Week in Review – New Hampshire finally taking steps to limit abortion funding
There are some stirrings of anti-abortion legislation in New Hampshire this year. New Hampshire has consistently been a place where abortion is not discouraged by state law. The World Population Review described the situation on abortion in the state in early 2021 in this way: “New Hampshire abortion law states that abortions are legal at any point in the pregnancy. The procedure does not need to be performed by a licensed physician. Minors must get written consent from a parent or guardian at least 48 hours prior to the procedure.” Some of this will be changing as the result of a two-year budget signed into law last Friday. The 2021 NH budget includes HB2 that is legislation described as a “budget rider.”
NH HB2 mentions abortion 32 times and includes the following, among other provisions:
- Prohibits the distribution of state funds awarded by the department of health and human services to a reproductive health care facility for provision of abortion services, and prohibits a health care provider from performing an abortion if the gestational age of the fetus is at least 24 weeks unless there is a medical emergency.
- Any contract awarded to a family planning project shall contain all of the following provisions: (1) that no state funds shall be used to subsidize abortions, either directly or indirectly; (2) that the family planning project will permit the commissioner of the department of health and human services, or his or her designated agent or delegate, to inspect the financial records of the family planning project to monitor compliance with this section; (3) that at the end of each fiscal year, the commissioner shall certify, in writing, to the governor and council that he or she, personally or through a designated agent or delegate, has reviewed the expenditure of funds awarded to a family planning project under this section and that no state funds awarded by the department have been used to provide abortion services; and (4) that if the commissioner fails to make such certification or if the governor and executive council, based on evidence presented by the commissioner in his or her certification, find that state funds awarded by the department have been used to provide abortion services, the grant recipient shall either: (a) be found to be in breach of the terms of such contract, grant, or award of funds and forfeit all right to receive further funding; or (b) suspend all operations until such time as the state funded family planning project is physically and financially separate from any reproductive health facility.
As a result of the contract restrictions cited above, NOWCAST News 9 in Manchester reported this week that the NH “Executive Council says it wants completed audits before authorizing new contracts.” It quoted Councilor David Wheeler, R-Milford stating, “Planned Parenthood, in particular, and some of the other outfits need to disclose their finances, which they haven’t done in the past.”
Wheeler then described some of the ways recipients of state funds are using it to support abortion: “It pays to keep the lights on in the same building, it pays the receptionist, and it pays the rent in those buildings, so the money really is mixed, and I don’t know how you un-mix it.”
There have been reported pushbacks by the state Health and Human Services commissioner that requiring the audits before approving new contracts might cause an interruption of services. The reported reply from Councilor Wheeler has been: “They’ve got a month. There’s no reason why this can’t be done in a month. You heard the department say it would be two meetings from now, so they’ve got a whole month to get their act together, and there’s no reason why they can’t.”
Prior to all this activity this year, New Hampshire was one of only seven states that had no limits on when during a pregnancy an abortion could be committed. Now, there is beginning to be some limits put in place, but also some real efforts not to fund abortions.
ALL in the News – Abortionist Offered MBW Member $100 to Never Pray at an Abortion Facility Again; ALL Continues to Support COVID Research Project
This week, ALL’s program, the Marian Blue Wave, sent out a special update from two MBW prayer partners. One of them tells how a late-term abortionist offered her money to never pray in front of his facility again! Read this story and others like it here.
Recently, American Life League was asked to comment on involvement with Dr. Kyle McKenna’s research project on COVID-19 herd immunity. The College Fix published an article highlighting the project and citing ALL as a benefactor and supporter. ALL director of media relations, Katie Brown, gave a statement congratulating Dr. McKenna and his team. Read the article here.
Every Friday afternoon, the American Life League social media team, Dwain Currier and Katie Brown, host the Friday Live Show on Instagram Live. Last week, the duo discussed everything the media has gotten wrong when reporting on the USCCB and President Biden. The show regularly discusses current events and provides young adults a platform where they can have their culture of life questions answered. Replays of the show can be found on Facebook.
Twice a week, Judie Brown’s commentaries are distributed to an expansive media list. The list contains over 100 media outlets such as Fox News, The Federalist, Breitbart, and The Daily Caller, among others. Judie’s Tuesday commentary, Our Discombobulated World, was featured on the front page of ALL.org. The commentary was republished by CNS News. Each commentary is also featured as a part of Judie’s recurring column on Renew America.
Jim Sedlak’s Pro-Life Activism from Creation to Death is a weekly talk-radio program on the Radio Maria USA network. The show can be heard live every Friday at noon (Eastern Time) and is repeated on Saturdays (10 PM). Each show features an update on what is happening in the pro-life world, and frequently quests will appear on the show to provide first-hand updates and experiences.
Video of the Week – Pro-Life Polling Shows Zero Progress
It feels like every month another public poll is released examining pro-life and pro-abortion attitudes around the US. At least the numbers appear consistent. We looked at the latest poll and noticed a familiar and unchanging trend.
Action Item of the Week – Independence Day this weekend
This weekend, the people of the United States will, once again, commemorate the approval of the final wording of the Declaration of Independence. Our forefathers approved the fact that they would declare the colonies’ independence from Great Britain on July 2, 1776. Two days later, on July 4, 1776, after much discussion and changes in wording, they approved the final wording of the document that is the Declaration of Independence. You are encouraged to read the entire document here.
Although a lengthy document, the single line that is most often quoted among those involved with pro-life efforts in the United States is the first sentence of the second paragraph. It reads,
We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.
Please note that the document does not say that all men are “born” equal, but that we are all “created” equal.
Also, the Miriam-Webster dictionary defines unalienable (sometimes spelled inalienable) as “impossible to take away or give up.”
The Declaration of Independence lists three such unalienable rights; the first of these is the Right to Life.
The 56 individuals (from 15 colonies), whose names are listed at the bottom of the document, took the time over several days to make sure the wording in the document was exactly what they wanted it to be.
As you attend events this weekend, whether backyard barbecues, fireworks displays, or any other activity, remember that, as members of the pro-life community, you are still fighting for the principles documented 245 years ago by those 56 individuals. You are fighting for the recognition that every individual human being, regardless of his or her place of residence, is created by God and has an unalienable Right to Life that cannot be taken away, even by the United States Supreme Court.
Remember that the Right to Life is NOT a political thing; it is a GOD thing.
So, wear your pro-life gear this weekend. Precious feet pins, pro-life t-shirts, and pro-life masks are all appropriate. If you are worried that some of your family and friends might take offense, then, in addition to the pins or shirts or masks, just make a sign that contains the exact words taken from the Declaration of Independence:
We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.
Put the sign next to the barbeque and know you are spreading God’s truths to everyone who reads it!
Pro-life Social Media – “Get woke, go broke,” the saying goes.
Once Scouting adopted policies in direct opposition to biblical teaching, well, its fate was sealed. Boy Scouts abandoned heroic virtue; Girl Scouts adopted pro-abortion feminist ideology and celebrated the same heroes as Planned Parenthood. Both have been in decline ever since. Secular critics will blame COVID. But when the pandemic becomes an endemic, don’t expect memberships to recover.
Woke Boy Scouts, Girl Scouts suffer unprecedented declines in membership https://t.co/Ht10r6AXO6
— Not the Bee (@Not_the_Bee) July 1, 2021
Just like mainline churches and for the same reasons.
— Gjergj Kastrioti (@Skanderbeg1405) July 1, 2021
No one is shocked by this. Hell, everyone called it.
— Thayer Dante (@Dark_Slayer197) July 1, 2021
Right? How could anyone have seen this happen?
The Boy Scouts are introducing an “inclusion” badge in a partnership with BLM. You must earn to it become an Eagle Scout.
— Jessica O’Donnell (@heckyessica) June 16, 2020
If your kid needs a badge to feel good about accepting people, you’re doing a crappy job as a parent. Woke politics is ruining everything.
Diversity badge? No, thank you.
How about they combine into The Pronoun Scouts?
— Philip Somgynari (@FillMeUpPhilip) July 1, 2021
It could happen.
The left destroyed what was a fine organization based on Christian values.
— Today’s Profit 🇺🇸 🇺🇸 🇺🇸 (@Todaysprofit) July 1, 2021
The organizations destroyed themselves. But Christian parents need not worry. American Heritage Girls and Trail Life USA provide children with the values Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts used to give them.
