Articles
An Inauspicious Anniversary for a Continuing Threat: The Freedom of Choice Act Turns 20
By Denise M. Burke
As debate rages over healthcare legislation currently under consideration in Congress and, specifically, whether abortion should be taxpayer-funded under the guise of “healthcare reform,” it would be easy to overlook an important and very inauspicious milestone: the 20th anniversary of the federal “Freedom of Choice” Act (FOCA). [more]
Agenda-Motivated Claims that RU-486 is “Safe” and “Easy” Are Dead Wrong
By Jessica Sage
Brenda Vise, a 38-year old pharmaceutical representative, died on September 12, 2001. Holly Patterson, an 18-year old student, died on September 17, 2003. Chanelle Bryant, 22-years old, died on January 14, 2004. Vivian Tran, also 22 years old, died on December 29, 2003. Orianne Shevin, a 34-year old attorney and mother of two, died on June 14, 2005. What do these women have in common? They all took RU-486, the so-called “abortion pill,”... [more]
2009 State Legislative Sessions in Review
Despite Congress and the Obama Administration’s pursuit of an incremental strategy to implement a regime of unregulated and unrestricted abortion-on-demand, fund unethical and destructive biotechnologies, and coerce and undermine the consciences of health care providers, the majority of states continue their pursuit of life-affirming laws and policies. [more]
Tracking the FDA’s Approval of Plan B: 10 Years of Endangering Women’s Health
By Mailee R. Smith
This year marks the tenth “anniversary” of the Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) approval of the “emergency contraceptive,” Plan B. A decade later, Plan B is not only just as unsafe, but now the drug manufacturer is targeting our children. [more]
Protecting Healthcare Freedom of Conscience: A National Tradition
By Patrick Nagorski
Most Americans know that this year marks the 36th anniversary of Roe v Wade, the controversial U.S. Supreme Court decision legalizing abortion. However, 2009 is also the 36th anniversary of important federal protections for healthcare providers: the Church Amendments. For more than three decades, these Amendments have provided a much-needed foundation for protecting the moral and ethical freedoms of healthcare providers. [more]
The 40th Anniversary of NARAL: Is Life in America Better Today Because of Reproductive “Choice”?
By Jessica Sage
This year marks the 40th anniversary of the founding of the National Abortion Rights and Reproductive Rights Action League (“NARAL”) and its headlining of a reproductive “right” to “choice.” [more]
Extending the President’s Influence: The Importance of Federal Judicial Nominations
By Kellie M. Fiedorek
The President of the United States is in a unique position to profoundly influence the nation’s debates over key social and political issues for decades after he leaves office. [more]
FDA Ordered to Make Plan B Available Over-The-Counter to Minors
By Jessica Sage
When President Obama approved federal funding for embryonic stem cell research he stated, “It is about ensuring that scientific data is never distorted or concealed to serve a political agenda -- and that we make scientific decisions based on facts, not ideology.” [more]
Beware of “FOCA-By-Stealth”: Radical Abortion-on-Demand Agenda Being Implemented Piecemeal
By Denise M. Burke
Recently, abortion advocates and their allies have begun insisting in the media and in communications with supporters that the “Freedom of Choice Act” (FOCA), while “important,” is not an immediate priority and that concerned Americans have overreacted to a piece of legislation that has not even been introduced in the current Congress. [more]
The Freedom of Choice Act: Endangering the Unborn, Women, and Catholic Health Care
By Denise M. Burke
In April 2007, the public debate over abortion was irrevocably altered. In the landmark Gonzales v. Carhart decision, the U.S. Supreme Court upheld the federal ban on partial-birth abortion and, more importantly, abdicated, at least in part, its role as the national arbiter of abortion policy. [more]
The Kemp-Kasten Provision and UNFPA Funding
By Daniel Briggs
The Kemp-Kasten provision of 1985 allows the President to withhold funds from any organization that “supports or participates in the management of a program of coercive abortion or involuntary sterilization.” [more]
History of the Freedom of Choice Act
By Osayi Osar-Empokae
Abortion has been one of the most controversial and important issues of the last few generations. Even before Roe v. Wade was decided in January 1973, there was proposed federal legislation to legalize abortion in the
Exploiting Children and Undermining Parental Rights: U.N. Convention on the Rights of the Child
By Rebecca Mastee
Consider Elizabeth, a twelve year old girl living in Pennsylvania, a state which has enacted a number of common-sense and protective regulations on abortion. With parental consent and other requirements within her state, one would believe that Elizabeth is protected from the dangers inherent in abortion. [more]
Montana: Paving the Road to “Dignity” with Death
By Mailee R. Smith
In a breath-taking example of legislating by court order, a Montana district judge has set Montana on the fast track to killing its own citizens. In her December 2008 order, Judge Dorothy McCarter ruled that persons in Montana have a right to die, and a right to assistance in dying. [more]
The Mexico City Policy
By Daniel Briggs
At the 1984 U.N. International Conference on Population in
Repealing HHS Conscience Protections
By Daniel Briggs
The Hippocratic Oath has changed since its creation in response to the pervasive influence of postmodernism and correlative moral relativism. But while the oath may have changed, the consciences of many doctors and other medical professionals have not. [more]
Reflections on the 36th Anniversary of Roe v. Wade: There Is Hope for the Pro-Life Movement
By J. Margaret Datiles
On January 22, 1973, the U.S. Supreme Court handed down a decision that condemned millions of unborn children and their mothers and ensured that the public debate over abortion would continue and coarsen. [more]
2008 State Ballot Initiatives: Pro-Life Losses Demonstrate the Importance of Incremental Legislation
By J. Margaret Datiles
On November 4, 2008, the pro-life movement suffered losses on five state ballot initiatives. Yet there is much we can learn from the three pro-life ballot initiatives defeated (in California, Colorado, and South Dakota) and the two anti-life ballot initiatives passed (in Michigan and Washington). [more]
Healthcare Rights of Conscience: A Hotbed of Legislative, Executive, and Judicial Action in 2008
By Mailee R. Smith
Most state legislative sessions have ended for 2008, and the results in the area of rights of conscience are fairly depressing. A disturbing 60 percent of all conscience-related bills considered this year were compulsion bills. [more]
Pro-Abortion Groups Readily Admit FOCA’s Draconian Impact
By Rebecca Mastee
For years, while promoting the Freedom of Choice Act (FOCA), pro-abortion groups have publicly claimed that the law would merely codify Roe v Wade and Doe v Bolton, two United States Supreme Court Cases that legalized abortion. [more]
New HHS Rules Provide Much-Needed Reprieve for Freedom of Conscience
By Denise Burke
Last week, the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS)implemented long-overdue rules designed to ensure that recipients of federal funds comply with federal law. The new rules even go so far as to require that the constitutional rights of all Americans be respected and protected.
On the 60th Anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights
By Denise Burke and Mailee R. Smith
On December 10, 1948, in the immediate aftermath of the horror and carnage of World War II, the United Nations General Assembly adopted the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR), a document affirming the dignity and rights of all human beings. What has been described by some as a “Magna Carta for all humanity” has been translated into more than 200 languages and remains one of the best known and most often cited human rights documents in the world.2
Review and Analysis of the 2008 State Legislative Sessions
By Denise Burke
As we prepare for the fall elections and the run-up to the 2009 state legislative sessions, it is critical that we learn the lessons of 2008. This report analyzes the successes, defeats, and important legislative trends related to abortion, protection of unborn victims of violence, contraception, healthcare rights of conscience, biotechnologies, and the end-of-life. [more]
Review of the 110th Congress: Pro-Life Advances and Attacks, and Where We’re Going from Here
By J. Margaret Datiles
During the 110th Congress, at least 97 bills and resolutions were considered in the areas of abortion, contraception, stem-cell research and cloning, artificial reproductive technologies, genetic counseling, healthcare rights of conscience, and the end-of-life. [more]
The Truth Behind Abortion Health Claims
By Clarke D. Forsythe and Dr. Donna Harrison
Thirty-five years after the Supreme Court legalized abortion in Roe v. Wade, women still do not know all of its health risks. [more]
A Huge Change
By J. Margaret Datiles
A chart contrasting abortion law before Gonzales with abortion law under Gonzales [more]
A Lack of Prudence
By Clarke D. Forsythe
In June 2007, certain anti-abortion activists bought full-page newspaper ads featuring an "open letter" criticizing James Dobson, founder of Focus on the Family, for his "approval" of the Supreme Court's April 18 decision in Gonzales v. Carhart, which upheld the constitutionality of the federal Partial- Birth Abortion Ban Act (PBABA) of 2003. The crux of the criticism seems to be that the Gonzales decision was "brutally wicked," because the Court didn't prohibit all abortions (or at least D&E abortions). [more]
The Battlefield Broadens: The Mexican Roe v. Wade
By Mailee R. Smith
In the last several years, the "usual suspects" in the pro-abortion movement have been infesting other nations with their pro-choice rhetoric. One need only peruse the first page of the Center for Reproductive Rights' website to see headlines such as "Center for Reproductive Rights Denounces Chilean Constitutional Tribunal's Decision to Ban Distribution of 'Morning-After Pill' in Public Facilities" and "Filipino Women and Men Sue Manila Mayor for Ban on Contraception." It is clear that the battle lines are now being drawn in countries far from our U.S. Supreme Court's jurisdiction. Thus, it is becoming all the more important for the pro-life movement to shift to a more global focus, and support our pro-life brothers and sisters in other nations as they wage a war which has been litigated in this country for 35 years. We have much to offer from our wins and our losses. [more]
A New Dawn: Gonzales v. Carhart Begins a New Day in Abortion Law
By Clarke D. Forsythe
The Gonzales v. Carhart decision of April 18 is the most significant Supreme Court abortion decision in 15 years -- since the Casey decision in 1992. [more]
The Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act (GINA): A Proposed Answer to Genetic Discrimination
By Mailee Smith
On Wednesday, May 21, 2008, President Bush signed the Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act (GINA). GINA prohibits employers and health insurers from discriminating against persons on the basis of their genetic information. The measure passed by a vote of 414-1 in the House and 95-0 in the Senate before making its way to the President’s desk. [more]
Gonzales v. Carhart: One Year Later: Letting the People Decide
By Denise M. Burke
One year ago, the public debate over abortion was irrevocably altered. In the landmark Gonzales v. Carhart decision, the U.S. Supreme Court upheld the federal ban on partial-birth abortion and, more importantly, abdicated, at least in part, its role as the "National Abortion Control Board." [more]
The Freedom of Choice Act: A Radical Attempt to Prematurely End Debate Over Abortion
By Denise M. Burke
The day after the U.S. Supreme Court’s historic decision in Gonzales v. Carhart, upholding the federal ban on partial-birth abortion, Senator Barack Obama, along with Senator Hillary Clinton and others, introduced the federal Freedom of Choice Act, a radical attempt to enshrine abortion-on-demand into American law, to sweep aside existing laws that the majority of Americans support -- such as requirements that licensed physicians perform abortions, fully-informed consent, and parental involvement -- and to prevent states from enacting similar protective measures in the future. [more]
Parental Involvement Laws for Abortion: Protecting Both Minors and Their Parents
By J. Margaret Datiles
The on-going court battle in Illinois over the state's permanently-enjoined parental notification law has once again brought parental involvement laws to the forefront of the cultural and legal fight against abortion. Accompanying the increasing cultural acceptance of abortion is a proportionate increase in the necessity for parental involvement laws. The promotion of sex-with-no-consequences in America has generated a high demand for abortion, including abortions for minors. These abortions present a host of issues not present in adult abortions: (1) the state's interest in protecting the health and welfare of minors; (2) the state's interest in protecting the constitutional rights of parents to raise their children; (3) immature minors' lack of ability to make fully-informed decisions that take into account both immediate and long-range medical, emotional, and psychological consequences of abortion; and (4) ensuring care that takes into account her medical history. [more]
What Exactly is “Constitutional Personhood”? The Definition of Personhood and Its Role in the Life Debate
By J. Margaret Datiles
The debate over legislation and voter initiatives defining state constitutional “personhood” to include the unborn from conception (commonly referred to as “Human Life Amendments,” or “HLAs”) has sparked significant interest both inside and outside the pro-life community. An overarching goal of the pro-life movement is to protect the innocent lives of unborn persons, and state HLAs have been suggested as one possible means to achieve this goal. However, the media and many advocates on both sides of the abortion debate are not clear about the meaning and effect of the various forms of “personhood.” Consequently, it has become difficult to engage in an effective discussion of the personhood of the unborn and various methods or tools for securing legal protection of the unborn. [more]
Spitzer's Dangerous and Radical Abortion Bill Would Give New York State the Most Extreme Pro-Abortion Policy in the Nation
By J. Margaret Datiles
Former Governor Eliot Spitzer has introduced an extreme abortion bill, the Reproductive Health and Privacy Protection Act (RHAPP), into the New York State Legislature. This bill will do anything but make abortions rare and safe in New York. On the contrary, the RHAPP will increase the number of abortions performed in New York and wipe out all existing health and safety abortion regulations. If the RHAPP is enacted, it would make New York the abortion capital of America. [more]
Reigning in the Culture of Death: The Continued Fight Against Physician-Assisted Suicide in the US
By J. Margaret Datiles
It has been nearly fourteen years since the Oregon Death with Dignity Act was approved by a narrow margin in November 1994. This year, state bills and ballot initiatives attempting to legalize and create a state constitutional right to physician-assisted suicide (PAS) have been introduced, and challenges against state criminal homicide laws prohibiting assisted suicide have been filed. Despite national and international data and studies demonstrating the dangers that assisted suicide poses to the sick, disabled and elderly, assisted suicide proponents continue to press forward with efforts to spread the practice beyond the borders of Oregon. The medical community has come out against the PAS, but advocates have ignored its advice and recommendations. Meanwhile, disability groups and civil rights organizations consistently oppose the spread of assisted suicide. Although physician-assisted suicide is currently allowed only in the state of Oregon, legalization of the practice has emerged as an area of renewed interest. [more]
Presidential Elections: What Do They Mean for the Pro-Life Cause?
By J. Margaret Datiles
As the 2008 Presidential Election approaches, we find ourselves struggling to determine which presidential candidate will best serve our country and hold fast to the principles and values we hold dear. One factor of increasing importance in this determination is a candidate's position on abortion and life issues. How important is it for the pro-life cause to elect a pro-life President? What impact will the next President of the United States have on the pro-life agenda? Does it really matter what the next President's position on life issues is? The answer is simple: Yes, it does matter. The President of the United States plays a crucial role in advancing the pro-life cause in America, and the election of a pro-life President will guarantee a political environment that is supportive of pro-life legislation and policies. [more]
Why the States Did Not Prosecute Women for Abortion Before Roe v. Wade
By Clarke D. Forsythe
The political claim—that women were or will be prosecuted or jailed under abortion laws—has been made so frequently by Planned Parenthood, NARAL, and NOW over the past 40 years that it has become an urban legend. It shows the astonishing power of contemporary media to make a complete falsehood into a truism.
For 30 years, abortion advocates have claimed—without any evidence and contrary to the well-documented practice of ALL 50 states—that women were jailed before Roe and would be jailed if Roe falls (or if state abortion prohibitions are reinstated).
This claim rests on not one but two falsehoods:
[more]
Contemporary Threats To Healthcare Freedom of Conscience
By Denise M. Burke
Over the last few decades, abortion advocates and others have launched a concerted campaign to force hospitals, healthcare institutions, health insurers, and individual healthcare providers to provide, refer for, or pay for elective abortions, abortifacient drugs, contraceptives, assisted reproductive procedures such as in vitro fertilization, and sterilizations. Their determined effort to eviscerate the concept of individual conscience and the freedom to follow one's religious, moral or ethical beliefs from the medical profession has resulted in the following: [more]
Healthcare Rights of Conscience: A Hotbed of Legislative, Executive, and Judicial Action in 2008
By Mailee R. Smith
Most state legislative sessions have ended for 2008, and the results in the area of rights of conscience are fairly depressing. A disturbing 60 percent of all conscience-related bills considered this year were compulsion bills. In other words, these were not bills aimed at protecting the conscientious and moral beliefs of healthcare providers; instead, these were bills aimed at forcing pharmacists and other healthcare providers to provide drugs and treatments contrary to their moral beliefs.[more]
