileges in order to streamline access to emergency care for women injured by abortion.

"This legislation places Indiana on the vanguard of efforts to protect the unborn, to deny public funds to businesses that profit from abortion, and to ensure that women considering abortion have full and factual information about such issues as fetal development and alternatives to abortion," states Indiana Right to Life President and CEO Mike Fichter.  "Governor Daniels has now established Indiana as one of the leading pro-life states in the nation."
 
Fichter also called Planned Parenthood of Indiana's move to secure an injunction against the defunding provision a delay tactic to keep public funding flowing as long as possible.  "We are confident that Indiana will successfully defend this new law and that abortion businesses will be denied access to all state-directed public funds."

CHARGES DROPPED AGAINST NOTRE DAME 88 —PROTESTERS OF OBAMA COMMENCEMENT!
Monica Migliorino Miller, Ph.D.
Director of Citizens for a Pro-life Society

May 5, 2011-- Almost two years since they were arrested, all criminal charges have been dropped against 88 pro-lifers who protested on the campus of the University of Notre Dame in opposition to the Catholic university’s invitation to pro-abortion President Barack Obama to deliver the commencement speech and receive an Honorary Doctor of Laws degree. The commencement occurred May 17, 2009. The pro-lifers were ably represented by the Thomas More Society and lead attorney Thomas Dixon with assistance from American Catholic Lawyers Association (Chris Ferrara, Michael Hirsh and Denis Brenan).  In dropping the trespass cases St. Joseph County, Indiana prosecutor, Michael Dvorak  brought an end to a difficult and long legal battle between the defendants and Notre Dame president Fr. John Jenkins.  Notre Dame’s Obama invitation ignited a controversy that attracted nationwide attention to the issue of legalized abortion and galvanized the pro-life movement, including dozens of U. S. bishops, to respond to a scandal to the faith of the Church.

Several peaceful protests occurred on campus in the week leading up to the commencement resulting in dozens of arrests. Those arrested included Randall Terry, Norma McCorvey, Missy Smith, Joan Andrews Bell, Fr. Norman Weslin, Jack Ames, Monica Migliorino Miller, and former Republican presidential candidate Alan Keyes.  On graduation day itself hundreds of pro-lifers from all over the country picketed off-campus while a university “approved” anti-commencement rally took place on campus.  Minutes before the graduation began, and with Air Force One flying over their heads, 17 members of Citizens for a Pro-life Society assembled outside of the Joyce Center holding photos of aborted babies whose bodies had been retrieved by members of the group from Michigan abortion clinic trash dumpsters in 2008.

Monica Migliorino Miller, Director of CPLS explains: “Our goal was to show the victims of abortion to the hundreds of ND students already lined up outside of the Joyce Center. If they were going to listen to someone who supports the unjust law of abortion—then we felt they should at least look at the victims of this law that Obama defends and advocates—the law by which the unborn were killed and their bodies tossed in the trash.  Our goal was simply to be a witness to the truth—on a day in which the truth needed to be spoken.”  

CPLS members, including the group’s director, Monica Migliorino Miller, young Madonna University college students, and Felician Sister Lois Mitoraj were arrested when, after being ordered not to do so by campus police, they proceed to walk past the closed off ticket gates in an attempt to bring their signs as close to the Notre Dame students as possible.  See   You Tube Video   “Nun Arrested at Notre Dame”
That the criminal trespass charges were dropped is a great pro-life victory and the consequence of an agreement entered into by the defendants and the University of Notre Dame—an agreement that objectively acknowledged the pro-lifers’ moral and spiritual concerns over the Obama invitation.  The agreement, which passed through a number of drafts before several of the defendants believed they could, in conscience, sign it, calls for dialogue towards reconciliation.  Indeed, since May 2009 Notre Dame has taken serious initiatives to strengthen its commitment to the sanctity of human life.  

“This is a big step forward and a victory for the pro-life cause,” said Tom Brejcha, president and chief counsel of the Thomas More Society and a 1965 Notre Dame graduate.  “We are appreciative of the steps that Notre Dame has taken, including successive visits by University President John Jenkins, C.S.C., and other campus leaders to the March for Life in Washington, D.C., both in 2010 and 2011, to mark the anniversary of Roe v. Wade, and the creation of new and significant pro-life initiatives on campus. Those who share pro-life convictions may differ on tactics and approaches, but they best serve their sacred cause when they work together to secure the common good for all human beings, born and unborn alike, rather than carrying on as courtroom antagonists.”
Miller explains: “With the legal burdens behind us, the dialogue has now only just begun.  We know that there is still much progress yet to be made. Even recently the Notre Dame faculty-senate unfortunately refused to pass a resolution in support of Father Jenkins’ participation in the March for Life and the recommendations of the University Task Force on Life.  As a pro-life leader and a university professor, I will certainly continue to encourage Notre Dame to standup for life and I am more than willing to recognize that improvements have been made in this regard since our arrests in May 2009.
I am so very grateful to our attorneys, especially Tom Dixon, who threw themselves into our defense and fought it out to the end. This is a great victory for the truth—that human life is sacred. I hope that someday even Obama will know and embrace justice for the unborn.  We pray, no matter what, that our own pro-life commitment will never waver.”
Randall Terry’s and a other few defendants’ cases are yet to be resolved. They are represented by The American Center for Law and Justice. It is expected that their charges will also soon be dropped.
____________________________________________
Monica Migliorino Miller, Ph.D.  Director of CPLS  248 444-9096  
Attorney Tom Dixon –Lead Counsel for Defendants  574 315-6455
Attorney Tom Brecjha of the Thomas More Society    312 590-3408

Call your Representatives Now HR 3 No Taxpayer Funding for Abortion!

The House of Representatives scheduled to vote on this critical legislation tomorrow, Wednesday, May 4th, it is vital that you contact your Representative immediately and ask them to support this commonsense bill co-sponsored by pro-life rock stars, Reps. Chris Smith (R-NJ) and Dan Lipinski (D-IL).

Click here to send an email directly to your Representative, asking them to support the bill that would enact a permanent, across-the-board ban on the use of taxpayer dollars for elective abortions.

Abortionist in Indiana Opposed to Accountability

With help from Americans United for Life, attorneys in a northeast Indiana county secured a victory for those who believe that abortionists should be held accountable for endangering women's health and possibly their lives.

Pro-life groups laud decision to block embryonic stem cell research

Washington D.C., Aug 23, 2010 / 06:19 pm (CNA/EWTN News).- Pro-life groups lauded the decision of a federal court ruling on Monday which prevents the Obama administration from carrying out its embryonic stem cell research policy. One legal fund reacted by saying, the American people should not be forced to pay for experiments prohibited by federal law that destroy human life.

The ruling comes after the National Institutes of Health (NIH) issued new guidelines last year that permitted federal funding for research on stem cell lines that had already been created.

On August 23, however, a federal judge concluded that the policy likely violates a federal law known as the Dickey/Wicker Amendment. The amendment has been part of the annual appropriations bill for the Department of Health and Human Services every year since 1996.

The amendment bars federal funding for the creation of a human embryo for research purposes as well as for research in which a human embryo or embryos are destroyed, discarded, or knowingly subjected to risk of injury or death.

U.S. District Judge Royce Lamberth temporarily blocked the Obama administration on Monday from using federal dollars to fund expanded human embryonic stem cell research while a lawsuit against the NIH policy filed last year by the Christian Medical Association (CMA) and Nightlight Christian Adoptions proceeds.

Pro-life groups praised the ruling on Monday.

The Alliance Defense Fund, which helped represent CMA and Nightlight, saying that the American people should not be forced to pay for experiments prohibited by federal law that destroy human life.

The court is simply enforcing an existing law passed by Congress that prevents Americans from paying another penny for needless research on human embryos,continued ADF Senior Legal Counsel Steven H. Aden. No one should be allowed to decide that an innocent life is worthless.

Experimentation on embryonic stem cells isn't even necessary because adult stem cell research has been enormously successful, Aden said. In economic times like we are in now, it doesn't make sense for the federal government to use precious taxpayer dollars for this illegal and unethical purpose.

Family Research Council president Tony Perkins also weighed in on the ruling Monday, saying that the judge's decision was a stinging rebuke to the Obama Administration and its attempt to circumvent sound science and federal law, which clearly prohibits federal funding for research that involves the destruction of human embryos.

Rather than fund additional embryo-destructive research, the government should focus its resources on adult stem cells that are already improving health and saving the lives of patients with cancer, heart disease, diabetes, spinal cord injury and many other conditions, he added. There is great potential in this country for stem cell research and treatments for many diseases, while maintaining ethical standards.

Click here for the article and related links.

Obama Administration Forcing Belmont Abbey College to Abandon Faith Principles

The Obama Administration is working to erase respect for conscience from health insurance and the law in general

Don't believe me?

In his address at the University of Notre Dame, Obama talked a good game about respecting conscience on abortion rights. He did the same thing when he met the Pope. But that was all it was -- talk.

The Obama Administration's attack on Belmont Abbey College proves that.

Belmont Abbey College is a small, private, Catholic college located in North Carolina. For 130 years, it and the Benedictine monks who run it have been dedicated to handing on the Catholic faith.

But the Obama Administration is now trying to force them to abandon that faith or go out of business. You see, the Administration at Belmont Abbey College removed contraception, abortion, and voluntary sterilization from its faculty's health care policy after discovering it had accidentally been a part of existing plans.

Employees of the school who objected to this change in policy brought a complaint against the school accusing them of gender discrimination. This accusation against Belmont Abbey College couldn't be further from the truth. Belmont Abbey College was not discriminating against women. Unlike many believers in name only the college was adhering to the principles of its faith.

At first, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) found no evidence of gender discrimination by Belmont Abbey College.. After a few weeks, the EEOC mysteriously reversed course and announced, in effect, that the college had better toe the Administration's line, or else. They are now demanding the school go against the very principles it exists to serve. Don't be fooled. Killing or funding the killing of unborn children has nothing to do with promoting human health. And including these atrocities in every health care plan -- no matter how shrewdly hidden or diplomatically stated violates the consciences of Catholics everywhere. No Catholic college or other religious institution should ever be required by the government to violate its moral beliefs ...

... Which is why I'm asking for your help today.

Your immediate support for the defense of Belmont Abbey College is VITAL, not only for Belmont Abbey, but for all religious institutions in America. Too many were silent when Obama went to Notre Dame. As a result his Administration has been emboldened to attack all Catholic institutions. Now, they are shamelessly picking on a small Catholic college Belmont Abbey.

Tomorrow it could be your local church, the parochial school you send your kids to, it could be the Jesus bumper sticker on your car. If Obama is given the opportunity to attack even the oldest and most respected religious establishments across the country, what will be next? The President of Belmont Abbey College has bravely stated that he would rather close the school than go against the church's most fundamental teachings ...I commend him for his moral conviction, but I'm afraid for the future of religious freedom in our country.

Think I'm overreacting?

The impact of even one Catholic college knuckling under or closing would be a catastrophe for all religious institutions. Which is why I am asking for your help. Will you stand with me against the Obama Administration's war on conscience. Luckily, the Belmont Abbey College has enlisted the help of a law firm that specializes in defending against this type of travesty. It's called the Becket Fund for Religious Liberty. The Becket Fund has a solid reputation for being the best in the business. I know first hand how effective the Becket Fund is in preserving our freedom of religion. I've known them for years. Way back in the Clinton Administration when Clinton threatened to court-martial military chaplains who followed their consciences by preaching against Clinton's veto of the Partial Birth Abortion Ban, it was the Becket Fund that filed suit in federal court and got that gag order struck down. And just this past week, when the Freedom from Religion Foundation sued to strike "under God" from the Pledge of Allegiance, it was the Becket Fund that intervened in the case and successfully defended the Pledge. In between they have successfully defended all sorts of believers and religious institutions.

Archbishop Chaput knows them well too. As he likes to say, The work of The Becket Fund for Religious Liberty is more than good. It's vital. By contributing to the Becket Fund, you can directly support religious freedom for Belmont Abbey and every other religious school or institution in the country. Make no mistake, this will not be easy. The Obama Administration is relentless about silencing religious believers.

Will you do me a personal favor, in the name of religious freedom, and contribute today -- to the Becket Fund for Religious Liberty's fight for Belmont Abbey College and for all other religious institutions? Time is of the essence. Belmont Abbey College stands for the moral teachings and principles of the Catholic Church -- it stands for life.

... You and I simply cannot allow the radical leftists in this country to succeed in demanding Belmont Abbey College turn its back on the most basic and fundamental teachings of the church or else close. Belmont Abbey President William Thierfelder recently said, "All of us need to have moral courage in today's world." He added. "We are so resolute in our commitment to the teachings of the Catholic Church that there is no possible way we would ever deviate from it, and if it came down to it ... we would close the school rather than give in ...

.... Will you exercise your moral courage and help me defend Belmont Abbey College with an urgent and immediate contribution of $500, $250, $100, $35, or whatever you can afford, to prevent religious freedom from becoming a thing of the past

I'm counting on you to act TODAY! Click here to act now!

God Bless,

Hon. Rick Santorum
United State Senator 1995-2007

Health Care Reform Bill

Click here to get the latest news from the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB).

Click here to take action and communicate with your Senators to ensure that the health care reform bill does not include any funding of abortion and protects the conscience rights of health care providers.

Click here to download the Urgent Memorandum highlighting USCCB plans and requests for diocesan and parish based activation on health care reform.  It is critical that the Senate adopt the House-approved Stupak Amendment language that restricts federal funding for elective abortions and for plans which include elective abortions.  This language, approved by the House by a large majority, ensures that Americans are not forced to pay for the destruction of unborn children as a part of needed health care reform. The Senate needs to address other essential moral priorities such as protecting conscience rights, making health care more affordable and accessible for
those without coverage, and ensuring that immigrants do not lose or will not be denied needed health care coverage.

For more information, please visit www.usccb.org/healthcare

Thank you for your advocacy!

Please pray for and reach out to Senators Bayh and Lugar and let them know your pro-life stance.  Please be sure to include all life issues like those above not just abortion concerns!  For we all know the value and sanctity of ALL life!

January 26, 2010

Dear Friend of Life,

There's a lot of anger across the nation at members of Congress who want to force you and all taxpayers to pay for the intentional killing of the youngest members of our human family as part of so-called health care reform.

You and many others have made your voices heard!  And many legislators remain deaf.

But we can hold each member of Congress accountable for his or her actions!

                                   And with your urgently needed help today ... WE WILL!

                       Just click here to be part of the pro-life revolution now sweeping the country!

Here's the situation as it stands today: 

• Polls continue to show the longstanding fact that the majority of Americans are pro-life!  You and Priests for Life deserve a lot of the credit for bringing about that reality. 
• What's more, polls show that the vast majority of Americans oppose paying for abortions ... and yet Congress thumbs its nose at them. 
• America is still a republic.  We still get to elect our representatives in Congress. 
• This coming November every single seat in the House of Representatives is up for election ... and a third of the seats in the U.S. Senate. 
• Priests for Life is going to use the anti-life provisions of the health care reform proposals to highlight the disconnect between America's pro-life beliefs and Congress' pro-abortion agenda. 
• At the same time, Priests for Life is going to convince your fellow Americans to take their pro-life values with them when they go into the voting booth this November 2. 

That is our number one priority for this year, why I've sent you this urgent email ... 

         ... and why I need you to click here and rush Priests for Life the largest gift you can.

It's going to cost Priests for Life $2,365,000 to carry out all of the actions we have planned for this year.

At the end of this email you will see a summary of those plans and what each section costs.

Of this much I can assure you: 
If we are successful in our efforts this year, we will bring about the transformation of Congress needed to protect all human life ... especially the most vulnerable and helpless among us.  Which again is why I need you to click here and send Priests for Life the largest gift you can.
Rest assured, however, that we are not sitting back waiting for you and others to help.  Instead, knowing of your strong commitment to our pro-life cause and your deep desire to protect and defend the youngest members of our human family, I took a leap of faith and put these Action Steps in motion.

Even as you read this email, our Priests for Life Political Responsibility Teams are on the road working hard to increase the numbers of voters who, like you, will advance the culture of life in the voting booth.

One of the major elements of everything we do this year will be the recruitment of individuals who will volunteer their time to help register voters, hand out voter guides, go door-to-door with pro-life literature, man phone banks, write letters to the editor ... and more! 

Your job between now and November 2 is to do whatever it takes to help Priests for Life convince voters of the vital importance to put the right to life first in every election!
Given the fact that taxpayers oppose public funding of abortion by a three-to-one margin, I expect our efforts to meet with tremendous success. 

But those successes cannot and will not happen unless you and other members of our Priests for Life family continue to make the sacrifices necessary to provide us with the funds we need to carry out every single one of the Action Steps for 2010 Election that you can find at the end of this email.

I cannot overstate or over-emphasize the importance of the upcoming 2010 mid-term elections.
The radical pro-abortion position of Congress is clear for all to see.

This November, America will either reject that extremist anti-life agenda ... or embrace it.
Believe me the stakes are as high now as they were back in 1776 when our Founding Fathers signed the Declaration of Independence and made this proclamation before all the world: 
We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.

It is not by chance that the RIGHT TO LIFE is listed as the first of these unalienable rights.
As you and I both know, the RIGHT TO LIFE is the fundamental human right.  It is the basis upon which all other rights proceed ... all of them!

That is why it is so vitally important that you and I and every other pro-life American do whatever it takes and make whatever sacrifice is necessary to protect and defend every person's unalienable RIGHT TO LIFE ... and most especially for our unborn brothers and sisters.
For the past forty years our nation has failed to meet that most basic responsibility.
Now, as a nation, we have reached the crossroads.  We are at the same place the Chosen People were when God said to them: 

I call heaven and earth to witness against you this day, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and the curse; therefore CHOOSE LIFE that you and your descendants may live.

That's the choice our country will make this November. 

Those who are in control of the White House and Congress are determined to take us down the path that leads to death.  Their policies make that abundantly clear.
Priests for Life is working feverishly to steer our country down the path that leads to LIFE.

But there is no way we can succeed without your immediate and constant help.
That said I implore you to do whatever is necessary including giving from your need to help Priests for Life convince our fellow Americans to CHOOSE LIFE! 
So before you go on to your next email, click here and rush Priests for Life the largest gift you can send today.

But that's not all I need you to do.

From now till the 2nd of November, I need you to PRAY for Priests for Life ... for the members of our pastoral team ... for our Political Responsibility Teams ... for our bishops and priests ... for the clergy of every religious denomination ... for pro-life leaders and activists ... for our fellow Americans! 

Pray without ceasing. 

And I need you make real sacrifices and send Priests for Life the dollars we need to save our nation ... and I mean that literally! When God told the Israelites to CHOOSE LIFE that you and your descendants may live. He didn't spell out the alternative, but you can see what it was:
If you choose death, you and your descendants will die!  Which means America as a nation will die if our fellow Americans choose death this November. 

So right now, while you're still reading this email, click here and send Priests for Life the largest contribution you can! 

Give us the dollars we need so that we can carry out our Action Steps for 2010 Elections and bring about a pro-life renewal in our government ... a renewal that will once again proclaim and defend the unalienable RIGHT TO LIFE for all Americans ... born and unborn! 

And resolve to do this on a regular basis ... from today until November 2. 
As the Action Steps for 2010 Election shows you, we need every dollar you can send so that we can carry out all the work we must do between now and Election Day 2010. 
There is no greater good that you can do for the youngest members of our human family than by giving of yourself to defend their right to live. 

So please set aside your needs and wants at this critical moment in history and click here to help provide Priests for Life with the funds we need to fulfill our God-given mission.
If you do this, and if your fellow Priests for Life family members do so as well, then I am confident that God will see our commitment to Him and reward us with VICTORY in November. 
Again, though, it all starts with YOU ... TODAY ... RIGHT NOW.  

And know that in humble gratitude for your help, all of the priests of Priests for Life remember you at each Mass that we offer.  May God bless you for the sacrifices you make on behalf of His innocent unborn. 

And if I may ask you one more favor. Each year I survey our supporters to learn how we can serve their needs more effectively. After giving your donation, would you take a moment and fill out the short survey I've placed at www.priestsforlife.org/survey. It is very important to me to know what you're thinking about our ministry!

Sincerely yours in Christ, 

Fr. Frank Pavone
National Director, Priests For Life and Gospel of Life Ministries

Action Steps for 2010 Elections
We are not a sect fleeing the world, but a community of faith called to renew the earth.
- US Bishops, Political Responsibility 
The mission of Priests for Life is to fully activate the Church, in all her dimensions, to proclaim, celebrate, and serve the Gospel of Life.  Church teaching makes it clear that an integral element of building the Culture of Life is full and informed participation of the faithful in the political process.

With that mission clearly in mind, the following is an itemized list of the projects and activities that Priests for Life has planned for the 2010 election cycle. 

1.         Coordination of Leaders, Organizations and Churches:

• Creation and facilitation of a Vote Pro-life coalition of leaders, organizations, and Churches which will assist groups to join together in common action, training, and communication related to the Elections.
• The coalition will have a website and Facebook presence and likewise utilize other similar social networking sites.
• We will train and activate tens of thousands of citizens through regular teleseminars throughout the year.  These mega conference calls conducted simultaneously through phone and internet will bring panels of experts right into the homes of people eager to learn from them and implement their advice. Some will be especially for clergy and others for laity.
  Estimated Cost: $55,000 

2.         Mobilization of the clergy:

• Development and dissemination to every parish in America of pastoral resources for priests and deacons, including homily hints, bulletin inserts, general intercessions for Mass, outlines for special prayer services, and suggested activities for the congregation.
• Development and dissemination of election-related material for clergy and laity to Churches of other denominations, through Priests for Life's close working relationship with other Christian groups. 
• Promotion of the interdenominational Nine Weeks of Prayer for the Elections (Sept. 1 to Nov. 2, 2010) at www.PrayerCampaign.org.
• Use of our newsletter, which goes to every priest in the nation, to give them election-related resources.
• Regular mailings, faxes and emails to all the parishes of the United States, giving priests, deacons, and lay ministers information on all the pastoral resources Priests for Life has. Our pastoral team will also make personal visits to parishes to meet with priests regarding the elections.
• Communication and collaboration with the various respect life diocesan offices and state Catholic Conferences to foster more activity and dissemination of materials.
• Inviting clergy to sign our commitment pledge of political responsibility, and then publicizing these pledges.
• Providing bishops and pastors with summaries of papers presented at the Symposium of attorneys Priests for Life conducted some years ago on the topic The Church and Politics: Are We as Restricted as We Think  These will show Church leaders that they can do far more to activate their people politically than they might think. 
• Translation of our election-related pastoral resources into Spanish, and distribution to pastors of Spanish-speaking congregations, through our Hispanic Outreach Department and collaboration with other Hispanic ministries nationwide.
  Estimated Cost: $415,000

3.         Media efforts:

• TV spots on political responsibility for EWTN (reaching 90 million homes in the USA) and other Christian and secular outlets.
• Radio spots on political responsibility for EWTN (reaching over 200 million) and other Christian and secular outlets.
• Special radio and TV programs on political responsibility. These opportunities will be harnessed through our Defending Life series on EWTN, our Gospel of Life series on Protestant networks, and our many appearances on local media outlets.
• Appearances of our pastoral team in the secular media, both local and national, as a result of our press conferences and frequent press releases.
• Full-page newspaper ads in diocesan and secular papers, as well as in national publications.
• Grassroots letters-to-the-editor campaign, organizing teams in specific areas whereby activists will help each other in composing and sending such letters, of which we will provide samples.
• Distribution of our 6-part video series on Political Responsibility which contains interviews of Cardinals in Rome, well-known political figures in Washington, D.C., and top-level lawyers who will outline the boundaries of what those in the church and the non-profit world can do when it comes to political activity.
  Estimated Cost: $1,550,000

4.   General Education of Christians on their political responsibility and on the key issues:

• Guided multi-media study on website, with staff prepared to answer questions by mail, phone, fax, email, text messaging, Facebook, YouTube, etc.
• Travels and speaking of our pastoral team at parishes, seminars and conventions.  (Six priests and five lay leaders, making an average of two trips per week. That's over a thousand trips!).
• Collection and dissemination of the addresses, homilies, and pastoral letters of bishops who speak out about political responsibility.
• Continued dissemination of thousands of copies of the US Bishops' document Living the Gospel of Life, along with our study guide for that document, as well as other Church documents about political responsibility.
• Columns sent out several times each month to Catholic press, Christian publications, pro-life newsletters, and tens of thousands of individual subscribers.
  Estimated Cost: $225,000

5.  Internet Efforts

• "Internet-blitz" activity, whereby teams of volunteers go into various blogs and discussion groups, raise issues pertinent to political responsibility, and point visitors to specific links that will give them helpful information.
• Use of dozens of website domains related to political responsibility to spread non-partisan information on the candidates' positions on a range of issues.
• A constant stream of videos concerning the elections will be broadcast on Facebook, YouTube, and a variety of other web-posting sites.
• The Priests for Life website www.priestsforlife.org has a special Political Responsibility Center (www.PoliticalResponsibility.com) which provides visitors with everything they need to fulfill their mission as pro-life Americans ... including concrete action alerts, training materials, and valuable literature they can share with others. 
  Estimated Cost: $20,000 (including payment of webmaster)

6.  Grassroots Effort and Get Out the Vote Work

• At every place they visit, our priests will encourage those they meet to become actively involved in all aspects of the political process ... writing letters to the editor, manning phone banks, organizing voter registration drives, conducting get out the vote campaigns ... and more.
• Outreach to the African-American community.  This will be accomplished primarily through the travels and media work of our Pastoral Associate Dr. Alveda King and by wide distribution of the Maafa 21 DVD and the publicity generated from our 2010 Freedom Ride project.
• Equip believers to exercise their right to vote through our Voter Registration Sundays, which we enable parishes and other organizations to undertake.
• Through targeted communication in specific states, inform voters of registration deadlines, dates of primary elections, and early voting dates and requirements.
• Reminding and equipping Churches to reach homebound parishioners with absentee ballots.
• Volunteers will be identified and asked to help with distribution of literature during the weekends just before Election Day, and will be bringing people to the polls on Election Day.
• Pre-recorded phone calls will be made just before Election Day to urge voters to get to the polls and to help others to do so.
  Estimated Cost: $100,000

TOTAL Estimated Cost of 2004 Election Activities Budget: $2,365,000

PS One more reason we need your consistent financial support is because of the important work Priests for Life does to set the record straight about what the Church teaches on abortion and other life issues versus what self-proclaimed Catholic politicians say it teaches.  The distinction many of them try to make between their public life and their private beliefs is absurd.  Public servants are supposed to know the difference between serving the public and killing the public.  No one has the right to kill an innocent human person!  Period!  If we are going to win our fellow Americans over to our pro-life position and steer our nation down the path that leads to LIFE, it is critically important that Priests for Life be able to refute the false teachings which pro-abortion politicians promote.  And the only way we can do that is if you and other pro-life individuals make the sacrifices necessary to provide us with the funds needed to do that important work.  So please do whatever it takes today to click here and send Priests for Life the largest gift you can.  Thank you and may God bless you.

NOTE: If you prefer to send a check, please make it out to Priests for Life and send it to us at PO Box 141172, Staten Island, NY 10314. If you have any questions, call us toll-free at 888-735-3448 x232.

Susan B. Anthony List
March 21, 2010
Stupak Stripped of "Defender of Life" Award
Susan B. Anthony List Candidate Fund Pledges to Drive Out Pro-life Betrayers in November

WASHINGTON, DC - In response to Rep. Bart Stupak's announcement that he and other self-labeled "pro-life" Democrats will vote in favor of Healthcare reform legislation with the addition of an Executive Order from the White House to address concerns about abortion funding, Susan B. Anthony List Candidate Fund President Marjorie Dannenfelser offered the following statement:

"This Wednesday night is our third annual Campaign for Life Gala, where we were planning to honor Congressman Stupak for his efforts to keep abortion-funding out of health care reform-We will no longer be doing so. By accepting this deal from the most pro-abortion President in American history, Stupak has not only failed to stand strong for unborn children, but also for his constituents and pro-life voters across the country."

"Let me be clear: any representative, including Rep. Stupak, who votes for this healthcare bill can no longer call themselves 'pro-life.' The Susan B. Anthony List Candidate Fund will not endorse, or support in any capacity, any Member of Congress who votes for this bill in any future election. Now through Election Day 2010, these representatives will learn that votes have consequences. The SBA List Candidate Fund will work tirelessly to help defeat Members who support this legislation and make sure their constituents know exactly how they voted. We will actively seek out true pro-life candidates to oppose Members who vote 'yes' on this bill, whether it be in general or primary elections. For these Members, it will be a quick downhill slide to defeat in November."

"The executive order on abortion funding does absolutely nothing to fix the problems presented by the health care reform bill that the House will vote on this evening. The very idea should offend all pro-life Members of Congress. An executive order can be rescinded at any time at the President's whim, and the courts could and have a history of trumping executive orders. Most importantly, pro-abortion Representatives have admitted the executive order is meaningless."

Last night, Rep. DeGette told The Huffington Post, "If there was an executive order saying they weren't going to use federal funds in the bill to pay for abortions that would be fine with me."

Today, Rep. Wasserman Schultz admitted to Fox News' Megyn Kelly that "an executive order cannot change the law."

The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops pointed out today that "only a change in the law enacted by Congress, not an executive order, can begin to address this very serious problem in the legislation."

United States Conference of Catholic Bishops: Fix Flaws on the Health Care Bill or Vote NO

House leadership ignoring pro-life members for essential changes in the legislation
Won't even try to address the serious problems on abortion funding
Ignoring conscience protection and fair treatment of immigrants.

WASHINGTON,The U.S. bishops urged the House of Representatives to fix flaws in health care legislation or vote against its passage in a March 20 letter to House members. The letter was signed by Cardinal Daniel DiNardo of Galveston-Houston, chair of the Committee on Pro-Life Activities, Bishop William Murphy of Rockville Centre, New York, chair of the Committee on Domestic Justice and Human Development, and Bishop John Wester of Salt Lake City, chair on the Committee on Migration. The letter follows.

Dear Representative:

For decades, the United States Catholic bishops have supported universal health care. The Catholic Church teaches that health care is a basic human right, essential for human life and dignity. Our community of faith provides health care to millions, purchases health care for tens of thousands and addresses the failings of our health care system in our parishes, emergency rooms and shelters. This is why we as bishops continue to insist that health care reform which truly protects the life, dignity, consciences and health of all is a moral imperative and urgent national priority.

We are convinced that the Senate legislation now presented to the House of Representatives on a take it or leave it basis sadly fails this test and ought to be opposed. Why do we take this position, when we have a long record of support for health care reform Our fundamental objections can be summarized in two points:

1. Health care reform must protect life and conscience, not threaten them. The Senate bill extends abortion coverage, allows federal funds to pay for elective abortions (for example, through a new appropriation for services at Community Health Centers that bypasses the Hyde amendment), and denies adequate conscience protection to individuals and institutions. Needed health care reform must keep in place the longstanding and widely supported federal policy that neither elective abortion nor plans which include elective abortion can be paid for with federal funds. Simply put, health care reform ought to continue to apply both parts of the Hyde amendment, no more and no less. The House adopted this policy by a large bipartisan majority, establishing the same protections that govern Medicaid, SCHIP, the Federal Employee Health Benefits Program and other federal health programs. 
   
   Despite claims to the contrary, the status quo prohibits the federal government from funding or facilitating plans that include elective abortion. The Senate bill clearly violates this prohibition by providing subsidies to purchase such plans. The House bill provided that no one has to pay for other people's abortions, while this Senate bill does not. While the Senate provides for one plan without abortion coverage in each exchange, those who select another plan in an exchange to better meet the special needs of their families will be required to pay a separate mandatory abortion fee into a fund exclusively for abortions. This new federal requirement is a far more direct imposition on the consciences of those who do not wish to pay for the destruction of unborn human life than anything currently in federal law.
   
   It is not those who require that the Hyde Amendment be fully applied who are obstructing reform, since this is the law of the land and the will of the American people. Rather, those who insist on expanding  federal participation in abortion, require people to pay for other people's abortions, and refuse to incorporate essential conscience protections (both within and beyond the abortion context) are threatening genuine reform. With conscience protection as with abortion funding, our goal is simply to preserve the status quo.



2.  Universal coverage should be truly universal. People should never be denied coverage because they can't afford it, because of where they live or work, or because of where they come from and when they got here. The Senate bill would not only continue current law that denies legal immigrants access to Medicaid for five years, but also prohibit undocumented immigrants from buying insurance for their families in the exchanges using their own money. These provisions could leave immigrants and their families worse off, and also hurt the public health of our nation.

Now, after a year of divisive political combat, members of the House are told that they can advance health care reform only by adopting the Senate legislation as is, including these fundamental flaws. The House leadership is ignoring the pleas of pro-life members for essential changes in the legislation. Apparently they will not even try to address the serious problems on abortion funding, conscience protection and fair treatment of immigrants.

We are bishops, not politicians, policy experts or legislative tacticians. We are also pastors, teachers, and citizens. At this point of decision, we cannot compromise on basic moral principles. We can only urge -- and hope and pray -- that the House of Representatives will still find the will and the means to adopt health care reform that protects the life, dignity, conscience and health of all. The legislation the House adopted, while not perfect, came closer to meeting these criteria. The Senate legislation simply does not meet them.

With deep regret, but clear in our moral judgment, we are compelled to continue to urge House members to oppose the Senate bill unless these fundamental flaws are remedied. At this critical moment, we urge Representatives to take the steps necessary to ensure that health care reform respects the life and dignity of all, from conception to natural death.  

LIFE ISSUES FORUM                                                       July 23, 2010
For Immediate Release

Abortion Returns to the Health Care Reform Debate
By Richard M. Doerflinger

Congress passed the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA) in March, amidst an unresolved debate about the legislation's impact on abortion and conscience protection.  As president of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, Cardinal Francis George explained then that the bishops had to oppose the final bill despite their strong support for health care reform, because (among other things) it appropriates billions of dollars in new funding without explicitly prohibiting the use of these funds for abortion.  Others dismissed this charge, saying that legislative intent and a last-minute executive order from President Obama prevented abortion funding.
           
Fast-forward to July, when one of those PPACA provisions appropriating billions of dollars was about to take effect.  Section 1101 of the Act provides $5 billion for high-risk insurance pools, providing much-needed health coverage for people with pre-existing conditions who cannot otherwise get coverage.  This program ends in January 2014, when these patients can join others in purchasing qualified health plans on the new state insurance exchanges.  State governments can propose the benefits list and other details for covering their residents in these pools, but the federal government makes final decisions and provides all government funds for subsidizing this coverage.
           
Pro-life groups found that several states beginning with Pennsylvania, New Mexico and Maryland had announced on their web sites that their statewide plans would include elective abortions.  (New Mexico used the phrase openly; Pennsylvania said its plan would not cover elective abortions, but would cover abortions that are legal under the Supreme Court's decisions meaning any abortion an abortionist sees as needed for a woman's social or emotional well-being.)  These plans were described as already approved, and New Mexico had already begun signing up enrollees.

Public criticism of this development prompted immediate denials and evasive responses.  An initial response from the Department of Health and Human Services insisted that federal funds would not cover these abortions leaving open the prospect that everyone who enrolls could be forced to fund other people's abortions with their premium dollars.  Late on July 14, however, HHS issued a new and more welcome response, saying that abortions simply will not be covered in these plans except in cases of rape, incest or danger to the mother's life, as has long been true in federally subsidized health plans for federal employees.

Now pro-abortion groups are crying foul, with the interesting complaint that this pro-life outcome goes beyond anything in PPACA or the executive order.  In other words, they are saying the bishops' analysis of loopholes in these documents is right.

The high-risk pool program is just one funding stream left open to abortion by PPACA.  For now it seems pro-life forces have won the first round, through careful research and a prompt public response.  But PPACA needs a legislative fix to close such loopholes once and for all.  That fix is offered by the Protect Life Act (H.R. 5111) sponsored by Rep. Joe Pitts (R-PA) and 115 other House members, including 13 Democrats.  Whether these or other billions of dollars in taxpayers'funds are used to help kill unborn children is not a matter we should leave to shifting politics or to chance.

Mr. Doerflinger is Associate Director of the Secretariat of Pro-Life Activities, U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops.  To learn more about the bishops pro-life activities see www.usccb.org/prolife.

WHY AN EXECUTIVE ORDER IS UNACCEPTABLE
Nancy Pelosi and her allies are currently negotiating with key pro-life Democrats to try and secure their vote for their pro-abortion health care plan.

What's on the negotiating table?

A proposed executive order from President Obama that would allegedly bar abortion funding in the health care bill.

An executive order is an ineffective maneuver and completely unacceptable.

Here's why:

1. An executive order can be rescinded any time. President Obama could reverse it next week, next month, or next year. Should another pro-abortion president be elected in the future, it could be rescinded on inauguration day.

2. An executive order will not prevent insurance companies that provide abortion from participating in the exchanges.

3. Abortion funding in the health care legislation can be only be removed using the legislative process. An executive order not only doesn't fix the problem, it isn't needed to fix the problem, and could not stand a legal challenge. If Democrats are serious about protecting taxpayers from funding abortion in the health care bill, they must use the legislative process to fix the problem.

Major Victory in Senate Over Taxpayer Funded Abortion

Yesterday, a group of pro-life Senators led by Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) and Senator John McCain (R-AZ) banded together, leading an effort to block a Senate Defense-spending bill that would have opened the door for taxpayer-funded abortions on military bases. The 56-43 vote in the U.S. Senate fell four votes short of the 60 votes the bill's proponents needed to move it forward.

Dr. Charmaine Yoest, President and CEO of AUL Action, recognized McCain and his colleagues for outstanding work as they "led the fight to win today's key vote rejecting taxpayer-funded abortion in the military." The vote was a major setback for the abortion industry's agenda in Washington as its leaders fight to expand abortion without limitations and at any price.

"The momentum is on the side of Life," said Yoest. "We stopped taxpayer-funded abortion on military bases against overwhelming odds in the Senate. If one vote had gone the other way, the result would be different. That's why we must remain steadfast in our fight."

We've been updating you for weeks on our fight to stop the Burris Amendment to the Defense Authorization Bill, and - after yesterday - experts believe that this issue is now dead during this Congressional session.

"Our goal," Yoest told Bench Briefs, is to stop bad measures like the Burris Amendment. But we have a bigger goal too, which is to restore a culture of Life in America. If we are going to succeed, we'll need a different Senate next year - a Senate that respects Life."

FEDERAL ALERT -Markup Scheduled for HR 3
Support the No Taxpayer Funding for Abortion Act

On January 20, Representatives Chris Smith (R-NJ) and Dan Lipinski (D-IL) reintroduced the No Taxpayer Funding for Abortion Act (H.R. 3). The measure already has 208 other sponsors.

On February 8, the Constitution Subcommittee of the House Judiciary Committee held a hearing on H.R. 3. On Wednesday, March 2, at 10:00 am, the full Judiciary Committee is scheduled to markup the bill. Opponents of H.R. 3 are expected to offer amendments to weaken and defeat the measure.

For many years Congress has supported the policy that federal tax dollars should not be used for elective abortions. Each year many provisions must be renewed in law as part of the various annual appropriations bills to maintain this policy. The time is overdue to establish this policy in permanent law in all federal programs. To this end, on January 20, Representatives Chris Smith (R-NJ) and Dan Lipinski (D-IL), along with 160 other original co-sponsors, introduced the No Taxpayer Funding for Abortion Act (H.R. 3). This measure was first introduced in 2010 and enjoys bipartisan support.
In a January 20 letter to Members of Congress, Cardinal Daniel DiNardo, Chairman of the USCCB Committee on Pro-Life Activities, urged Representatives to support and co-sponsor H.R. 3. "While Congress's policy [on restricting funding for abortion] has been remarkably consistent for decades, implementation of that policy in practice has been piecemeal and sometimes sadly inadequate." The Cardinal cited the recently passed health care reform law as an example of why this legislation is needed. That law "contains at least four different policies on federal funding of abortion" in various sections; three of the policies are incompatible with the Hyde Amendment, and "each of them is incompatible with all the others."

See: nchla.org/datasource/idocuments/1.hr3letter21.11.pdf.

Your representative needs to hear from you! Click here to let them hear your voice!

Historic Pence Amendment to remove federal funding from Planned Parenthood passes in House Indianapolis, IN!

An amendment offered by Indiana congressman Mike Pence to remove all federal funding for Planned Parenthood in the 2011 budget has passed the U.S. House in a historic bipartisan vote of 240-185. Pence released this statement following the vote: "This afternoon's vote is a victory for taxpayers and a victory for life. By banning federal funding to Planned Parenthood, Congress has taken a stand for millions of Americans who believe their tax dollars should not be used to subsidize the largest abortion provider in America. "I commend my colleagues in both parties for taking a stand for taxpayers and a stand for life. I encourage my colleagues in the Senate to support this legislation and end federal funding of Planned Parenthood once and for all." The funding battle is not yet finalized as the measure will be subject to opposition in the Senate and from the White House. Indiana Right to Life is applauding Pence for his leadership and is encouraging the Indiana legislature to follow suit by passing House Bill 1205, a bill that will remove all state contracts and grants from Indiana abortion businesses.