Life Advocacy Briefing

Anti-Rationing Bill on the Move

THE HOUSE ENERGY & COMMERCE COMMITTEE HAS ADVANCED A BILL to gut a key element of Pres. Obama’s signature healthcare takeover legislation.

HR-452 was filed by GOP Rep. Phil Roe, a Tennessee physician, joined by 234 co-sponsors, of whom 20 are Democrats. Its purpose is to repeal ObamaCare’s controversial cost-control board, known officially as the Independent Payment Advisory Board (IPAB) and colloquially as ObamaCare’s rationing board or even as the government’s “death panel.”

Rep. Joseph Pitts (R-PA), chairman of the panel’s Health subcommittee, told Julian Pecquet, writing for The Hill’s Healthwatch blog, “‘Supporters of IPAB tell us there is nothing wrong with having 15 unelected bureaucrats making binding decisions about Medicare policy. … They are not troubled,’” he said in the blog report, “‘by the fact that there is no requirement for public comment prior to IPAB issuing its recommendations. That IPAB’s actions are not subject to judicial review does not alarm them,’” he commented.

“The law prohibits the board from making any recommendations that would ration care, reduce benefits, raise premiums or cost-sharing,” writes Mr. Pecquet, “or alter eligibility for Medicare. However,” he writes, “[Rep.] Pitts pointed out that the term ‘rationing’ is not defined anywhere” in the monstrous ObamaCare law.

“‘For example,’ he asked, “‘is it rationing if IPAB slashes provider reimbursements to the point that doctors decide they can no longer see Medicare patients?’”

Leftist veteran lawmaker Rep. Henry Waxman (D-CA) attacked the legislation, which could come to a vote soon in the House. “‘Let’s recognize [the committee’s] vote for what it is,’” he said, quoted by The Hill. “‘An attempt to discredit the Affordable Care Act [ObamaCare] and embarrass the President.’”

Unconscionable

RADIO TALK HOST RUSH LIMBAUGH RECENTLY RAISED A CONTROVERSY in late February which has been dormant in the political world but, unresolved, is still a current concern.

“Rush Limbaugh told his listeners,” writes Ben Johnson for LifeSiteNews.com, “the President’s vote against the Illinois version of the Born-Alive Infant Protection Act in 2001, 2002 and 2003 amounted to ‘the most shocking and underreported significant story I can ever remember.’”

The topic arose because of a tactic used by former House Speaker Newt Gingrich in a GOP Presidential debate; “when CNN anchor John King asked the Presidential hopefuls a question about birth control,” writes Mr. Johnson, “the question met with loud audience disapproval, as it was widely interpreted as intended to embarrass [former Pennsylvania Senator] Rick Santorum.” Speaker Gingrich, notes Mr. Johnson, jumped in, “object[ing] that in 2008, ‘not once did anybody in the elite media ask why Barack Obama voted in favor of legalizing infanticide.

“‘If we’re going to have a debate about who the extremist is on these issues,’” said Mr. Gingrich, quoted by Mr. Johnson, “‘it is Pres. Obama who, as a state senator [in Illinois], voted to protect doctors who killed babies who survived abortion. It is not the Republicans.’”

The LifeSiteNews.com report goes on to relate the Obama record, noting that he had, as a state senator, “voted against a bill that would require abortionists to provide care to an infant who is born alive during the course of a failed abortion. The legislation,” notes Mr. Johnson, was brought forward after Jill Stanek, a nurse at Christ Hospital in Oak Lawn, exposed abortionists’ practice of abandoning babies born alive after failed abortions, leaving them to die in a hospital utility room. …

“‘We talked about it during the 2008 campaign,’ [Mr.] Limbaugh told an audience of millions,’” writes Mr. Johnson. “‘Nobody wanted to hear it. The hopey-change thing was just too big of a theme.’”

Mr. Gingrich “‘had the courage to use the word “infanticide,”’ he said. “‘It’s exactly what was being defended. And unbelievable as this may sound to those of you who never heard about this, every word of it is true.’” Equally true, sadly, is that the President has yet to recant his cold denial of protection to those desperately vulnerable babies, born alive and abandoned first by their mothers, then by their doctors and ultimately by their state senators turning their backs.

Ultrasound Law Comes to Virginia

VIRGINIA GOV. BOB McDONNELL (R) SIGNED LEGISLATION last Wednesday to require abortionists to include ultrasonography in their procedures and, writes Kathleen Gilbert in LifeSiteNews.com, “to offer them the opportunity to view the child in their womb.”

Planned Parenthood and its abortion lobby colleagues had fiercely fought the bill in the legislature, claiming, writes Miss Gilbert, it is “designed to ‘shame’ women seeking to abort their child.” [Editor’s note: Just who is responsible for luring vulnerable expectant mothers to shame?]

Democrats in the legislature, notes Miss Gilbert, had “claimed the measure was tantamount to ‘rape’ for requiring women to undergo invasive transvaginal ultrasounds,” a requirement that had never been included in the proposal. Ultrasonography is normally non-invasive.

Gov. McDonnell issued a statement along with his signature Wednesday, quoted by Miss Gilbert: “‘Women have a right to know all the available medical and legal information surrounding the abortion decision before giving legally effective informed consent,’ he said. ‘As difficult as the abortion decision is, the information provided by ultrasounds, along with other information given by the doctor pursuant to current law and prevailing medical practice, can help the mother make a fully informed decision.’”

Model Proposals for State Legislation

AMERICANS UNITED FOR LIFE HAS ISSUED A NEW SET of model legislation for consideration in state legislatures this year. The full publication, Defending Life 2012, will be available via AUL’s Internet website at www.aul.org.

The pro-life pro-bono law firm highlighted seven of its proposals in a report by LifeSiteNews.com’s Ben Johnson, based on a news release announcing its forthcoming publication.

Readers are encouraged to inform their state legislators about the legislation models, particularly the following seven highlighted proposals:

• The “Defunding the Abortion Industry & Advancing Women’s Health Act,” which “not only defunds abortion but also eliminates the manipulation and misuse of other state funding sources by abortion providers.”

• The “Abortion Mandate Opt-Out Act,” seeking to protect states from being forced to fund abortion through state-established insurance exchanges mandated by the ObamaCare law.

• The “Women’s Health Defense Act,” which “bans abortions conducted on babies at 20 weeks of development or beyond, based on the harm those abortions cause to mothers, as well as the child’s ability to feel pain.”

• The “Abortion-Inducing Drugs Safety Act,” which would “end ‘telemed’ prescription of the abortion pill.”

• The “Parental Consent Act,” which “requires notarized, written parental consent before an abortion clinic can perform an abortion on a minor girl.”

• The “Abortion Patients’ Enhanced Safety Act,” which “requires abortion clinics … to meet exacting and medically appropriate standards of patient care” and would require “regular inspections by state health inspectors.”

• The “Health Care Freedom of Conscience Act,” which AUL calls “the most comprehensive and protective legislation of its kind,” protecting “all individuals, institutions and healthcare payers.”

Pressing the Case

Excerpts from a March 2, 2012, letter from Cardinal Timothy Dolan, president of the US Conference of Catholic Bishops, to all Catholic bishops, reprinted from the March 6 End of Day Report of Gary Bauer for subscribers to the Campaign for Working Families

… Since Jan. 20, when the final, restrictive Health & Human Services Rule was first announced, we have become certain of two things: religious freedom is under attack, and we will not cease our struggle to protect it. … We have made it clear in no uncertain terms to the government that we are not at peace with its invasive attempt to curtail the religious freedom we cherish as Catholics and Americans. We did not ask for this fight, but we will not run from it. …

We are grateful to know so many of our fellow Americans, especially our friends in the ecumenical and interreligious dialogue, stand together in this important moment in our country. They know that this is not just about sterilization, abortifacients and chemical contraception. It’s about religious freedom, the sacred right of any church to define its own teaching and ministry. …

Brothers, we know so very well that religious freedom is our heritage, our legacy and our firm belief, both as loyal Catholics and Americans. There have been many threats to religious freedom over the decades and years, but these often came from without. This one sadly comes from within. As our ancestors did with previous threats, we will tirelessly defend the timeless and enduring truth of religious freedom.

Follow the $ — and Repeal It Now!

Feb. 25, 2012, OneNewsNow.com report by Chris Woodward (“Healthcare Co-ops Reveal …”)

There is more to be learned about the healthcare cooperatives getting money from the Obama Administration to compete in the new state-run insurance exchanges, according to Rick Manning of Americans for Limited Government [ALG].

The group began looking into the co-ops after the Journal Sentinel in Milwaukee reported that a Wisconsin organization getting money is affiliated with the late community organizer Saul Alinsky, author of Rules for Radicals.

“A lot of them have very strong Democratic Party connections,” says Manning. “The one in Montana, for instance, has a former Democratic Party elected official as one of its three board of directors members.”

… The ALG [representative] says, “The interesting thing that made the Wisconsin one stick out is the group they gave the money to didn’t even exist until August 2011 and clearly was created simply to get this grant.”

But regardless of when an organization was created, Manning says it is no secret that the Obama Administration has great affinity for Alinsky and his philosophy.

“The Alinsky group there in Wisconsin is receiving $56 million to be able to set up a healthcare co-op that would not actually have to provide any services until Jan. 1, 2014,” he adds.

“It seems rather suspicious that $56 million would be pumped into an Alinsky-affiliated group in Wisconsin where you have a lot of political controversy, where you have a governor – there is an effort to recall him – and you have a swing state that may determine the Presidency.”

The Obama Administration is awarding loans totaling more than $638 million. …

March for Life Speech Transcripts

Continuing our series of Congressional speeches at the March for Life, Jan. 23, 2012; transcribed by Life Advocacy from recorded-live video. Our speakers today are Representatives Tim Huelskamp, Bobby Schilling, Joe Barton, Jim Jordan, Steve Chabot and Roscoe Bartlett.

Rep. Tim Huelskamp (R-KS): I’m Congressman Tim Huelskamp from the state of Kansas. I’m here today with my wife Angela and three of our four adopted children. Isn’t adoption great? Yea! From the founding of this country to the end of the most vile institution, it took 89 years for this country to rid ourselves of slavery. 89 years. Today it’s been 39 years, and the uttermost vile institution of abortion has corroded our nation. We can’t wait another 50 years. We can’t wait to end abortion. We can’t wait to end abortion. Thank you for being here today.

Rep. Bobby Schilling (R-IL): Hello, everyone. My name is Bobby Schilling, from the great state of Illinois. Joined by my wife Christie of 25 years, with six of our ten children. Mother Teresa said, Saying there’s too many children is like saying there’s too many flowers. We’ve got to stick together; we’ve got to continue this fight. Adoption is a beautiful thing; we never hear them talking about that. We need to press on, stay focused and get this to an end. God bless each and every one of you. Press on!

Rep. Joe Barton (R-TX): My name is Congressman Joe Barton of Texas. And let me just say, I wish Roe versus Wade had been May 22nd instead of January 22nd; it’d be a lot warmer for us. God bless each and every one of you for coming out in this miserable weather to show that you are for Life. I am a lifetime, 95% pro-life Congressman. I’ll guarantee you that we will eliminate Roe versus Wade, and I hope we do it sooner rather than later. We appreciate your inspiration by coming to Washington to show the country – not just the Congress – that this is a pro-life country. God bless you, and God bless yours. Thank you for being here.

Rep. Jim Jordan (OH), House Republican Study Committee Chairman: I’m Jim Jordan from Ohio. My favorite scripture verse – 2nd Timothy 4:7: “I fought the good fight, I’ve finished the race, I’ve kept the faith.” And that is an attitude that has always characterized this country. It’s the attitude we need most at this critical point in our nation’s history. So keep that in mind as you continue to fight. Thank you for what you’re doing, and always do it with a smile on your face. I’ll finish with this – I love this story in scripture, the David attitude. You all know the story when the Israelites were camped against the Philistines, and every day the Philistine giant would walk out and issue the challenge, “Who will fight Goliath?” The Israelites’ response was, “He’s so big, we could never defeat him.” But David’s response was: “He’s so big, I can’t miss.” That’s our attitude; keep it up!

Rep. Steve Chabot (R-OH): Great job, Jim. I’m Steve Chabot from Cincinnati. Have we got any Ohio folks out there? We do! Excellent, excellent. You know, it’s cold out here today; it’s wet; you’ve heard a lot of speeches, so I’m going to keep my remarks very brief. Yesterday, January 22nd, was the anniversary of perhaps the most disgraceful decision ever to come out of the United States Supreme Court, that resulted in the slaughter of 53 million innocents: Roe v. Wade. And yesterday, January 22nd, was something else; it was my birthday. Thank you very much. And yesterday, as I enjoyed spending my birthday with my family, I couldn’t help but think of all of those precious little souls who were never born, who never got the opportunity to experience the wonders of life that we all have, because their mothers decided to end their lives as they were just getting started. Let’s change that. Let’s reverse Roe versus Wade, and in order to do that, let’s make sure that we still have a pro-life House, as we do now; let’s make sure, let’s elect a pro-life Senate; and perhaps most importantly, let’s make sure that the most pro-abortion President in American history, Barack Obama, no longer occupies the White House when we come back next year. Thank you, God bless you all; thank you.

Rep. Roscoe Bartlett (R-MD): Roscoe Bartlett, Maryland. Maryland, where are you? Yeah, thank you! We’ve been together now here for 20 years, and we’re making progress. Abortion rates are down. I think one of the main reasons they’re down is ultrasound. As a medical school teacher, I knew it was a baby. But now ultrasound tells everybody who sees it; it’s a baby. It’s just not a tissue growth. With tech-savvy young people coming of age to vote, I think we’re going to make even more progress in the future. Roe versus Wade will be history sooner rather than later. Thank you very much. Keep on keeping on!