A court ruling today says Christian-run business Hobby Lobby does not have to pay fines under the HHS mandate while its legal challenges continue.
From a report on the decision: http://newsok.com/article/3856764

A federal appeals court in Denver has reversed a lower court’s decision to deny Hobby Lobby Stores Inc.’s quest for an injunction against part of the Affordable Care Act that requires it to cover the cost of emergency contraceptives for some of its employees.
(read more)

If you’re not following the situation in the Texas legislature, a Texas-sized drama unfolded last night and early this morning. The TX State Senate was voting on SB5, a pro-life bill that drew attention from around the country. Even President Obama tweeted during the action.
First, let me tell you what SB5 does not do. Contrary to the pro-abortion media and activists, women won’t die and abortion will not be banned in the state. What the bill would do is stop all late-term abortion after 20 weeks, well after science has established the baby feels pain. It would also require that abortionists have admitting privileges to a hospital within 30 miles. SB5 seeks to protect women’s health by bringing all abortion facilities up to a standard level of medical care required by other outpatient surgical centers.
Angry pro-abortion activists swarmed the capitol and gallery above the Senate floor. Most wore orange to signify which side they were on. State Senator Wendy Davis planned to hold a filibuster until midnight to scuttle the bill. However, there are tight rules regarding a filibuster. If a Senator breaks these rules 3 times, they’re out and the filibuster ends. The third infraction occurred with about an hour remaining on the clock for all legislation to be passed.
When the Senate ruled that the filibuster was over, pandemonium broke out in the gallery. The ensuing chaos was reminiscent of the Occupy hooligans. According to State Rep. Steve Toth who was observing the action, the mob was in-part being directed from the Senate floor. Here’s one of his tweets during the melee. “Texas is given over to Wisconsin style Mob-ocracy. Sad day when politicians whip the crowd in to a frenzy so a vote can’t be taken.”
But there were others inciting the horde. Cecile Richards sent this tweet, “Make some noise— louder!” which was re-tweeted by Planned Parenthood.
(read full article)

The Obama administration today released the final draft of the HHS mandate that will force religiously-run groups and companis to pay for abotion-causing drugs and birth control in violaton of their consciences.
     The initial versions of the HHS mandate have already been the subject of multiple lawsuits from colleges and businesses that will be forced to comply because the HHS rules have very limited exceptions.
     The final rules reflect public feedback received in response to the Notice of Proposed Rulemaking issued in February 2013 but they are not revised in a way that would mitigate any of the concerns or complaints pro-life groups have had. Despite the lack of any real conscience protections in prior versions, the White House hailed the HHS mandate.
(read more)

Dr. Angela Franks, author of the incredibly well-researched and scholarly book “Margaret Sanger’s Eugenic Legacy,” is perhaps the nation’s foremost authority on the issue of Margaret Sanger’s troubling history of eugenic activism.
Franks spoke to attendees at this year’s NRLC Convention about the eugenic roots of Planned Parenthood’s founder in a talk entitled “Margaret Sanger and Planned Parenthood: The Eugenics Connection.”
Franks draws out and clarifies the image that Planned Parenthood has attempted to create of its infamous founder. The organization has turned a blind eye to her eugenic history, and when challenged on issues such as her support for sterilization, Planned Parenthood has a habit of saying that Sanger did not, in fact, endorse sterilization, or changing the uncomfortable subject to something else to divert attention from Sanger’s troubling views.
(read more)

The vote is scheduled for TOMORROW, and that’s why I’m asking you to take just one minute out of your day to call your Representative right now and urge them to vote for H.R. 1797. 

Call your Representative right now. You will be provided with a phone number and talking points. 

This story was first published by Online for Life on July 26, 2012, and is reprinted with permission. To find out more about Online for Life or to join them in their work, see Lauren Enriquez’s article, “Online for Life: Saving babies one internet search at a time.”

It’s one thing for an abortion-determined woman to courageously change her mind and choose life. It’s another for that same woman to go on record and tell her story – to a camera.

If you’ve been reading our updates for the last several years, you may recall me sharing the story of Robin, a Texas woman who went online to find an abortion provider.

Online for Life encouraged her to contact her local pregnancy center instead. She was intent on aborting her baby, but through the loving counsel of a center director and the image of her daughter on an ultrasound machine, Robin changed her mind and chose life.

(link to video and article)