Life Advocacy Briefing

High Court Upholds One Indiana Pro-Life Law

THE U.S. SUPREME COURT LAST TUESDAY UPHELD AN INDIANA LAW requiring humane disposal of fetal remains but refused to review a lower court ruling invalidating Indiana’s ban on abortion motivated by the race, sex or potential disability of an unborn victim.

The order upholding the fetal remains disposal law overturned a decision by the 7th Circuit Court of Appeals. The Court’s refusal to review the anti-discrimination statute’s invalidation was based, reports Calvin Freiburger for LifeSiteNews.com, on the Court’s “‘ordinary practice of denying petitions insofar as they raise legal issues that have not been considered by additional Courts of Appeals,’” quoted from a statement issued by the Court. Thus, high court review of anti-discrimination abortion restrictions depends on future rulings by other appellate panels; though Indiana was a pioneer in such law, other states have begun enacting similar statutes, which the abortion industry will no doubt challenge, potentially leading to appropriate action by the Supreme Court.

The high court’s upholding of the fetal remains disposal law was not without dissent, but Justices Ruth Ginsburg and Sonia Sotomayor stood alone together against seven Justices who upheld Indiana’s bid for human decency.

“Motivated by horror stories about abortion facilities destroying the babies they kill,” notes Mr. Freiburger, “with methods such as ‘big ovens,’ the Indiana law and similar measures in other states are meant to prevent the bodies of aborted children from being treated like medical waste, both out of respect for their dignity and to underscore their humanity.”

Radical Abortion Agenda Pushed in House

THE U.S. HOUSE IN MID-MAY VOTED TO PASS a massive proposal, HR-5, imposing twisted definitions of gender, for purposes of laws relating to discrimination. Its advocates call it the “Equality Act” and plan to use the roll call to shame those who voted against it in an effort to uphold traditional social standards which comport with reality.

Tucked into the provisions of this radical proposal are provisions repealing the Hyde Amendment and forcing American taxpayers to finance overseas abortions and abortion advocacy, as well as repealing conscience protections for medical personnel.

“‘This isn’t just the most extreme LGBT bill ever written,’ wrote Tony Perkins, president of the Family Research Council,” quoted by Doug Mainwaring in a commentary for LifeSiteNews.com. “‘This is one-stop shopping for the worst the far-left agenda has to offer – including, we’ve discovered, the largest expansion of taxpayer-funded abortion this country has ever seen. …

“‘Under this big new umbrella of “discrimination,”’ continued [Mr.] Perkins,” quoted by Mr. Mainwaring, “‘any American who doesn’t want to fund, offer, perform or participate in abortion on demand will have no real choice. They can conform – or they can be punished. …

“‘Taxpayers will be openly funding the culture of death all across America,’ added [Mr.] Perkins” in the LifeSiteNews column. “‘Every wall that’s been built between abortion and the government would come crashing down, including the Hyde Amendment, the pro-conscience Weldon Amendment and several international barriers that keep our country from exporting abortion.’”

Before taking the vote on final passage, the House voted down a motion by Rep. Dan Lipinski (D-IL) to recommit the bill to committee with instructions to remove the abortion-related sections. We publish the voting records on the Lipinski motion and on final passage at the close of this Life Advocacy Briefing. The bill is now in the Senate Judiciary Committee.

Candidate Watch

• U.S. SEN. KAMALA HARRIS (CA), A DEMOCRATIC CANDIDATE FOR THE PRESIDENCY, “unveiled a plan” last week, reports Calvin Freiburger for LifeSiteNews.com, “to essentially force pro-life states to seek permission from the federal government before pro-life laws can take effect.” The announcement of her scheme on her Internet website likened her “Reproductive Rights Act” to the preclearance of state policy adjustments required by the federal Voting Rights Act, “‘requir[ing],’” says the website, quoted by Mr. Freiburger, “‘for the first time that states and localities with a history of violating [sic] Roe v. Wade obtain approval from her Dept. of Justice before any abortion law or practice can take effect.’” The definition of “violating” in Sen. Harris’s estimation, according to her website announcement, would include having been subjected to judicial injunctions against enforcement of duly enacted laws.
• SOUTH BEND, INDIANA, MAYOR PETE BUTTIGIEG, A DEMOCRATIC CANDIDATE FOR PRESIDENT, “defended the practice of late-term abortion” during a Fox News “town hall” telecast May 19, reports the Catholic News Agency, while calling abortion a “‘national freedom.’ … Asked if he believed there should be any limit on access to abortion, at any time during pregnancy, [Mayor] Buttigieg responded, ‘I trust women to draw the line.’”  Mr. Buttigieg said “in a tweet,” reports CNA, “there is no place for the government in discussing limits on abortion.”

In the States

• MISSOURI GOV. MIKE PARSON (R) SIGNED the Missouri Stands for the Unborn Act on May 24, “prohibit[ing] an abortion in a non-medical emergency past eight weeks of gestational age,” notes the announcement on the governor’s website, “and ensur[ing] the protection of women’s safety.” It also, according to the website, “prohibits an individual from performing or inducing an abortion solely because of a diagnosis of potential for Down Syndrome in an unborn child or because of the race or sex of the unborn child.” It further requires written parent or guardian consent before a minor can be subjected to an abortion and makes provisions for tax credits related to pregnancy resource centers. HB-126 had passed the House 110 to 44 and the Senate 24 to 10. In the event the Supreme Court renounces its dastardly Roe v. Wade edict, the new Missouri law would ban abortion outright.
• TEXAS LAWMAKERS have passed a bill to bar public bodies – including city governments and school districts – from contracting with abortion outfits and banning public expenditure of tax funds to abortion businesses, including Planned Parenthood. SB-22 passed the Senate 20 to 11 and the House 81 to 65. According to the Houston Chronicle, it needs one more Senate approval before going to the governor.
• LOUISIANANS WILL FIND ABORTION ON THEIR BALLOT in their Oct. 12, 2019, election. The legislature has submitted to voters a constitutional amendment, writes Charlie Butts of OneNewsNow.com, “to declare their state constitution does not declare a right to abortion or to fund it with state dollars. ‘So combined with our current state law,’” Louisiana Right to Life’s Benjamin Clapper explained to Mr. Butts, “‘when Roe v. Wade is overturned, then every unborn baby in Louisiana would be protected through this amendment and our current state law.’”
• THE ILLINOIS SENATE was expected, as of this writing, to concur with House amendments to a massive abortion bill and send it to the radically pro-abortion governor, Jay Pritzker (D). SB-25 passed the House on May 28 by a vote of 64 to 50 and would repeal standing Illinois protections to render Illinois among the nation’s most radical states on the killing of developing human babies, including even repeal of Illinois’ Partial-Birth Abortion Ban.
• VERMONT’S GOVERNOR, Phil Scott (R), said last week he will allow his state’s radical H-57 to take effect without his signature. The bill passed the House Feb. 21 by a vote of 106 to 37 and the Senate May 7 by a vote of 24 to 6. Though Vermont law currently has no protections for unborn babies and their vulnerable mothers, H-57 will codify the radical policy, just in case a reversal of Roe v. Wade might lead to some judge saying Vermont unborn humans have rights. Though he does not want his own name to appear on the legislation, Gov. Scott has declared himself an abortion advocate, according to Live Action, which quoted him in a mid-May reaction to the legislature’s action: “‘I believe in a woman’s right to choose. … I believe government should stay out of it.’”

Justice & Mercy Go Hand in Hand

May 28, 2019, The Point commentary by John Stonestreet and G. Shane Morris

            In the wake of new pro-life laws in Alabama and Georgia, Times of Israel writer Sarah Tuttle-Singer tweeted an oh-so-common pro-abortion argument: “Dear Pro-Life friends: what have you personally done to support lower income single mothers? I’ll wait.”

            Of course, caring for children who would have been aborted is not a prerequisite for opposing abortion. That’s kind of like saying you can’t oppose killing homeless people unless you turn your house into a shelter.

            Even so, folks lined up to answer the question. In fact, 13,000 people replied, describing how they provide food, medical care, supplies, babysitting, car repair, foster care and financial help to kids and single moms. Many volunteer and donate to pregnancy care centers. Many adopt. In fact, Alabama families just set a new record for adopting children out of the foster system.

            It’s perfectly consistent to be against killing unborn children without doing anything else. But it should be obvious by now to pro-choicers that pro-lifers often put their money where their mouths are.

House Voting Records

HR-5 – “Equality Act” – Procedural motion to remove pro-abortion provisions – May 17, 2019 – Failed – 181-228 (Democrats in Italics)

Voting “yes” / pro-Life: Aderholt, Brooks, Byrne, Palmer, Roby, Rogers/AL; Biggs, Gosar, Lesko, Schweikert/AZ; Crawford, Hill, Womack/AR; Calvert, Cook, Hunter, LaMalfa, McCarthy, McClintock, Nunes/CA; Buck, Lamborn, Tipton/CO; Bilirakis, Buchanan, Diaz-Balart, Dunn, Gaetz, Mast, Posey, Rooney, Rutherford, Spano, Steube, Waltz, Webster, Yoho/FL; Allen, Carter, Collins, Ferguson, Graves, Hice, Loudermilk, A. Scott, Woodall/GA; Fulcher, Simpson/ID; Bost, R.Davis, Kinzinger, Lipinski, Shimkus/IL; Baird, Banks, Brooks, Hollingsworth, Walorski/IN; King/IA; Estes, Marshall, Watkins/KS; Barr, Comer, Guthrie, Rogers/KY; Abraham, Graves, Higgins, Scalise/LA; Harris/MD; Amash, Bergman, Huizenga, Mitchell, Moolenaar, Upton, Walberg/MI; Emmer, Hagedorn, Stauber/MN; Guest, Kelly, Palazzo/MS; Graves, Hartzler, Long, Luetkemeyer, Smith, Wagner/MO; Gianforte/MT; Bacon, Fortenberry, Smith/NE; Amodei/NV; Smith/NJ; Collins, Katko, King, Reed, Stefanik, Zeldin/NY; Budd, Foxx, Holding, Hudson, McHenry, Meadows, Rouzer/NC; Armstrong/ND; Balderson, Chabot, Davidson, Gibbs, Gonzalez, Jordan, Joyce, Latta, Stivers, Wenstrup/OH; Cole, Hern, Lucas, Mullin/OK; Walden/OR; Fitzpatrick, Joyce, Kelly, Meuser, Perry, Reschenthaler, Thompson/PA; Duncan, Norman, Rice, Timmons/SC; Johnson/SD; DesJarlais, Fleischmann, Green, Kustoff, Roe, Rose/TN; Arrington, Babin, Burgess, Carter, Cloud, Conaway, Crenshaw, Flores, Gohmert, Gooden, Granger, Hurd, Marchant, McCaul, Olson, Roy, Taylor, Thornberry, Williams, Wright/TX; Bishop, Curtis, Stewart/UT; Cline, Griffith, Riggleman, Wittman/VA; Herrera-Beutler, McMorris-Rodgers, Newhouse/WA; McKinley, Miller, Mooney/WV; Gallagher, Grothman, Sensenbrenner, Steil/WI; Cheney/WY.

Voting “no”/anti-Life: Sewell/AL; Gallego, Grijalva, Kirkpatrick, O’Halleran, Stanton/AZ; Aguilar, Barragan, Bass, Bera, Brownley, Carbajal, Cardenas, Chu, Cisneros, Correa, Costa, Cox, Davis, DeSaulnier, Eshoo, Garamendi, Gomez, Harder, Hill, Huffman, Khanna, Lee, Levin, Lieu, Lofgren, Lowenthal, Matsui, McNerney, Napolitano, Panetta, Pelosi, Peters, Porter, Rouda, Roybal-Allard, Ruiz, Sanchez, Schiff, Sherman, Speier, Takano, Thompson, Torres, Vargas, Waters/CA; Crow, DeGette, Neguse, Perlmutter/CO; Courtney, DeLauro, Hayes, Himes, Larson/CT; Blunt-Rochester/DE; Castor, Crist, Demings, Deutch, Frankel, Hastings, Lawson, Mucarsel-Powell, Murphy, Shalala, Soto, Wasserman-Schultz, Wilson/FL; Bishop, Johnson, Lewis, McBath, D. Scott/GA; Case, Gabbard/HI; Bustos, Casten, D.Davis, Foster, Garcia, Kelly, Krishnamoorthi, Quigley, Rush, Schakowsky, Schneider, Underwood/IL; Carson, Visclosky/IN; Axne, Finkenauer, Loebsack/IA; Davids/KS; Massie, Yarmuth/KY; Richmond/LA; Golden, Pingree/ME; Brown, Cummings, Hoyer, Raskin, Ruppersberger, Sarbanes, Trone/MD; Clark, Keating, Kennedy, Lynch, McGovern, Neal, Pressley, Trahan/MA; Kildee, Lawrence, Levin, Slotkin, Stevens, Tlaib/MI; Craig, McCollum, Omar, Phillips/MN; Thompson/MS; Clay, Cleaver/MO; Horsford, Lee, Titus/NV; Kuster, Pappas/NH; Gottheimer, Kim, Malinowski, Norcross, Pallone, Pascrell, Payne, Sherrill, Sires, VanDrew, Watson-Coleman/NJ; Haaland, Lujan, Torres-Small/NM; Brindisi, Clarke, Delgado, Engel, Espaillat, Higgins, Jeffries, Lowey, C.Maloney, S.Maloney, Meeks, Meng, Morelle, Nadler, Ocasio-Cortez, Rice, Serrano, Suozzi, Tonko, Velazquez/NY; Adams, Butterfield, Price/NC; Beatty, Fudge, Kaptur/OH; Horn/OK; Blumenauer, Bonamici, DeFazio, Schrader/OR; Boyle, Cartwright, Dean, Doyle, Evans, Houlahan, Lamb, Scanlon, Wild/PA; Cicilline, Langevin/RI; Cunningham/SC; Cohen, Cooper/TN; Allred, Castro, Cuellar, Doggett, Escobar, Fletcher, Garcia, Gonzalez, Green, Jackson-Lee, Johnson, Veasey, Vela/TX; McAdams/UT; Welch/VT; Beyer, Connolly, Luria, McEachin, Scott, Spanberger, Wexton/VA; DelBene, Heck, Jayapal, Kilmer, Larsen, Schrier, Smith/WA; Kind, Moore, Pocan/WI.

Not voting: Young/AK; Westerman/AR; Swalwell/CA; LaHood/IL; Bucshon, Pence/IN; Johnson/LA; Moulton/MA; Dingell/MI; Peterson/MN; Rose/NY; Walker/NC; Johnson, Ryan, Turner/OH; Smucker/PA; Clyburn, Wilson/SC; Burchett/TN; Brady, Ratcliffe, Weber/TX; Duffy/WI.

HR-5 – “Equality Act” – Including repeal of Hyde Amendment & Foreign Aid Abortion Protections – May 17, 2019 – Passed – 236-173 (Democrats in Italics)

Voting “no” / pro-Life: Aderholt, Brooks, Byrne, Palmer, Roby, Rogers/AL; Biggs, Gosar, Lesko, Schweikert/AZ; Crawford, Hill, Womack/AR; Calvert, Cook, Hunter, LaMalfa, McCarthy, McClintock, Nunes/CA; Buck, Lamborn, Tipton/CO; Bilirakis, Buchanan, Dunn, Gaetz, Mast, Posey, Rooney, Rutherford, Spano, Waltz, Webster, Yoho/FL; Allen, Carter, Collins, Ferguson, Graves, Hice, Loudermilk, A. Scott, Woodall/GA; Fulcher, Simpson/ID; Bost, R.Davis, Kinzinger, Shimkus/IL; Baird, Banks, Hollingsworth, Pence, Walorski/IN; King/IA; Estes, Marshall, Watkins/KS; Barr, Comer, Guthrie, Massie, Rogers/KY; Abraham, Graves, Higgins, Scalise/LA; Harris/MD; Amash, Bergman, Huizenga, Mitchell, Moolenaar, Upton, Walberg/MI; Emmer, Hagedorn, Stauber/MN; Guest, Kelly, Palazzo/MS; Graves, Hartzler, Long, Luetkemeyer, Smith, Wagner/MO; Gianforte/MT; Bacon, Fortenberry, Smith/NE; Amodei/NV; Smith/NJ; Collins, King, Zeldin/NY; Budd, Foxx, Holding, Hudson, McHenry, Meadows, Rouzer/NC; Armstrong/ND; Balderson, Chabot, Davidson, Gibbs, Gonzalez, Jordan, Joyce, Latta, Stivers, Wenstrup/OH; Cole, Hern, Lucas, Mullin/OK; Joyce, Kelly, Meuser, Perry, Reschenthaler, Thompson/PA; Duncan, Norman, Rice, Timmons/SC; Johnson/SD; DesJarlais, Fleischmann, Green, Kustoff, Roe, Rose/TN; Arrington, Babin, Burgess, Carter, Cloud, Conaway, Crenshaw, Flores, Gohmert, Gooden, Granger, Marchant, McCaul, Olson, Roy, Taylor, Thornberry, Williams, Wright/TX; Bishop, Curtis, Stewart/UT; Cline, Griffith, Riggleman, Wittman/VA; Herrera-Beutler, McMorris-Rodgers, Newhouse/WA; McKinley, Miller, Mooney/WV; Gallagher, Grothman, Sensenbrenner, Steil/WI; Cheney/WY.

Voting “yes”/anti-Life: Sewell/AL; Gallego, Grijalva, Kirkpatrick, O’Halleran, Stanton/AZ; Aguilar, Barragan, Bass, Bera, Brownley, Carbajal, Cardenas, Chu, Cisneros, Correa, Costa, Cox, Davis, DeSaulnier, Eshoo, Garamendi, Gomez, Harder, Hill, Huffman, Khanna, Lee, Levin, Lieu, Lofgren, Lowenthal, Matsui, McNerney, Napolitano, Panetta, Pelosi, Peters, Porter, Rouda, Roybal-Allard, Ruiz, Sanchez, Schiff, Sherman, Speier, Takano, Thompson, Torres, Vargas, Waters/CA; Crow, DeGette, Neguse, Perlmutter/CO; Courtney, DeLauro, Hayes, Himes, Larson/CT; Blunt-Rochester/DE; Castor, Crist, Demings, Deutch, Diaz-Balart, Frankel, Hastings, Lawson, Mucarsel-Powell, Murphy, Shalala, Soto, Wasserman-Schultz, Wilson/FL; Bishop, Johnson, Lewis, McBath, D. Scott/GA; Case, Gabbard/HI; Bustos, Casten, D.Davis, Foster, Garcia, Kelly, Krishnamoorthi, Lipinski, Quigley, Rush, Schakowsky, Schneider, Underwood/IL; Brooks, Carson, Visclosky/IN; Axne, Finkenauer, Loebsack/IA; Davids/KS; Yarmuth/KY; Richmond/LA; Golden, Pingree/ME; Brown, Cummings, Hoyer, Raskin, Ruppersberger, Sarbanes, Trone/MD; Clark, Keating, Kennedy, Lynch, McGovern, Neal, Pressley, Trahan/MA; Kildee, Lawrence, Levin, Slotkin, Stevens, Tlaib/MI; Craig, McCollum, Omar, Phillips/MN; Thompson/MS; Clay, Cleaver/MO; Horsford, Lee, Titus/NV; Kuster, Pappas/NH; Gottheimer, Kim, Malinowski, Norcross, Pallone, Pascrell, Payne, Sherrill, Sires, VanDrew, Watson-Coleman/NJ; Haaland, Lujan, Torres-Small/NM; Brindisi, Clarke, Delgado, Engel, Espaillat, Higgins, Jeffries, Katko, Lowey, C.Maloney, S.Maloney, Meeks, Meng, Morelle, Nadler, Ocasio-Cortez, Reed, Rice, Serrano, Stefanik, Suozzi, Tonko, Velazquez/NY; Adams, Butterfield, Price/NC; Beatty, Fudge, Kaptur/OH; Horn/OK; Blumenauer, Bonamici, DeFazio, Schrader, Walden/OR; Boyle, Cartwright, Dean, Doyle, Evans, Fitzpatrick, Houlahan, Lamb, Scanlon, Wild/PA; Cicilline, Langevin/RI; Cunningham/SC; Cohen, Cooper/TN; Allred, Castro, Cuellar, Doggett, Escobar, Fletcher, Garcia, Gonzalez, Green, Hurd, Jackson-Lee, Johnson, Veasey, Vela/TX; McAdams/UT; Welch/VT; Beyer, Connolly, Luria, McEachin, Scott, Spanberger, Wexton/VA; DelBene, Heck, Jayapal, Kilmer, Larsen, Schrier, Smith/WA; Kind, Moore, Pocan/WI.

Not voting: Young/AK; Westerman/AR; Swalwell/CA; Steube/FL; LaHood/IL; Bucshon/IN; Johnson/LA; Moulton/MA; Dingell/MI; Peterson/MN; Rose/NY; Walker/NC; Johnson, Ryan, Turner/OH; Smucker/PA; Clyburn, Wilson/SC; Burchett/TN; Brady, Ratcliffe, Weber/TX; Duffy/WI.