Tag Archives: abortion

Toomey Calls on Feds to Take Action in Wake of Philadelphia Abortionist’s Murder Trial

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HARRISBURG, Pa. – The Pennsylvania Pro-Life Federation commends U.S. Senator Pat Toomey, R-Pa., for urging the federal government to investigate abortion policies in the wake of the murder trial of West Philadelphia abortionist Kermit Gosnell.

“Our government hasUltrasound: Window to the Womb a long-overdue responsibility to take action to protect women and babies from the likes of Kermit Gosnell,” said Ms. Micaiah Bilger, education coordinator at the Pennsylvania Pro-Life Federation. “Gosnell is charged with killing four newborn infants and a female patient inside his filthy abortion center. He allegedly killed hundreds of babies and harmed countless women, but the state Department of Health ignored his horrific practices for almost two decades.”

Toomey is among the Senators who are planning to introduce a resolution today that calls on the government to investigate late-term abortion practices and policies across the U.S.

“Sadly, Philadelphia isn’t the only city where we are seeing these horrors take place,” Bilger said. “Abortion centers in Michigan, Maryland and Delaware are being investigated for deplorable conditions such as using unsterilized equipment on patients and performing what their own staff called ‘meat market-style’ abortions.

“We sincerely thank Sen. Toomey for leading the fight to protect women and babies from abusive abortion practices in our nation,” Bilger added.

Gosnell Not Alone in Inhuman Treatment of Babies Born Alive after Failed Abortions

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The two breaking pro-life news stories this week have a lot in common.

First, the Kermit Gosnell murder trial is wrapping up with closing arguments Monday. The prosecution says Gosnell murdered four late-term babies by delivering them alive and then snipping the backs of their necks to kill them. He also is charged with the third-degree murder of a female patient. (The judge dropped three additional first-degree murder charges last week.) Gosnell’s defense claims he killed the babies while they were still in the womb.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eipSl72hsmI&feature=player_embedded

Second, the undercover investigation group Live Action released two shocking new videos of late-term abortion centers. In the Bronx, abortion staff said they put babies in jars of toxic fluid to ensure their deaths. And if the baby is born alive at home before the abortion? Flush it down the toilet, says a staffer.

Live Action founder Lila Rose linked their horrific findings to the gruesome practices at Gosnell’s center in Philadelphia.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NxOWyumLufA&feature=player_embedded

“Dr. Kermit Gosnell is not an anomaly,” Rose said. “The gruesome and inhuman practices exposed in Gosnell’s ‘House of Horrors’ are business as usual for the abortion industry in America. These children’s lives are brutally destroyed when they are the most defenseless. This isn’t ‘choice’; this is murder.”

A Victory for Pennsylvania Taxpayers!

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House Approves Abortion Opt-out Bill in Federal Health
Insurance Exchange

HARRISBURG, Pa. – The Pennsylvania House of Representatives passed House Bill 818 on Tuesday, supporting the Commonwealth’s longstanding policy of not using taxpayer dollars to fund abortions.

Unborn child2“The legislation is in line with the restriction on public funding of abortion present in Pennsylvania’s landmark Abortion Control Act. It’s a long-standing policy that works,” said Maria Gallagher, legislative director of the Pennsylvania Pro-Life Federation. “We applaud House members – Republicans and Democrats, women and men – who have followed the will of the people in passing this critical bill.”

The bill, sponsored by Rep. Donna Oberlander, R-Armstrong, would allow Pennsylvania to opt-out of abortion coverage in the state health insurance exchange, which will be created by the Affordable Care Act using public dollars. The bill includes exceptions for rape, incest, and the mother’s life.

“Unless this legislation becomes law, starting next year, Pennsylvania will be in the abortion business – dramatically and radically reversing the Keystone State’s long-standing policy against public funding of abortion,” Gallagher said.

A Quinnipiac University poll showed that more than 70 percent of Americans, including the same majority of women, oppose public funding of abortion in the federal health care plan.

So far, 21 states have passed similar legislation to opt-out of abortion funding. A provision written into the Affordable Care Act allows states to opt-out of abortion funding in health care reform.

House Bill 818 now moves to the Senate for consideration.

Now, it’s important that we let our state Senators know that we want them to support HB 818 too.  To find out who your state Senator is, or to find out contact information for your state Senator, please click here.

Please call your state Senator to let the Senator know you want a “yes” vote on HB 818 when it is voted on in the Senate.

 Please share this message with your pro-life friends and family members.

Legislature Urged to Take Swift Action to Stop Tax Funding of Abortion in Pennsylvania!

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House Bill 818 simply safeguards Pennsylvania’s long-standing policy against tax funding of abortion—a policy which works, and which is supported by the vast majority of taxpayers.

Baby feetA Quinnipiac poll shows that more than 70 percent of Americans oppose public funding of abortion under the federal health care law. More specifically, in the same poll, 70 percent of American women opposed such abortion funding.

The bill is about only one thing: ensuring that Pennsylvania continues its long-standing policy against taxpayer funding of abortion. Twenty-one other states have passed similar legislation and signed it into law, and other states are expected to follow suit.

If HB 818 is not passed by the PA House and Senate and signed by the Governor, starting next year, Pennsylvania taxpayers will be paying for abortions under the health insurance exchange created by the federal health care law—radically reversing Pennsylvania’s decades-old policy against tax-funded abortions.

Call your state rep NOW and urge a yes vote on HB 818! To find out contact info for your state lawmaker, call us at 717-541-0034.

Prosecutors Wrap Up Case against Kermit Gosnell

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Philadelphia prosecutors wrapped up their case against abortionist Kermit Gosnell on Thursday.

The Philadelphia abortionist is charged with the murders of seven newborn infants and a female patient.

Gosnell’s attorney now has his turn to present a defense of his client’s actions. He is arguing that Gosnell is not a murderer Gosnellbecause he killed the babies while they were still in the womb. Gosnell continually maintains that he is not guilty.

However, members of Gosnell’s staff testified that they saw dozens of babies born alive. The babies moved and breathed. Some even cried.

According to an Associated Press article:

“Prosecutors chose Kareema Cross as their final witness before resting their case against Kermit Gosnell. Ms. Cross said she saw more than 10 babies breathe, with their chests moving up and down.

“’I thought they were breathing,’ testified Ms. Cross, 28. ‘He would say they’re not really breathing.’

“Ms. Cross also described seeing three babies move. Dr. Gosnell explained the movements as a last reflex amid the death process, she said.”

The Washington Examiner outlines 58 horrific details of the case here (warning: some graphic content).

White House refuses to respond to Gosnell horrors in Philly

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Until last week, most national media outlets were not covering the on-going murder trial of abortionist Kermit Gosnell in Philadelphia.

Then awareness campaigns on Twitter, press conferences, and a coluultrasoundmn published in USA Today finally attracted national coverage of the abortionist’s grotesque practices.

It even reached the ears of President Obama. Unsurprisingly, his administration ignored questions about taking action to protect women and babies from abortionists like Gosnell.

According to The Hill:

“White House spokesman Jay Carney on Monday called the trial of a Pennsylvania abortion doctor accused of performing partial-birth abortions and killing one woman ‘unsettling,’ but ducked follow-up questions over the administration’s views on the matter.

“Pressed on whether the president believed that the Gosnell case should lead to legislative changes on abortion policy, Carney repeatedly sidestepped questions, saying only that ‘the president’s position on choice is clear’ and echoing former President Clinton’s statement that abortions should be ‘safe, legal, and rare.’

“Carney was asked if the trial should provoke Congress to consider legislation such as the Born Alive Act. Obama opposed a state version of the bill as an Illinois state senator.

“’You’re asking for hypotheticals about legislation or proposed legislation that I haven’t seen,’ Carney responded.”

The facts, Mr. Carney, are that abortions aren’t “rare” – 1.2 million babies are killed in abortions every year in the U.S. They aren’t “safe” – just look at Gosnell’s practices and the new unfolding story of similar things happening at a Planned Parenthood in Delaware.

Babies are being killed inside and outside of the womb. Women are being injured and killed from abortions. The Gosnell horrors should serve as a wake-up call to our nation that we need to restore legal protections for women and babies, born and preborn.

Pa. Girl with Down Syndrome Inspires Families to Choose Life

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I stuck a new photo on my wall today at work, near the family photos, pregnancy hotlines and images of babies in the womb. This picture is of a pretty young girl sitting beside a beaming grandfatherly man.

Just looking at the photo makes me beam inside, too. I have never met the little girl, but she inspires me.

Chloe Kondrich is featured on the cover of the book "Brilliant Souls."

Chloe Kondrich is featured on the cover of the book “Brilliant Souls.”

This girl is Chloe Kondrich, and she has Down syndrome.Today, I talked with Chole’s father on our half-hour radio program/podcast, LifeLines. Kurt Kondrich was a police officer in Pittsburgh before his daughter was born.When he discovered how many children like his daughter are killed in the womb (up to 90 percent of all prenatally diagnosed Down syndrome babies), Kurt changed career paths. He went back to school, and became a Pennsylvania advocate for early intervention and the right to life.

During our show, Kurt tells some amazing stories about how Chloe’s life has made an impact on other people. In the past year, the Kondrich Family has connected with three different couples whose babies were prenatally diagnosed with Down syndrome. All three were considering abortion.

Then they met Chloe. Her exceptional life touched something deep inside them. Through Chloe’s witness, they realized the value of the baby they were carrying. Because of Chloe, all three couples chose life for their babies.

Please take the time to listen to our podcast online and hear about how the Kondrich Family is inspiring and educating people all across Pennsylvania. And visit the Kondrich Family’s websites, Chloe’s Message and SADSIN.

Why Hyde Amendment Won’t Prohibit Govt-Funded Abortion in Health Insurance Exchange

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Right now, Pennsylvania legislators are considering two bills that would allow our state to opt-out of abortion coverage in the state health insurance exchange programs under the Affordable Care Act.

The Pennsylvania House and Senate must pass an opt-out bill before January 1, 2014, or public funding of abortion will happen in Stop Abortion MandatesPennsylvania.

But some people have asked how that is possible. Doesn’t the Hyde Amendment prohibit government funding of abortions?

The simple answer is no, not under the federal health care law.

Douglas Johnson, legislative director for the National Right to Life Committee, explains in more detail:

“In reality, the Hyde Amendment is not a government-wide law — it applies only to funds appropriated through the annual appropriations bill that funds the Department of Health and Human Services. As National Right to Life has pointed out … and as the nonpartisan Congressional Research Service confirmed in two memoranda …, none of the funds that would be expended by the public plan, and none of the funds that will subsidize the purchase of private insurance plans, will ever flow through an HHS appropriations bill. Therefore, none of the funds will be covered by the Hyde Amendment.”

FactCheck.org also wrote an article calling out President Obama in 2009 for his false claim that there will not be government funding of abortion in the health care law.

This is why opt-out legislation must be passed in Pennsylvania. Please check out our legislative director’s excellent column on The Patriot-News to learn more about this important legislation.

The Blessings of Adoption on a Sunday Afternoon

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On Sunday afternoons, I never know exactly what I will be doing.

One week, I may be mopping floors and washing dishes under the eye of my demanding step-mother. The next week, I’ll be saving lives with my red cape and trusty sidekick.logo

Or putting on my prettiest dress and hoping the prince will notice me at the ball. Or gathering sticks in the woods for a campfire by our covered wagon. Or urging on my trusty horse, Sunshine, as we race to the finish line.

All thanks to the imagination of my 6-year-old adopted sister.

Her imagination reminds me of her life in general and the lives of all adopted children — so full of possibilities. Their mothers recognized these possibilities when they chose not to have an abortion, and when they made the difficult decision to give their child to another family. And adoptive parents recognize these possibilities when they persevere through the paperwork and home studies and expenses to provide a loving home for a child.

Now, Pennsylvania is making the possibility of adoption easier to learn about. The Pennsylvania Statewide Adoption and Permanency Network just launched a new mobile adoption website this week at http://www.adoptpakids.org/.

The new mobile site allows people to search adoption profiles, view a photo album, and learn how to become a foster or adoptive parent.

Please stop in when you get the chance and learn more about adoption in our state. You can look through the photos of children waiting to be adopted and read short profiles about them. Just imagine their potential!

Adoption can be such a blessing to children who need families; but in my experience, the blessings that they give back to their families often extend beyond anyone’s wildest imagination – especially on Sunday afternoons.

Gosnell Murder Trial, Florida Bill Point to Inconsistencies in Arguments for Abortion

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At what point should humans’ right to life be protected? The moment of conception? After the first trimester? Viability? After birth?

Two abortion-related stories in the news point to this key question in the abortion debate.

First, the trial of abortionist Kermit Gosnell in Philadelphia. Right now, jurors are considering, among Gavelother things, whether he is guilty of murdering seven newborn babies. Gosnell, rather than perform complicated late-term abortions, allegedly preferred to cause his patients to give birth to a live baby. Then he would snip the baby’s spinal cord to kill it.

Gosnell faces murder charges for allegedly killing live newborn babies. Would he be on trial for the murder of these babies if he had instead killed them while they were still inside the womb? Maybe for performing illegal late-term abortions, but not for their murders. (Gosnell also faces an eighth murder charge in the death of a female patient. Read more about her here.)

This doesn’t seem right if you think about it. In its mother’s womb, a baby does not have a right to life, but move the baby several inches and suddenly our laws require that it be protected. Why should a human being’s location determine whether it has the right to life?

Meanwhile, in Florida, legislators have proposed a new law to protect infants born alive after a failed abortion. According to Florida Right to Life:

“The debate lingered as many stated, ‘It was a woman’s right to choose, even in a case of a botched abortion.’ Planned Parenthood, the ACLU, League of Women Voters, United Women’s Organization, and others spoke to OPPOSE treating infants that are born alive during an abortion procedure.”

Here, pro-abortion groups base the baby’s right to life on its wanted-ness. But this argument doesn’t make sense either. If the mother of a 3-month-old infant decides that she no longer wants her baby, she cannot choose to kill it, either by force or neglect. Why should it be any different for a baby born alive after a failed abortion attempt? Or the baby still in her womb?

Most arguments for legalized abortion become pretty shallow when we cut them down to the core. The only logical and scientifically-based answer to the question “At what point should humans’ right to life be protected?” is the moment of conception.