Life Advocacy Briefing

Question of the Week

TO BE POSED TO ADVOCATES OF ABORTION: How would you feel if your parents had decided, when they learned you were conceived, that your life was not worthy?

Victory at the V.A.

WHILE MOST EYES HAVE BEEN ON WRANGLING IN CONGRESS, the Trump Administration announced Aug. 1 the revocation of a Biden-era rule entangling the Dept. of Veterans Affairs (VA) in the deadly business of abortion, reports LifeSiteNews writer Doug Mainwaring, “under the guise of ‘medical care.’

“‘The VA is proposing to reinstate the full exclusion of abortions and abortion counseling from the medical benefits package,’” according to the VA statement, which notes also that the explicit exclusion of abortion was “‘first established in 1999’” but was “‘removed in 2022,’” subjecting VA personnel to involvement in abortion counseling and actual commission of the deed, presumably at taxpayer expense.

Said the VA on Aug. 1, notes Mr. Mainwaring, “‘We take this action to ensure that VA provides only needed medical services to our nation’s heroes and their families.’”

Sen. James Lankford (R-OK) responded with a statement, quoted by LifeSite: “‘The Biden Administration’s abortion rule at the VA broke long-standing federal law and should have never been implemented in the first place. … Reversing it sends a clear message: Government should protect life, not take it.’” He added, “‘The mission of the VA is to serve veterans with dignity and care – not advance a political agenda.’”

He was echoed by a statement issued by GOP Members, notes Mr. Mainwaring, “of the House Committee on Veterans’ Affairs: ‘It’s simple – taxpayers do not want their hard-earned money spent on paying for abortions – and VA’s sole focus should always be providing service-connected health care and benefits to the veterans they serve.’”

Judge Blocks Ban on Abortion Pill Reversal Rescue

FEDERAL DISTRICT JUDGE DANIEL DOMENICO on Aug. 1 issued an order, reports Jesse Paul for the Colorado Sun, permanently blocking Colorado from enforcing its policy against abortion pill reversal (APR) in a case brought by Bella Health & Wellness. The plaintiff pro-life pregnancy center, notes Doug Mainwaring for LifeSiteNews, was represented by Alliance Defending Freedom (ADF). Judge Domenico was appointed by Pres. Donald Trump during his first term.

“According to the Abortion Pill Rescue Network (APRN),” writes Mr. Mainwaring, “‘Initial studies of APR have shown it has a 64-68% success rate.’ Heartbeat International,” he notes, “also publishes anecdotal, firsthand testimonials from women who have benefited from the technique. As of June, APR has successfully prevented more than 7,000 chemical abortions.”

State AGs Seek Relief from Interstate Abortion Schemes

ARKANSAS ATTORNEY GENERAL TIM GRIFFIN (R) HAS ORGANIZED a group letter from himself and 15 colleagues from other states to Congressional leaders, reports Calvin Freiburger for LifeSiteNews, “demanding federal action to stop state ‘shield laws’ that help abortionists facilitate illegal abortions across state lines,” demonstrating the futility of leaving abortion policy to the states.

“Twelve states currently ban all or most abortions,” notes Mr. Freiburger, “but the abortion lobby continues to work feverishly to preserve ‘access’ through a variety of means, most prominently deregulated interstate distribution of abortion pills,” ignoring the long-standing federal law (the Comstock Act) barring use of the post office to mail abortifacients, enforcement of which would not require an Act of Congress. (It’s already on the books and has been since the 19^th century!)

Interstate chemical abortions, notes Mr. Freiburger, “are effectively impossible to prevent without preventing the pills from being mailed out in the first place. Yet several pro-abortion states have enacted ‘shield laws’ forbidding cooperation with out-of-state law enforcement attempting to enforce pro-life laws. According to the pro-abortion Guttmacher Institute,” writes Mr. Freiburger, “‘22 states and the District of Columbia have some level of shield law protection related to reproductive health or gender-affirming care,’ eight of which ‘extend protections to telehealth provision,’” by which abortion pills are prescribed via computer without in-person consultation with a physician.

“‘By encouraging medical professionals in pro-abortion states to violate pro-life states’ abortion laws,’” the letter states, quoted by LifeSite, “‘shield laws are antithetical to the spirit of federalism and the Dobbs decision by not allowing each state to regulate abortion as it sees fit,’ the letter states,” reports Mr. Freiburger.

Further, the letter states, “‘When New York or California refuses to respect a criminal prosecution or a civil judgment against an individual who is accused of violating the abortion laws of another state, they are refusing to give full faith and credit to that state’s judicial proceedings.’ … The issue illustrates one of the practical difficulties inherent in leaving abortion policy to individual states,’” the letter declares.

“The Trump Administration could … resolve much of the AGs’ concerns,” notes Mr. Freiburger, “by rescinding a Biden Administration directive that ended enforcement of a federal law prohibiting abortion pills from being dispensed by mail. [Pres.] Trump said on the campaign trail that he would not do so, but HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. later promised a ‘complete review’ of the health risks of abortion pills, giving pro-lifers hope. So far, no action has been taken.”

Hence the need for the appeal from the states’ attorneys general.

Out of Business

PLANNED PARENTHOOD IS PREPARING TO SHUT DOWN two abortuaries in Louisiana and two more in Texas. The facilities, reports Matt Lamb for LifeSiteNews, “are part of the same network caught on video by pro-life journalist David Daleiden selling body parts of premature babies.

“‘After more than four decades of operation in Louisiana,’” WAFB [TV channel 9 in Baton Rouge] reported, writes Mr. Lamb, “‘Planned Parenthood will cease all operations in the state effective Sept. 30, closing its two remaining clinics in Baton Rouge and New Orleans.’ … The news outlet reported ‘legal, political and financial pressures from Louisiana officials and lawmakers’ led to the closures. …

“The Louisiana Planned Parenthood locations offered mutilating transgender practices – so-called ‘gender-affirming care’ – and help with out-of-state abortions, according to WDSU-6,” a New Orleans television station quoted by Mr. Lamb.

The editor of Life Advocacy Briefing, on a 2005 trip to Louisiana to aid Hurricane Katrina victims and specifically to aid a pro-life pregnancy center serving New Orleans residents in Baton Rouge, learned from the center director that Planned Parenthood’s New Orleans personnel were pestering hurricane victims sheltering in the state’s capital and in the New Orleans Superdome shelter in order to promote abortion among mothers who were distressed by the natural disaster. We find the news of Planned Parenthood’s departure from Louisiana to be especially sweet.

And pro-life investigative journalist David Daleiden is celebrating as well, according to Mr. Lamb. The facilities being closed by Planned Parenthood Gulf Coast include, writes Mr. Lamb, “a Texas location that was the ‘world’s largest Planned Parenthood clinic,’ as described by Catholic News Agency. [Mr.] Daleiden wrote on X that 10 years ago, he released videos showing PPGC officials discussing the sale of baby parts. ‘Today that notorious regional franchise announced it is closing all of its remaining clinics,’ Daleiden wrote on X,” quoted by LifeSite.

Gov. Stitt Steps Up

OKLAHOMA GOV. KEVIN STITT (R) ISSUED AN EXECUTIVE ORDER on Aug. 1, reports Doug Mainwaring for LifeSiteNews, “strengthening the state’s commitment to protecting unborn life.” Specifically, the order “directs state agencies to cease all public funding for individuals or organizations that commit or are ‘affiliated with’ abortions.”

Said the governor in a social media post quoted by LifeSite, “‘I just signed an executive order to shut down any backdoor funding to abortion-affiliated groups. … Oklahoma is a pro-life state. And if you’re tied to the abortion industry, you won’t get a dime of taxpayer funding here. …

“‘Oklahoma is a pro-life state,’” the governor declared in a statement quoted by Mr. Mainwaring, “‘and our policies should reflect that at every level of our government. We won’t allow tax dollars to indirectly subsidize and flow into the abortion industry under the guise of women’s health. My order makes sure every public dollar aligns with our values and supports providers who respect life at every stage.’”

Planned Parenthood Stumbling?

Aug. 6, 2025, LifeSiteNews report by Calvin Freiburger

             As federal and state governments take aim at the abortion giant’s taxpayer funding, some of Planned Parenthood’s own donors and other insiders are worried that “mission creep” into broader left-wing activism has exacerbated the organization’s struggles, according to a recent report.

             According to the Wall Street Journal, former Planned Parenthood president Leana Wen’s brief tenure following the late Cecile Richards caused internal consternation for her attempts to broaden the mission into non-“reproductive” issues, but a “different kind of mission creep set in” under current president and self-proclaimed “social and racial justice” warrior Alexis McGill Johnson, alienating donors with activist stands on topics like gender, gun control, Senate rules and the size of the Supreme Court.

             Paradoxically, now the “only mention of ‘women’ among its promotional items are T-shirts emblazoned with ‘Stand with Black Women,’” WSJ notes, while the “organization’s pervasive language around ‘pregnant people’ is intended to be inclusive of [so-called] transgender people, a cause that the organization connects to abortion … under the umbrella of “bodily autonomy.”’

             “I don’t understand the national office’s thinking in not allowing anyone to talk about women’s health anymore,” said former PP CEO Pamela Maraldo, who resigned over dissatisfaction with her self-described “safe, legal and rare” approach to abortion. “These really, really left-wing ideological postures are to me just as off-putting as they are on the right when they’re counter to basic Americans’ common sense.”

             The report notes that perceived threats to abortion “access” tend to help the organization’s fundraising, but such boosts are not sustainable and tend to only support more activism.

             “Though the Dobbs ruling led to a surge in fundraising, donations have dropped 15% from a decade high of $428 million in 2022, and most of those funds go toward advocacy,” as opposed to Planned Parenthood’s “services,” WSJ notes. Further, “Some former staff members describe the national office as bloated, with too many employees making too much money in undefined roles. (Planned Parenthood did not respond to a request for comment.) McGill Johnson received more than $900,000 in compensation, according to the organization’s most recent publicly available tax returns.

             “Meanwhile, many clinics are underfunded and operate at a deficit,” the report added. “Some former executives said the national office’s outspoken progressive agenda can make it harder for affiliates to gain the support of local and state governments. Over the past two decades, clinics have closed or left the network. (PP would not provide specific numbers.)”

             Live Action notes that several comments on the article claim to be from former donors, who say they no longer give money after realizing the organization is far more extreme than they initially thought. “I understood that PP needed some funds to run the organization and that lobbying and advocacy (or at least, public relations) were part of the organization’s functioning, but I never thought most of my donations went to those purposes,” one said. Another called the organization little more than a “laundering scheme” for the Democrat Party.

             While Planned Parenthood is best known as the nation’s largest abortion chain, it is also deeply involved in the LGBT movement. It advertises itself as a “safe and welcoming place to get transgender/nonbinary hormone therapy,” including estrogen, anti-androgen, testosterone and puberty blockers. According to the Planned Parenthood Federation of America’s most recent annual report, 45 of its affiliates offered so-called “gender-affirming hormone therapy” in 2022. The report also revealed that PP affiliates across the nation took in $699.3 million in government “health services” reimbursements and grants, accounting for 39% of its total revenue during that period. At the same time, the abortion chain committed 392,715 abortions – yet its non-abortion procedures, such as Pap tests and cancer screenings, continued to decline as percentages of its overall business. …

Dare We Hope?

Aug. 4, 2025, LifeSiteNews report by Calvin Freiburger

             The Trump Administration is abandoning proposals to mandate coverage of in vitro fertilization (IVF) through executive action, according to a new report, but says it remains committed to expanding “access” to the embryo-destructive practice in some way.

             After an Alabama Supreme Court ruling that frozen embryos qualified as children under state law thrust the issue into the national spotlight last year, most national Republicans rushed to declare their support for IVF (with just a handful of exceptions). Leading the charge was Pres. Donald Trump, who cast himself as a “leader on fertilization” and even promised to enact a new federal entitlement to IVF, whether through direct subsidy or insurance mandate (though he also suggested he would support religious exemptions to the latter).

             In February, Trump signed an executive order directing his administration to brainstorm administrative action and policy recommendations to strengthen IVF “access” and “affordability,” though not yet committing to a specific policy. In May, the White House was preparing a report on ways to combat infertility, and as part of those discussions weighed a slate of policy ideas, including adding IVF coverage to US military health insurance, declaring IVF an “essential health benefit” that must be covered under the Affordable Care Act (Obamacare), and calling on Congress to enact a federal mandate for private insurance companies to cover IVF.

             On Friday, however, CBS News reported that Trump’s February executive order’s 90-day deadline came and went on May 19 with no final decision, yet the Administration had no comment on the matter. On Sunday, The Washington Post reported that an Administration official informed the paper that unilaterally mandating IVF as an essential health benefit is no longer in consideration, as the Administration now recognizes the President lacks the authority to do so without an act of Congress. Expanding IVF access is still a “huge priority” for Trump, however, according to the source.

             “How do you do this without burdening health insurers? That’s the key question they’ve been wrestling with,” another source “familiar with the discussions” was quoted as saying. “It appears for now that they’re not going to go there.”

             “Pres. Trump pledged to expand access to fertility treatments for Americans who are struggling to start families,” White House spokeswoman Abigail Jackson told the Post in response. “The Administration is committed like none before it to using its authorities to deliver on this pledge.’

             While the news does not fully resolve concerns about the Trump Administration supporting IVF in some way, several pro-lifers expressed relief that it has been dissuaded from pursuing the most extreme version of such a policy.

             The IVF process is gravely unethical, as it entails the conscious creation of scores of “excess” embryonic humans only to be killed and human lives being treated like commodities to be bartered over. It has been estimated that more than a million embryos are frozen in storage in the US after IVF and that as many as 93% of all embryos created through IVF are eventually destroyed. A 2019 NBC News profile of Florida IVF practitioner Craig Sweet acknowledged that his practice has discarded or abandoned approximately a third of the embryos it places in cold storage.

Wisdom from the Great Communicator

EXCERPT #15 from Abortion & the Conscience of the Nation, 1983 treatise by then-President Ronald Reagan, published in Human Life Review, then as a hardcover book from Thomas Nelson Publishers

             Regrettably, we live at a time when some persons do not value all human life. They want to pick and choose which individuals have value. Some have said that only those individuals with “consciousness of self” are human beings. One such writer has followed this deadly logic and concluded that “shocking as it may seem, a newly born infant is not a human being.”

             A Nobel Prize winning scientist has suggested that if a handicapped child “were not declared fully human until three days after birth, then all parents could be allowed the choice.” In other words, “quality control” to see if newly born human beings are up to snuff.

             Obviously, some influential people want to deny that every human life has intrinsic, sacred worth. They insist that a member of the human race must have certain qualities before they accord him or her status as a “human being.”