URGENT action: Senate votes Tue. Sep. 22 on baby pain bill

On Tuesday morning, the US Senate plans to vote on the Pain-Capable Unborn Child Protection Act to ban abortions at the stage in which developing babies can feel pain. A strong majority of Americans support such a ban. The US House of Representatives has already passed this bill.

Please use this simple, pre-written, customizable letter now to urge your senators to vote YES on this vital bill.

Learn more about this bill.

Meanwhile...

...the US House of Representatives has passed two pro-life bills. 
The Born Alive Abortion Survivors Protection Act (H.R. 3504) was approved 248-177-1.  Five Democrats voted in support (Cartwright-PA, Cuellar-TX, Langevin-RI, Lipinski-IL, Peterson-MN) and one Democrat voted present (Garamendi,  D-CA). No Republicans opposed the bill.  
The Defund Planned Parenthood Act (H.R. 3134) passed by a vote of 241-187-1. Two Democrats supported the bill (Lipinski-IL, and Peterson-MN), three Republicans voted against the bill (Dold-IL, Dent-PA, Hanna-NY), and one Republican voted present (King-IA). 

Clips of floor statements made in support of these two bills are below. Additionally, pasted at the end of this email is an update provided by the GOP Conference on the ongoing House investigations into Planned Parenthood.

Members speaking in support of Born Alive Abortion Survivors Protection Act, H.R. 3504

Chairman Bob Goodlatte (R-VA)

Rep. Trent Franks (R-AZ)

Rep. Brian Babin (R-TX)

Rep. Kevin Brady (R-TX)

Rep. Steve Chabot (R-OH)

Rep. John Fleming (R-LA)

Rep. Tim Huelskamp (R-KS)

Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-CA)

Rep. Luke Messer (R-IN)

Rep. Gary Palmer (R-AL)

Rep. Phil Roe (R-TN)

Rep. Peter Roskam (R-IL)

Rep. Keith Rothfus (R-PA)

Majority Whip Steve Scalise (R-LA)

Rep. Chris Smith (R-NJ) and additional remarks

Rep. Marlin Stutzman (R-IN)

Rep. Rob Wittman (R-VA)

Members speaking in support of Defund Planned Parenthood Act, H.R. 3134

Rep. Marsha Blackburn (R-TN)

Rep. Diane Black (R-TN)

Rep. Rick Allen (R-GA)

Rep. Gus Bilirakis (R-FL)

Rep. Charles Boustany (R-LA)

Rep. Larry Bucshon (R-IN)

Rep. Kevin Cramer (R-ND)

Rep. Rodney Davis (R-IL)

Rep. Sean Duffy (R-WI)

Rep. Renee Ellmers (R-NC)

Rep. Blake Farenthold (R-TX)

Rep. Bob Gibbs (R-OH)

Rep. Brett Guthrie (R-KY)

Rep. Jeb Hensarling (R-TX)

Rep. Jody Hice (R-GA)

Rep. Mike Kelly (R-PA)

Rep. Doug Lamborn (R-CO)

Rep. Rob Pittenger (R-NC)

Rep. Joe Pitts (R-PA)

Rep. Ted Poe (R-TX)

Rep. Phil Roe (R-TN)

Rep. Keith Rothfus (R-PA)

Rep. Chris Smith (R-NJ)

Rep. Tim Walberg (R-MI)

Rep. Brad Wenstrup (R-OH)

Members speaking in support of both bills during debate on the Rule

Rep. Virginia Foxx (R-NC) opening and closing statements

Rep. Bradley Byrne (R-AL)

Rep. Richard Hudson (R-NC)

Rep. Mia Love (R-UT)

Rep. Buddy Carter (R-GA)  

Rep. Barry Loudermilk (R-GA)

Rep. Chris Smith (R-NJ)

Rep. Marth Roby (R-AL)

Nurse's wrenching testimony about baby denied care illustrates need for legislation

A nurse's wrenching testimony speaking to the need for ensuring that all babies born alive receive needed care can be found at:
http://tinyurl.com/NurseBaby
(at the 44:47mark). Doctors had mistakenly determined that a developing baby had severe deformities, so it had been predetermined not to do anything to keep the baby alive when born. The birth, however, showed that the doctors' diagnosis had been wrong.

A nurse who had attended the baby's birth explains, "That baby turned its head and looked at me—looked at me straight in the eyes—when it was born. No measures were taken to resuscitate this child. It wasn't dried, it wasn't patted on the bottom, nothing was done. But this baby was kicking, its heart was beating strongly, and that baby had nothing visibly wrong with it."

Without medical help, the baby died 45 minutes later in the nurse's arms.

Examples such as this are why the 15,000-member Christian Medical Association, the largest faith-based medical association in the world, today urged Members of Congress to pass the Born Alive Abortion SurvivorsProtection Act.

The Born Alive Abortion Survivors Protection Act, which would make failure to provide standard medical care to children born alive during an abortion a federal crime, is desperately needed to enforce the inarguable right to life of born babies. The stronger penalties in cases where an overt act is taken to kill the abortion survivor are especially appropriate. The civil right of action for mothers of children who survive an abortion provides much-needed practical pressure to encourage compliance with the principles of this legislation.

The CMA also urged passage of the Defund Planned Parenthood Act (H.R. 3134).

Given the grossly inhumane and unethical practices revealed in recent videos, HR 3134, which would impose a one-year moratorium on funding for Planned Parenthood Federation of America and its affiliates, stands as a very modest measure meriting bipartisan support. This year will provide more than adequate time for careful consideration of the organization's practices while in the meantime preventing the tax dollars of the American people from propping up the butchery evidenced by the videos.

For more about the Planned Parenthood investigation, visit GOP.gov/plannedparenthood. 

US House hears testimony on Planned Parenthood baby harvesting

The US House of Representatives is homing in on the baby parts-harvesting practices of the billion-dollar "non-profit" Planned Parenthood that rakes in half a billion of our tax dollars each year and performs a third of a million abortions. Here's what's going on right now:

Today the House Republican Conference announced the launch of a landing page on GOP.gov that will provide updates on the Planned Parenthood investigations that are ongoing in three House Committees. The press release is pasted at the bottom of this email.

This morning, the House Judiciary Committee held the first in a series of hearings titled “Planned Parenthood Exposed.” The committee heard testimony from two women who have survived attempted abortions, GiannaJessen and Melissa Ohden, as well as National Right to Life General Counsel Jim Bopp, and Yale Professor Priscilla Smith (invited by the minority). Full video of the hearing and written testimony can be viewed at the Judiciary Committee’s website here.  A USA Today story on the hearing noted:

Perhaps the central dispute of the hearing emerged when Goodlatte asked Priscilla Smith — the one witness who supported Planned Parenthood — whether she believed that a standard "dilation and evacuation" abortion is "humane." She responded that for fetuses that are not viable to live outside the womb, it is a humane way to end the pregnancy. "Your view of humanity and mine are different," Goodlatte replied.

More information:

Opening statements

Chairman Goodlatte, text and video (@RepGoodlatte, @HouseJudiciary)

Subcommittee Chairman Franks, video (@RepTrentFranks)

Witness testimony

Gianna Jessen testimony, text and video  

Melissa Ohden testimony, text and video  

Jim Bopp testimony, text and video

Priscilla Smith testimony, text and video

Questions & statements from the panel

Chairman Goodlatte question to Gianna Jessen (@RepGoodlatte, @HouseJudiciary)

Chairman Goodlatte question to Jim Bopp (@RepGoodlatte, @HouseJudiciary)

Chairman Goodlatte question to Priscilla Smith (@RepGoodlatte, @HouseJudiciary)

Rep. Randy Forbes (R-VA) statement (@Randy_Forbes)

Rep. Sensenbrenner (R-WI) question to Priscilla Smith (@JimPressOffice)

Rep. Issa (R-CA) question to Jim Bopp (@DarrellIssa)

Rep. Franks (R-AZ) question to Bopp (@RepTrentFranks)

Rep. Poe (R-TX) question to Melissa Ohden (@JudgeTedPoe)

Rep. Poe (R-TX) question to Gianna Jessen (@JudgeTedPoe)

Rep. Steve King question to Priscilla Smith and Jim Bopp (@SteveKingIA)

Rep. Gowdy (R-SC) question to Jim Bopp (@TGowdySC)

Rep. Gowdy (R-SC) question to Priscilla Smith (@TGowdySC)

Rep. Labrador (R-ID) statement (@Raul_Labrador)

Rep. Labrador (R-ID) question to Priscilla Smith (@Raul_Labrador)

Rep. Labrador (R-ID) question to Jim Bopp (@Raul_Labrador)

Rep. John Ratcliffe (R-TX) question to Priscilla Smith (@RepRatcliffe)

Rep. Mike Bishop (R-MI) question to Jim Bopp (@RepMikeBishop)

Rep. Doug Collins (R-GA) statement (@RepDougCollins)

Rep. Louie Gohmert (R-TX) statement (@RepLouieGohmert)

For Immediate Release September 9, 2015

Contact: Conference Press (202) 226-9000

Details of House Republicans’ Aggressive Planned Parenthood Investigation 

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Washington, D.C. – The House Republican Conference today launched a landing page on GOP.gov that hosts a comprehensive timeline of the House’s ongoing work investigating the organization.
“As soon as the first video was released in July, the House launched a thorough and aggressive look into Planned Parenthood’s practices that continues today,” said Conference Chair Cathy McMorris Rodgers. “The practices described in these videos are despicable, and we will do everything within our power to hold the President and Planned Parenthood accountable to their content.”
With three standing committees launching robust investigations into Planned Parenthood, the House is taking seriously its responsibility to protect women, families and the unborn. Throughout the House’s investigations, the American people will be able to follow and view updates by clicking here.

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