Status of Illinois legislation that impacts life issues

Anti-Life bills introduced in Illinois' 94th General Assembly in 2006: 

Illinois Funding of Embryonic Stem Cell Research and Human Cloning

SB 2267:   Age-appropriate Sex Education Grant Program Act

Status:  HB 4413 was returned from the Illinois House Health Care Availability and Access Committee back to the Rules Committee without receiving a vote.  This action suggests that HB 4413 lacked support for committee approval.
HB 4413 would allow pharmacists to initiate emergency contraception drug therapy in accordance with guidelines or protocols developed by the pharmacist and an authorized prescriber who is acting within the prescriber's scope of practice. Requires the pharmacist to provide the recipient of the emergency contraception drugs with a standardized fact sheet.  If passed, House Bill 4413 would effectively allow over-the-counter sales of emergency contraceptives (also called morning-after pills), without a prescription under the loose provisions of a "protocol" created to give some perception that emergency contraception will not be dispensed casually. 

Pro-Life bills introduced in Illinois' 94th General Assembly in 2006: 

HB 4346, SB 2343   Pharmacists' Conscience Rights

Status:  HB 4346 was approved 7-1 by the State Government Administration Committee on February 15, 2006.  Calls to request a YES vote on HB 4346 should be placed to your state representative. In contrast, SB 2343 is still held up in the Senate Rules Committee.
These bills provide that a pharmacist may, based on his or her personal, religious beliefs, refuse to fill a prescription for and to dispense emergency contraception. Amends the Health Care Right of Conscience Act to add dispensation of prescribed medication to the list of activities included in the definition of "health care", add pharmacist to the list of occupations included in the definition of "health care personnel", and add pharmacy to the list of facilities included in the definition of "health care facility".  [HB 4786 also has similar provisions.]

HB 4156   Public Support Standards for Biomedical Research Act

Provides that the State, units of local government, school districts, and community college districts may not use or allow the use of public funds, property, or credit for certain human cloning activities.  Status:  HB 4156 was tabled by sponsor Rep. David Reis because of opposition from the House Human Services Committee chairman so it is dead for 2006.

Pro-Life bills introduced in Illinois' 94th General Assembly in 2005:

HB 984   Born Alive Infant Protection Act

Status:   HB 984 was signed into law by Governor Blagojevich on August 12, 2005. 
HB 984 was passed 52-0 (with 4 abstentions) on 5/18/05 in the Illinois Senate.  HB 984 passed 116-0 in the Illinois House on 4/12/05.  HB 984 was amended during a March 9, 2005 hearing in the Illinois House Judiciary I - Civil Law Committee.  The amended version was passed 14-0.  The amendment added two provisions:
(d) Nothing in this Section shall be construed to affect existing federal or State law regarding abortion.
(e) Nothing in this Section shall be construed to alter generally accepted medical standards.

Once it becomes law, this bill guarantees that all newborn babies will be granted the full rights and protections of the law from the moment of birth.  HB 984 uses the exact wording from the Federal legislation signed into law by President Bush in 2003, but with the addition of the two provisions mentioned above.  For more details, review the responses to frequently asked questions.

This bill is intended to address situations like the one at Oak Lawn’s Christ Hospital, where infants born alive as the result of late-term induced-labor abortions were denied any sort of medical care and were set aside in a soiled linen closet until they died.  Illinois’ own Jill Stanek, a former obstetrics nurse at Christ Hospital brought national attention to that cruel and heartless practice as she testified in support of the Federal Born Alive law. 

SB 188  Human Cloning Ban / Adult Stem Cell Research Act

Status:  SB 188 was blocked by not being assigned to a committee for a hearing.
The Human Cloning Ban / Adult Stem Cell Research Act would ban human cloning in Illinois and promote adult stem cell research.  Human cloning has never helped a single patient or resulted in any medical benefits.  Instead, it exploits people and turns procreation into a manufacturing process, treating human life as a commodity.  Adult stem cell research has already helped hundreds of thousands of patients and continues to show great promise for further medical advances. 

HB 1453   Women's Right to Know Act

Status:  HB 1453 lost by a 5-6 vote in the Health Care Availability and Access Committee on March 8, 2005.  This vote denies HB 1453 a vote by the full House.
If passed, this bill would amend the Medical Practice Act of 1987.   The bill provides that an abortion shall not be performed or induced unless the woman has given her voluntary and informed consent.  Guidelines are included for determining whether a woman's consent is voluntary and informed. The bill requires the Department of Public Health to publish printed materials and an informational video concerning certain prenatal services.

This legislation recognizes that the knowledgeable exercise of a woman's decision to have an elective abortion depends on the extent to which the woman receives sufficient information to make a voluntary and informed choice between 2 alternatives of great consequence: carrying a child to birth or undergoing an abortion.  All the provisions of this bill have been previously upheld by the United States Supreme Court in a 1992 Decision (Planned Parenthood of Southeastern Pennsylvania v. Casey).

HB 3031   Require parental consent for mental health screening

Status:  HB 3031 passed 114-0 in the Illinois House on 5/19/05, but was allowed to die in the Illinois Senate Rules Committee. 
HB 3031 amends the Children's Mental Health Act of 2003.  The bill provides that any screening services provided under the Children's Mental Health Plan must be voluntary and conducted with parental consent and in accordance with the Mental Health and Developmental Disabilities Code.   Mental Health: teen screening and parental consent

Anti-life bills introduced in Illinois' 94th General Assembly in 2005:

Status:  HB 2249 was approved in the House Executive Committee, but it was returned to the House Rules Committee because of insufficient support.  No vote was taken by the full Illinois House so this bill is dead for 2005. 
HB 2249 would establish funding for embryonic stem cell research that includes use of human cloning as a source of these embryos.  Sponsors have included language to try to make it appear that this bill bans human cloning.  IT DOES NOT.  HB 2249 is a derivative from HB 3815, but with provisions for a referendum to approve $1 billion in state funding removed.  The bill still calls for a 6% tax on cosmetic surgery to fund unethical embryonic stem cell research that includes cloning of embryos to be used for research.

HJRCA 3:  Equal Rights Amendment (ERA)

Status:  SB 2100 has been approved in the Health and Human Services committee, but the sponsors recognized it did not have the votes to pass so it was returned to the Rules Committee.  Neither SB 2100 or HB 3815 had enough support for passage.
HB 3815 and SB 2100 would create a funding mechanism to finance human cloning for research purposes (these bills include a ban on implanting "the product of nuclear transplantation [a human clone] into a woman's uterus" -- this wording would not ban human cloning, but attempts to prevent any attempts to grow a human clone beyond the embryonic stage)

HB 3815 and SB 2100 establish funding for embryonic stem cell research that includes use of human cloning as a source of human embryos.  Sponsors have included language to try to make it appear that this bill bans human cloning.  IT DOES NOT.  The language tries to redefine cloning as something that occurs only if the cloned embryo is implanted in the womb.  The research method allowed for produced Dolly the sheep, so redefining cloning as something that occurs after implantation will not prevent cloning of human beings.  Calls to Illinois State Representatives and Senators are needed to oppose HB 3815 and SB 2100.  Legislators should promote adult stem cell research. 

Status:  HB 2492 was passed 8-3 on 5/4/05 in the Illinois Senate Health & Human Services Committee, but it was never called for a vote by the full Senate so it is dead for 2005.   Earlier HB 2492 passed 76-32 in the Illinois House. 
HB 2492 will require a person that issues an order or a referral for the administration of an ultrasound upon a pregnant woman to be licensed to practice medicine in all of its branches, licensed as an advanced practice nurse, or licensed as a physician assistant.  The most prominent reason to oppose this bill is because it amounts to over-regulation and a waste of taxpayer money to enforce it. 

Supporters of this bill, led by Planned Parenthood, say HB 2492 is needed to protect the fetus from excessive ultrasound.  If they are so concerned about laws to protect health, why do they oppose regulations on abortion clinics, currently less regulated than veterinary clinics?  If they want to rely on FDA statements, why is a recommendation to avoid unnecessary ultrasound more important than the FDA concerns about over-ther counter sales of emergency contraception?  Refer below to HB 2535 that would require sales of emergency contraception over-the-counter.   Planned Parenthood is pushing for that bill before the FDA rules on allowing over-the-counter sales, while seeking to enforce an FDA recommendation on ultrasound use.   Such hypocrisy points to an agenda.  Might we guess that they do not like people to see pictures that reveal the humanity of children in the womb?  Is that a good reason for passing a law?

HB 2535 would allow pharmacists to initiate emergency contraception drug therapy in accordance with guidelines or protocols developed by the pharmacist and an authorized prescriber who is acting within the prescriber's scope of practice. Requires the pharmacist to provide the recipient of the emergency contraception drugs with a standardized fact sheet. 

If passed, House Bill 2535 would effectively allow over-the-counter sales of emergency contraceptives (also called morning-after pills), without a prescription under the loose provisions of a "protocol" created to give some perception that emergency contraception will not be dispensed casually.  HB 2535 is sponsored by state Rep. Sara Feigenholtz (D-Chicago).

“That such ready availability of the ‘morning after’ pill would encourage and facilitate irresponsible sexual behavior is only a part of what’s wrong with this proposal,” said IFI Executive Director Peter LaBarbera. “These pills won’t protect girls in any way from the spread of disease, but will give them a false sense of security, when all the while they are putting themselves and their futures at serious risk.”  Also of concern is the use of this pill to allow sexual predators to prey on young girls, but protect themselves from fathering any unwanted children.

Anti-life bills introduced in Illinois' 93rd General Assembly in 2004:

Update:  HB 3589 is finally dead because the 93rd General Assembly is now history as of January 11, 2005. 
Status:  The Illinois Legislature voted down an amendment to HB 3589 on  November 18, 2004.  The amendment lost with 28 yes votes and 29 no votes.  Thirty votes would be needed for passage of the final bill.  No final attempt was made to pass HB 3589 on January 10/11, 2005 so it is finally dead.

HB 3589 permits human cloning for research -- sponsored by Sen. Jeffrey Schoenberg, who continued trying new amendments to HR 3589 after his earlier amendment failed.  (on May 12th, an amendment to HB 3589 failed on the Senate floor -- it added a ban on implanting "the product of nuclear transplantation [a human clone] into a woman's uterus" -- this change would not ban human cloning, but attempts to prevent any attempts to grow a human clone beyond the embryonic stage)

HB 3589 promotes embryonic stem cell research and human cloning.  Sponsors have added an amendment to try to make it appear that this bill bans human cloning.  IT DOES NOT.  The amendment tries to redefine cloning as something that occurs only if the cloned embryo is implanted in the womb.  The research method allowed for in the amendment produced Dolly the sheep, so redefining cloning in HB 3589 as something that occurs after implantation will not prevent cloning of human beings.  Calls to Illinois State Senators are needed to inform them that the amendment to HB 3589 DOES NOT make this bill acceptable; vote NO on HB 3589, with or without the amendment!  Legislators should promote adult stem cell research.  (from the Respect Life Office, Archdiocese of Chicago)

NOTE:  HB 6577 expired with the end of the 93rd General Assembly on January 11, 2005. 

HB 6577   Emergency Contraception Without a Prescription

Status:  On April 30, 2004, HB 6577 was sent back to the Rules Committee without a vote on the House floor, thus confirming that sponsors recognized they did not have the votes to pass this bill.  Though the bill is technically "dead", the Rules Committee could return it to the House floor if the bill's sponsors convinced Rules that they had found enough votes to pass the bill.

The Illinois House Health Care Availability and Access Committee passed HB 6577 by a 13-5 vote on February 24, 2004.  It was never brought to a vote on the House floor because sponsors recognized they did not have the votes to pass the bill. 

If passed, House Bill 6577 would allow over-the-counter sales of emergency contraceptives (also called morning-after pills), without a prescription or doctor’s supervision.  Sponsored by state Rep. Sara Feigenholtz (D-Chicago), this bill would require that the medicine come only with an “information” sheet to guide in its use.

“That such ready availability of the ‘morning after’ pill would encourage and facilitate irresponsible sexual behavior is only a part of what’s wrong with this proposal,” said IFI Executive Director Peter LaBarbera. “These pills won’t protect girls in any way from the spread of disease, but will give them a false sense of security, when all the while they are putting themselves and their futures at serious risk.”  Also of concern is the use of this pill to allow sexual predators to prey on young girls, but protect themselves from fathering any unwanted children.

SB 3186 (adds sexual orientation to Illinois human rights law) -- It was signed into law on 01/21/05 after passage by the Senate on 01/10/05 and the House on 01/11/05.  This bill is a serious threat to religious freedom for individuals.  It has all the negative implications documented for SB 101.

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  Pro-Life bills introduced in the Illinois Legislature for 2004:

None of these bills were allowed to advance to a floor vote.   Except for HB 4643, they were held in the Rules Committee (in the House, if HB, and in the Senate, if SB).  HB 4643 was assigned to a hostile committee where it was voted down and returned to Rules.  No action can be taken on bills held in the Rules Committee.  House and Senate Rules Committees assign bills to active committees for hearings and debate on the merits of the bills.  If passed by committee, the bills can be debated and voted on by the full House or Senate, if called by the bill's sponsor.

HB 4770   Born Alive Infant Protection Act

If passed, this bill would guarantee that all newborn babies will be granted the full rights and protections of the law from the moment of birth.  HB 4770 uses the exact wording from the Federal legislation signed into law by President Bush in 2003.  Two other bills with nearly identical language have also been introduced: SB 2855 in the Senate and HB 4008 in the House.

This bill is intended to address situations like the one at Oak Lawn’s Christ Hospital, where infants born alive as the result of late-term induced-labor abortions were denied any sort of medical care and were set aside in a soiled linen closet until they died.  Illinois’ own Jill Stanek, a former obstetrics nurse at Christ Hospital brought national attention to that cruel and heartless practice as she testified in support of the Federal Born Alive law.

HB 4643   Women's Right to Know Act

Status:  The Illinois House Human Services Committee voted 8-1 against HB 4643 on Wednesday, March 3, 2004.  Calls to members of the Human Services Committee are needed, expressing concern that they rejected HB 4643 (and thanking Rep. Patricia Bellock for her support of HB 4643).

If passed, this bill would amend the Medical Practice Act of 1987.   The bill provides that an abortion shall not be performed or induced unless the woman has given her voluntary and informed consent.  Guidelines are included for determining whether a woman's consent is voluntary and informed. The bill requires the Department of Public Health to publish printed materials and an informational video concerning certain prenatal services.

This legislation recognizes that the knowledgeable exercise of a woman's decision to have an elective abortion depends on the extent to which the woman receives sufficient information to make a voluntary and informed choice between 2 alternatives of great consequence: carrying a child to birth or undergoing an abortion.  All the provisions of this bill have been previously upheld by the United States Supreme Court in a 1992 Decision (Planned Parenthood of Southeastern Pennsylvania v. Casey).

SB 2856   Viability Testiing

If passed, this bill would require viability testing for all pregnancies of 20 or more weeks gestational age prior to an abortion and would mandate that the abortion procedure take place in a hospital, rather than a free-standing abortion clinic, where the infant can receive appropriate medical care.

HB 6693 & SB 2934  Human Cloning Ban / Adult Stem Cell Research Act

The Human Cloning Ban / Adult Stem Cell Research Act would ban human cloning in Illinois and promote adult stem cell research.  Human cloning has never helped a single patient or resulted in any medical benefits.  Instead, it exploits people and turns procreation into a manufacturing process, treating human life as a commodity.  Adult stem cell research has already helped hundreds of thousands of patients and continues to show great promise for further medical advances. 

The deadline to get these bills passed through committee is rapidly approaching so it's critical to call now.  Ask your state representative and senator to join the sponsors in pushing for action on these bills.  The sponsors of these bills are:

SB 2934 (in the Illinois State Senate) - Sponsored by Senator William Haine
HB 6693 (in the Illinois State House) - Sponsored by Representative Patti Bellock

New Choose Life License Plate bills
(Get current information on HB 5883 and SB 3089)

Senate President Emil Jones kept these bills alive in the Senate Rules Committee but he was unable to get them passed in 2004 so they are dead now that the 93rd General Assembly has ended:

 HB 2486  Freedom of Access to Clinic Entrances Act
(restricts the right to pray and counsel in front of abortion clinics)

 HB 3589   permits human cloning for research

HJRCA 1 (Federal Equal Rights Amendment) 
(would force taxpayer funding of abortion and strike down any restrictions on abortion)

Status of Federal Legislation that Impacts Life Issues

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United States House of Representatives

Senators Barack Obama and Richard Durbin (U.S. Senators for Illinois) can be reached via the Capitol switchboard at 1-202-224-3121 or by email using the United States Senate web site.

Legislative Action Center   (For additional information on legislation)

The Federal bills identified below expired at the end of the 2006 legislative
session of the 109th U.S. Congress without becoming law,
except those identified as signed into law. 

With the Democrats now heading Congressional committees, Pro-Life bills like these are not likely to even be brought to a vote during 2007 or 2008 in the 110th U.S. Congress.

Unborn Child Pain Awareness Act (H.R. 6099)
Status:  H.R. 6099 received a majority vote on December 6, 2006, but not enough votes to pass under accelerated rules.  The Unborn Child Pain Awareness Act (H.R. 6099) had 93 co-sponsors.    More details...

The purpose of this bill is to inform the public -- especially mothers seeking abortion -- of the pain experienced by unborn children during abortion. University of Arkansas pediatrician, Dr. Kanwaljeet Anand testified as an expert witness in the Partial-Birth Abortion Ban lawsuit that children are conscious once they have reached 20 weeks gestation and that they experience excruciating pain in the course of abortion. It is on the basis of his testimony that the new bill has been fashioned, requiring abortionists to inform their customers -- if at least 20 weeks pregnant -- about the pain their babies will experience and to offer anesthesia for such babies. The bill pertains to any abortion technique.

Child Custody Protection Act (S. 403) -- see also H.R. 748

Status:  After approving the Child Custody Protection Act by 65-34 on July 25, 2006, the Senate Democrats blocked the bill on September 30, 2006 on a failed closure vote of 57-42 (60 votes were needed).  [Call Senator Durbin at 312-353-4952 and Senator Obama at  312-886-3506 to express concern about their votes to block this bill.]
The Child Custody Protection Act (S. 403) would make it a federal offense to transport a minor across state lines for an abortion without fulfilling the requirements of a parental notification law in effect in the home state.  With Senate passage of the bill, a conference committee is needed to work out minor differences with the House passed version.  Senator Dick Durbin has objected to appointment of Senate members, apparently as a stall tactic to delay S. 403 from becoming law. 

Human Cloning Prohibition Act of 2005 (H.R. 1357 & S. 658)

Status:  H.R. 1357 did not receive a floor vote in 2006.  H.R. 1357 and S. 658 were introduced on 3/17/05 and have been referred to committees in both the House and Senate.  
The Human Cloning Prohibition Act of 2005 was introduced in both the U.S. House of Representatives and the U.S. Senate.  H.R. 1357 is sponsored by Congressmen Dave Weldon (R-FL.) with 109 co-sponsors.  S. 658 is sponsored by Senator Sam Brownback (R-KS) with 28 co-sponsors.  This bill, which is backed by President Bush, would ban the creation of human embryos by cloning, regardless of whether they are intended for reproduction or for research. 

Stem Cell Research Enhancement Act of 2005 (H.R. 810)
On July 19, 2006 the House of Representatives sustained President Bush's veto of H.R. 810.  Get details under Anti-Life Bill.

Fetus Farming Prohibition Act (S. 3504)

Status:  S. 3504 was passed on July 18, 2006 by both the Senate and the House and was then signed into law by President Bush. 
The Fetus Farming Prohibition Act (S. 3504) would, according to Senator Sam Brownback (R-KS), “stop the gruesome practice of initiating human pregnancies in either women or animal uteruses for the purpose of obtaining human tissues for research.”

Alternative Pluripotent Stem Cell Therapies Enhancement Act (S. 2754)

Status:  The Senate passed S. 2754 on July 18, 2006, but the House failed to concur so the bill is dead. 
The Alternative Pluripotent Stem Cell Therapies Enhancement Act (S. 2754) would instruct the Federal government to seek alternative sources of embryonic stem cells that do not require the killing of embryos.  Concerns expressed about this bill appear based on mis-information.  

RU-486 Suspension and Review Act of 2005
(H.R. 1079 and S. 511)

The RU-486 Suspension and Review Act of 2005 (also known as Holly's Law -- named after Holly Patterson who was killed September 17, 2003 by RU-486 in California) would revoke the FDA approval of RU-486 for performing chemical abortions to allow time for investigations of the approval process and the dangers inherent to the drug.  At least eight women have died after using RU-486 to induce an abortion.  See Pro-Life Groups Renew Call to Pass Holly's Law for more details.

The House version (H.R. 1079) was introduced by Rep. Roscoe Bartlett (R-MD).  "The bill would end the marketing and availability of the abortion drug, RU-486, and require a review of the original approval process," explained Lisa Wright, Bartlett's press secretary.  The Senate version (S. 511) was introduced by Senator Jim DeMint (R-SC).

Elizabeth Cady Stanton Pregnant and Parenting Student Services Act of 2005 (H.R. 4265 & S. 1966)

Status:  The provisions of H.R. 4265 (introduced by Melissa Hart) have been included by amendment into H.R. 609, the College Access and Opportunity Act, which was passed by the House of Representatives.  
The purpose of this act is to establish a pilot program to provide grants to encourage eligible institutions of higher education to establish and operate pregnant and parenting student services offices for pregnant students, parenting students, prospective parenting students who are anticipating a birth or adoption, and students who are placing or have placed a child for adoption.The equivalent Senate bill, S. 1966, was introduced by Senator Elizabeth Dole.  For more details, refer to the following article:

House Backs Amendment Helping College Students Find Abortion Alternatives

Child Interstate Abortion Notification Act (H.R. 748) -- see also S. 403

Status:  H.R. 748 was passed by the House of Representatives on a 270-157 vote taken on 4/27/05 (after passing 20-13 in the House Judiciary Committee on 4/13/05).
The Child Interstate Abortion Notification Act (H.R. 748) in the U.S. House of Representatives expands the provisions of the Senate bill called the Child Custody Protection Act (S. 403).  This House bill was introduced by Rep. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen (R-FL) on 2/10/05 with 105 original co-sponsors. 

H.R. 748 (called CIANA) requires any abortionist to notify a parent before performing an abortion on a minor who is a resident of another state, unless the minor has already received authorization from a court in her home state, or unless the abortionist is already required to provide such parental notification by a current law in the state in which he practices.  If the minor asserts that she is the victim of abuse, the abortionist would notify the appropriate state child abuse agency instead of a parent.

Parent's Right to Know Act of 2005 (H.R. 3011 and S. 1279)

H.R. 3011 and S. 1279 are titled "Parent's Right to Know Act of 2005."  Either of these bills would reverse the perverse policy of the Federal Title X (Ten) promiscuity promotion program which bars program grantees from informing parents of a minor that the agency is prescribing contraceptive drugs or devices to their child.  H.R. 3011, introduced by Rep. Todd Akin (R-MO), requires Title X grantees to notify at least one parent five business days before prescribing contraceptives to a minor, and to receive consent from that parent before proceeding.  H.R. 3011 has been referred to the House Committee on Energy & Commerce.  S. 1279 was introduced by Senator Tom Coburn (R-OK) and referred to the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee.
Phone calls to Representatives and Senators in Washington are in order to request passage of the Parent's Right to Know Act of 2005 and may be placed via the Capitol switchboard at 1-202-224-3121, or to the lawmaker's home office.

Right to Life Act (H.R. 552)

Status:  H.R. 552 was introduced by Rep. Duncan Hunter (R-CA) in the House of Representatives on 2/02/05 and referred to the subcommittee on the Constitution. H.R. 552 is intended to implement equal protection under the 14th article of amendment to the Constitution for the right to life of each born and preborn human person. Since the Roe v. Wade decision that legalized abortion left the legal question of when life begins undetermined, this provision would require recognition of the right to life of human beings from "the moment of fertilization, cloning, or other moment at which an individual member of the human species comes into being."  Abortion would then be a violation of the rights of this new human person.

Parental Consent Act of 2005 (H.R. 181)

Status:  H.R. 181 was introduced by Rep. Ron Paul (R-TX) in the House of Representatives on 1/04/05 and referred to the subcommittee on education reform.
The Parental Consent Act of 2005 would prohibit the use of Federal funds to establish or implement any universal or mandatory mental health screening program.  Such programs would violate the right of parents to direct and control the upbringing of their children.   Federal funds should never be used to support programs that could lead to the increased over-medication of children, the stigmatization of children and adults as mentally disturbed based on their political or other beliefs, or the violation of the liberty and privacy of Americans by subjecting them to invasive mental health screening.

Informed Choice (H.R. 216)

This bill would authorize the Secretary of Health and Human Services to make grants to nonprofit tax-exempt organizations for the purchase of ultrasound equipment to provide free examinations to pregnant women needing such services, and for other purposes.

The nomination of Samuel Alito to the U.S. Supreme Court

Status:  The U.S. Senate confirmed the nomination of Samuel Alito by 58-42 on January 31, 2006 after a January 30 vote of 72-25 to end debate, preventing a filibuster. 
On October 31, 2005 President George Bush nominated Judge Samuel Alito for the U.S. Supreme Court.  Alito has been a Federal Appeals Court judge for 15 years. 

Stem Cell Therapeutic and Research Act of 2005 (H.R. 2520) 

Status:  H.R. 2520 was signed into law by President Bush on 12/20/05.  On 12/16/05 H.R. 2520 was amended and passed by the U.S. Senate based on unanimous consent.  This amended version was passed 413-0 on 12/17/05 by the U.S. House of Representatives.  [H.R. 2520 was originally approved 431-1 by the House on 5/24/05.] 

The Stem Cell Therapeutic and Research Act of 2005 (H.R. 2520) facilitates research and treatment using umbilical cord blood by contracting with qualified cord blood stem cell banks to assist in the collection and maintenance of 150,000 units of high-quality human cord blood to be made available for transplantation.

This legislation would create a connected national network of public umbilical cord banks.  The legislation would authorize $15 million in federal funds during Fiscal Year 2006 and $30 million in FY 2007 to enhance the collection, processing, testing, freezing and storing of cord blood units that would then be made available for transplantation treatments.  “This bill will help turn medical waste into medical miracles for thousands of patients who otherwise have no hope to recover from lethal diseases,” stated Congressman Chris Smith (R-NJ).   “In addition to existing treatments for cancers, genetic diseases and other conditions, recent scientific developments suggest that human stem cell research based on cord blood stem cells may lead to treatments of many other debilitating conditions from Parkinson's to diabetes to heart disease.” 

“This is going to be a critical investment in health.  We need to increase the available inventory of cord blood stem cell units to assure opportunity for all Americans, regardless of race, to find a suitable match for transplantation.  A national inventory of at least 150,000 cord blood stem cell units would allow 80-90% of all American patients in need to find a good to excellent match for transplantation.  We should not wait on providing such a valuable resource to those who need this treatment,” concluded Smith.

Incapacitated Persons Legal Protection Act, also called Terri's Law (S. 686 replaced H.R. 1332 which replaced H.R. 1151 & S. 539)

Status:  S. 686 was signed into law by President Bush after passage by both the  Senate and the House of Representatives on 3/20/05.
The Incapacitated Persons Legal Protection Act (S. 686) provides for Federal Court review solely of the case of Terri Schiavo.  H.R. 1332 had covered the general case where no written patient intent exists and a state court has ordered denial of food and water.  The original version (H.R.1151 and S. 539) relied on the "writ of habeas corpus".  In final form, the bill, also called Terri’s Law, is intended to ensure that Terri's parents can access the due process guaranteed them by the Constitution for determination of whether Terri's rights have been violated. 

The Incapacitated Persons Legal Protection Act allows a federal court hearing on certain state court orders that have denied Terri food, fluid, or medical treatment necessary to sustain life. 

Tell President Bush that the recent FDA approval of Plan B sales without a prescription is not acceptable

You can leave a message for President Bush on the White House comment line by calling 202-456-1111, and using some of the above information.  You can send a written message by email at comments@whitehouse.gov or by fax at 202-456-2461.  [Keep reading below for more details.]

Tell the FDA that Plan B sales without a prescription threatens women's health

On August 24, 2006 the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved a plan to allow Barr Laboratories to sell the Plan B morning-after pill without a prescription to 18-year-olds and above.  You can contact the FDA Commissioner's office at (301) 827-2410 or by e-mail at commissioner@FDA.gov to let the FDA know that this decision is a violation of the FDA's function to protect consumers from dangerous drugs.  A message can also be sent to the FDA at http://www.fda.gov/cder/comment.htm.  If you want details to include in your message, consider copying any or all of the following points into your message:

Anti-Life Bill in the U.S. Congress:

Stem Cell Research Enhancement Act of 2005 (H.R. 810)

Status:  In a vote on July 19, 2006 the House of Representatives failed to override President Bush's veto of H.R. 810.  The Senate had passed H.R. 810 by a vote of 63-37 on July 18, 2006.  On 5/24/05, H.R. 810 was passed 238-194 by the U.S. House of Representatives.
The Stem Cell Research Enhancement Act of 2005 (H.R. 810) would authorize using taxpayer funds for unproven embryonic stem cell research.  H.R. 810 would overturn limits President Bush has placed on funding this research.  Specifically, H.R. 810 would authorize funds to obtain stem cells from "excess" embryos from in vitro fertilization if they were donated by fertility clinics with the permission of the parents.  Bush's policies have placed more focus on research using stem cells from adults, from umbilical cord blood, and from other ethical sources that do not require killing human embryos to obtain the stem cells. 

Stop Deceptive Advertising for Women's Services Act (H.R. 5052)

Contact your U.S. Representative and urge them to oppose the "Stop Deceptive Advertising for Women's Services Act" (H.R. 5052). This bill would penalize Crisis Pregnancy Centers from using the term "abortion" in their services description, thus making it harder to help and save pregnant women and girls confused about abortion and the effects of it.  Crisis centers are not being deceptive.  They are giving women real choices, and many even have ultrasounds so they can show the mother her own child, a living human being in her womb.  H.R. 5052 is a crass attempt to protect the profits of the abortion industry.

The Federal bills identified below expired at the end of the 2004 legislative
session of the 108th U.S. Congress without becoming law. 

Child Custody Protection Act (H.R. 1755 & S. 851)

The Child Custody Protection Act would make it a federal offense to transport a minor across state lines to obtain an abortion, in order to circumvent a home-state law requiring notification of one or both parents prior to an abortion.  The bill has been introduced in both the House of Representatives and the Senate, but no votes have been taken on either bill. 

Post-Abortion Depression Research and Care Act (H.R. 4543)

The Post-Abortion Depression Research and Care Act, HR 4543, is sponsored by Rep. Joe Pitts (R-PA), and is co-sponsored by 28 other Representatives.  It will allocate $15 million to the National Institutes of Health in the next five years, and provides for $1.5 million in grants for private organizations that diagnose and treat post-abortion depression.  The bill is currently in the House Energy and Commerce Committee.  Post-abortion depression is not recognized by the American Psychiatric Association (APA) because of internal organizational politics, but the bill would allow for research in the area -- an idea welcomed by non-profit organizations that currently help women suffering from the aftermath of abortion.

RU-486 Suspension and Review Act of 2003 (H.R. 3453)

The RU-486 Suspension and Review Act of 2003 (also known as Holly's Law -- named after Holly Patterson who was killed September 17, 2003 by RU-486 in California) would revoke the FDA approval of RU-486 for performing chemical abortions to allow time for investigations of the approval process and the dangers inherent to the drug. 

Human Cloning Prohibition Act (H.R. 534 & S. 245)

On February 27, 2003, the House of Representatives passed, 241-155, the Human Cloning Prohibition Act (H.R. 534), sponsored by Congressmen Dave Weldon (R-Fl.) and Bart Stupak (D-Mi.).  This bill, which is backed by President Bush, would ban the creation of human embryos by cloning.  The House decisively rejected (231-174) a competing proposal (“substitute amendment”) proposed by Congressmen Jim Greenwood (R-Pa.) and Peter Deutsch (D-Fl.) that would have allowed and encouraged the creation of human embryos by cloning, while attempting to ban the use of any such cloned embryo to “initiate a pregnancy.” 

In the Senate, the policy supported by President Bush is embodied in the Brownback-Landrieu bill (S. 245).   The language of the Brownback-Landrieu bill is nearly the same as the Weldon-Stupak bill, in that both ban the creation of and trafficking in cloned human embryos.  But the House bill also bans importation of “any product derived from” cloned human embryos, while the Senate bill does not.  In the Senate, competing legislation to allow and encourage the cloning of human embryos for research has been introduced by Senator Orrin Hatch (R-Utah), Dianne Feinstein (D-Ca.), and others as S. 303.  The thrust of the Hatch-Feinstein bill is the same as that of the Greenwood-Deutsch Substitute that the House rejected on February 27. 

Parents Right to Know Act (H.R. 2444)

H.R. 2444 is titled "Parents Right to Know Act."  It would reverse the perverse policy of the Federal Title X (Ten) promiscuity promotion program which bars program grantees from informing parents of a minor that the agency is prescribing contraceptive drugs or devices to their child.  H.R. 2444, introduced by Rep. Todd Akin (R-MO) requires Title X grantees to notify at least one parent five business days before prescribing contraceptives to a minor, and to receive consent from that parent before proceeding.  It has been referred to the House Committee on Energy & Commerce, where favorable action is expected.

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Unborn Victims of Violence Act (H.R. 1997) -- Now LAW!
(On April 1, 2004 President Bush signed H.R. 1997 into law, following the March 25, 2004 U.S. Senate passage of H.R. 1997 on a 61-38 vote.   Since H.R. 1997 was not amended by the Senate, it was able to go to President Bush for his signature, given the February 26, 2004 U.S. House passage of H.R. 1997 on a 254-163 vote.)

The Unborn Victims of Violence Act makes it a Federal crime when any attack on a pregnant woman harms or injures the preborn child.  In light of the Laci and Conner Peterson tragedy, enacting this legislation would recognize what over 84% of Americans recognize, that there were two victims in this crime.  In memory of Laci and Conner the Unborn Victims of Violence Act of 2003 is also called "Laci and Conner's Law."  The Unborn Victims of Violence Act was introduced in the U.S. House by Congresswoman Melissa Hart (R-PA) and in the U.S. Senate by Senator Mike DeWine (R-OH). 

Abortion Non-Discrimination Act  -- Now LAW!
This bill was added to an appropriations bill as an amendment and became law near the end of the 2004 legislative session.

The Abortion Non-Discrimination Act is designed to protect hospitals whose policies prohibit performing abortions.  The bill is needed to clarify existing law because some courts have misinterpreted that law as only covering medical residents in training.  

Partial-Birth Abortion Ban Act (H.R. 760 & S. 3) -- Now LAW!
(The final revised bill was approved by the Senate 64-34 on 10/22/03, after House approval 281-142 on 10/2/03.  The vote came after the bill's approval on 9/30/03 by a vote of 6-4 in the House/Senate conference committee. This revised bill removed the Senate amendment endorsing Roe v. Wade.   The bill was signed by President George W. Bush on November 5, 2003.)

Background information on efforts to ban partial birth abortion:

The U.S. Senate passed its version of the ban on partial birth abortion (S. 3), sponsored by Senator Rick Santorum (R-Pa.), on March 13 by a lopsided vote of 64-33.  Before passing the bill, the Senate voted 52-46 to add one amendment, opposed by pro-life supporters of the bill, the Harkin Amendment, which endorses the Supreme Court’s Roe v. Wade decision and urges that it not be overturned.  The House version of the Partial-Birth Abortion Ban Act (H.R. 760) is sponsored by Congressman Steve Chabot (R-Oh.).  On June 4, the House approved the bill 282-139, in a form identical to the Senate-passed bill except without the Harkin Amendment.

Because the two bills differed with respect to the Harkin Amendment, a House-Senate conference committee was necessary.  After the House passed the bill in June, Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist (R-Tn.) attempted to accomplish the procedural step necessary to convene a conference committee, but Democratic senators delayed this action by demanding an additional eight hours of debate before allowing appointment of conference committee members. On July 30, Senator Frist agreed to this request, but it was too late to take action before the summer recess.  Finally, after eight hours of debate were completed, on 9/17/03 the U.S. Senate passed by a vote of 93-0 a motion to appoint members to a conference committee so differences in the bills could be resolved.