The White House announced today that colleges and universities will also be forced to join religious employers in instituting the new HHS mandate that requires them to provide coverage for birth control and drugs that may cause abortions.
The Health and Human Services Department released information Friday afternoon saying college student health care plans will be treated like employees’ plans — making them subject to the mandate the Obama administration put in place that has upset pro-life groups for its violation of religious liberties. (read more) DAY 25: “We are going to end abortion”
Happy St. Patrick’s Day! On this day, I’d like to offer a special hello to the 40 Days for Life team in Dublin. Today, I’m going to visit the 40 Days for Life campaign in Silver Spring, Maryland. St. Patrick is known for bringing Christ to a pagan culture. In the midst of the festivities today, we remember his faith and courage as a missionary of the gospel. It is faith and courage that similarly inspire us to bring the hope and love of God to our culture at abortion centers during 40 Days for Life. DAY 24: No shows March 15th, 2012 by A few days ago, I shared the great news about two 40 Days for Life locations in Iowa where Planned Parenthood facilities closed. That makes 22 locations where 40 Days for Life vigils have been held on the public right-of-way outside — and the abortion centers shut down. Praise God! Sometimes … the abortionist just stops showing up! ————————————————– COLUMBIA, MISSOURI ————————————————– The 40 Days for Life vigil in Columbia takes place outside a Planned Parenthood office that has had a hard time keeping an abortionist on the payroll. For months at a time over the past few years, this center has been unable to offer surgical abortions because no one would perform them. It’s another Good News Monday! So I’ll get right to the information I know you want to hear. So far during this 40 Days for Life campaign, we are aware of 256 babies who have been saved from abortion!
Here are just a few of the 256 stories of mothers who changed their minds. ——————————————————- ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI A young woman walked past 40 Days for Life vigil participants and straight into Planned Parenthood. “She was not able to receive any free services or options counseling,” said Brian in St. Louis, but “she was however showered in prayer the entire time she was in the abortion facility.” Those prayers were answered. The woman left Planned Parenthood and spoke to one of the volunteers. She said while she was inside Planned Parenthood, she just didn’t feel right. She had changed her mind and decided against the abortion. “We must remember that it’s not by human hands that these children are saved,” Brian said, “but instead by the work of the Holy Spirit.” (link to more updates) The American people are watching, and they don't like what they see. The issue: President Obama's mandate and follow-up compromise targeting people of faith - policies that violate religious liberty and the conscience rights of millions of Americans.
It was clear the White House didn't get it. Press Secretary James Carney recently dismissed concerns about the unconstitutional nature of the HHS policy. Carney was asked directly: "What about the constitutional right to freedom of religion?" His reply: "I don't believe there are any constitutional rights issues here . . . " The criticism deepened and the president sought to right a sinking ship by issuing what he called an "accommodation." This deceptive compromise requires insurance companies to provide employees of the religious organizations that object with contraceptives and abortion-inducing drugs free of charge. That's nothing more than a ruse, a shell game, an accounting trick. To cover costs, insurance companies would boost premiums, forcing religious groups - and the religious employees - to pay more for services that they find morally offensive. The compromise changes nothing - it still places the federal government at the helm of the religious views of faith-based institutions. (link to full article and video) As faithful Christians, our objection to the Health and Human Services mandate the Obama administration has tried to implement is not about revoking women’s access to birth control as the media spins it. It’s about keeping government out of religion and allowing Christian healthcare providers to exercise their right to practice medicine according to their moral guidelines; forcing private Christian healthcare providers to cover services to which they are morally opposed is a gross violation of conscience laws.
Planned Parenthood’s CEO, Cecile Richards, was a key advisor in putting this mandate together, and they have teamed up with Obama to aggressively push their agenda on Christian medical providers. Despite the fact that liberal self-identifying Catholics Joe Biden and Kathleen Sebelius strongly urged President Obama against trying to force the mandate, Obama took the advice of Planned Parenthood. Although this mandate threatens all Christian healthcare providers, we all know that the Obama administration has especially targeted Catholic institutions. The Catholic Church has not budged on its position regarding artificial means of contraception in two thousand years, and it won’t bow to the demands or so-called compromises of the Obama administration now. I want to reiterate that this retaliation is not about restricting women’s access to birth control. If and when this mandate fails, a woman’s right to obtain birth control will not be impacted. It is rooted in the desire to keep government out of religion, and the defense of the conscience laws and Christian healthcare providers’ rights to practice medicine within their moral and ethical boundaries. (read full article) Nothing.
In reaction to the outcry of the American people over the Obama Administration’s decision to force religious institutions to violate their religious beliefs by providing insurance coverage for abortion pills for their employees, President Obama unveiled an “accommodation” that was anything but. President Obama began by calling the religious liberty objections raised by many Americans, the “cynical desire on the part of some to make this into a political football.” Here is the essence of Obama’s “compromise.” Instead of requiring religious institutions to violate their faith by directly paying for abortion pill coverage in their employer health insurance plans, it requires religious institutions to purchase insurance coverage that carries with it a mandate to cover contraception and abortion-causing drugs. As Congressman Chris Smith astutely noted, “Who pays for the insurance policy? The religious employer.” (read more) There are 61 employees who have had conversions and left their jobs in the abortion industry during 40 Days for Life campaigns.
These journeys are never smooth. Many of these workers are uncomfortable about the peaceful prayer vigils outside their doors. They voice that discomfort regularly. In fact, staff members threaten to call the police … over a poster, a candle — or even a cross. Here are stories that illustrate that point. But first, I want you to hear from the Planned Parenthood manager who resigned her job after just ONE 40 Days for Life campaign outside the facility where she worked. (link to read more and watch videos) We hope our video blog series on those "Almost Aborted" has been a tool for you to share with others the pro-life message. Continue to share these videos widely through social media so that those who are not convinced abortion is wrong may understand that it is indeed murder.
Below is a recap of those who were featured in this video series. Gianna Jessen- Abortions survivor and champion for the unborn. Melissa Ohden- An abortion survivor who was never supposed to make it out of the womb. However, she is now happy, healthy, and has children of her own. Claire Culwell- As a twin, only Claire survived. Her story shares a strong message of why life is to be valued. Mei- An abortion survivor from China's strict one child policy. Ana Rosa Rodriguez- Survived an abortion however her life was forever altered by the abortion procedure. Bryce Daniel- Doctors wrongly encouraged Bryce's mother to have an abortion based on health issues. She refused and Bryce was born healthy. Tim Tebow- Tim Tebow's mother refused to have an abortion despite doctor's recommendations to abort him. (link to blog) A U.S. House hearing yesterday focused on a bill that would help stop a pervasive practice by abortion businesses and pro-abortion activists of taking minor girls for secret abortions in other states without their parents’ knowing.
Lawmakers have introduced the Child Interstate Abortion Notification Act that would help states across the country better enforce their parental involvement laws on abortion that require teen girls to get their parents permission or notify them about a decision to have an abortion. The legislation is needed as sexual abusers, family members and even staff at abortion centers routinely take teenage girls across state lines for secret abortions without their parents knowledge or permission. f enacted, CIANA would serve two goals. First, it would prohibit the act of knowingly taking a minor across state lines with the intent of obtaining an abortion if this action evades the parental involvement law in her home state. And second, it would require abortion providers to notify a parent of an out-of-state minor before performing an abortion. With disparate state laws regarding parental involvement all across the country, this bill would ensure those state laws are enforced regardless of where an abortion may be performed. (link to full article) This week has been an exciting week!!
After I returned home from the Vita Foundation dinner with speaker Michael Clancy and emcee Pat Castle fromLifeRunners I received a text message asking me to record an interview the next day. I gratefully accepted. The interview aired Wednesday on KSIV 1320AM radio. (link to audio recording of interview and blog) I’m so excited to share with you that through the partnership of 40 Days for Life and ThriVe St. Louis we have witnessed as God has worked through 5 women already. On Tuesday we were able to refer 6 women and on Wednesday we referred 5, for a total of 11 women who were able to receive Free pregnancy tests and ultrasounds from ThriVe. Out of those 11 women 5 were pregnant and all choose LIFE for their children. ThriVe is dedicated to continuing to work with these women throughout their pregnancy. Come out to pray with us, and stand up for the women, men and children who are at risk for abortion. You may be the only one showing them LOVE. (link to vigil calendar) |
Contact your elected officials Senator Josh Hawley 212 Russell Senate Office Building Washington, D.C. 20510 202-224-6154 www.hawley.senate.gov/contact-senator-hawley Senator Eric Schmitt 260 Russell Senate Office Building Washington, DC 20510 202-224-5721 www.schmitt.senate.gov/contact/ Representative Ann Wagner 2350 Rayburn Office Building Washington, DC 20510 (202) 225-1621 wagner.house.gov/contact Washington Missouri Office 516 Jefferson Street Washington, MO 63090 (636) 231-1001 Click here to find your House Representative
April 2024
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