Articles
The Truth Behind Abortion Health Claims
By Clarke 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 Maggie 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. [Read 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: Endangering Women and Silencing the Voices of Everyday Americans
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 Maggie 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]
Spitzer's Dangerous and Radical Abortion Bill Would Give New York State the Most Extreme Pro-Abortion Policy in the Nation
by Maggie 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 Maggie Datiles, Staff Counsel
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 . . . ]
The 2008 Presidential Election: What Will It Mean for the Pro-Life Cause?
By Maggie 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]
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]
2007 State Legislative Sessions in Review
In 2007, the overall level of legislative activity was fairly consistent with that seen in 2006, but significantly less than levels seen in 2004 and 2005. There was a greater than 50% increase in abortion-related bills, but there was also a nearly 50% decline in legislation related to biotechnologies. [more]
Preliminary Review of the 2008 State Legislative Sessions (abortion only)*
By Denise M. Burke
A preliminary review of the recently completed 2008 state legislative sessions shows that, while several states have introduced abortion bans, the number of states considering complete or near-complete bans on abortion has not significantly increased since the Gonzales decision. Rather, what has increased is legislation designed to protect women from the negative consequences of abortion. Among these measures are comprehensive informed consent requirements, stronger parental involvement provisions, requirements that a woman be offered the opportunity to view an ultrasound before an abortion, and mandated minimum health and safety standards for abortion clinics. [more]