Tragedy Turned Triumphant

With the horrid news from Connecticut–that is like an arrow piercing America’s heart–comes a story of tragedy turned triumphant.

My young nephew was running his small restaurant in Des Moines earlier this week when one of his employees came in to the store and asked if she could get her paycheck a little early. While he was in the office cutting her check, she sat at one of the WiFi computers to wait. On the screen, the story of the school shootings was being broadcast. The young lady started sobbing uncontrollably.

My nephew came out to console her and brought her back into his office to let her compose herself when she told him, “I needed my paycheck early because I have an appointment at Planned Parenthood this afternoon to have an abortion.” And then she said, “After seeing all of those innocent young children dying and all of those mothers who have had their children taken from them, I can’t go through with this abortion!”

The young girl said she didn’t know where to go for help. My nephew got her in touch with my sister (his mother) who is very active in Iowa Right to Life. God is good!

What if the paycheck had already been cut?

God bless!
Steve  Rupp
Vice President, Missouri Right to Life

MO Rally for Religious Freedom Next Tuesday!

The Rally for Religious Freedom at the Capitol this coming Tuesday, March 27,  promises to be a great event!    If you are riding one of the many pre-registered buses, you will receive most of your instructions during the bus ride.  If you are driving in carpools or vans, you will receive lobbying and rally information upon registration in the rotunda.  Below is some additional information that everyone might find helpful.

Dress comfortably and wear comfortable shoes.  We will have limited seating for the disabled and seniors so most participants will be standing for the rally.

•  Wear red for life.
•  Bring a lunch and water.
•  Transportation information is on our website (link here)
• Registration begins at 9:00 AM at the MRL table in the Capitol rotunda

If you are coming from the St. Louis area, the train from Kirkwood leaves there at 9:44 and arrives in Jefferson City at 11:40. The train station is just a two block walk from the capitol. The train leaves again from Jefferson City at 7:03 pm. You could fill your afternoon with some sightseeing or other Jefferson City activities. A round-trip ticket would be about $58.

If you are driving, parking close to the Capitol is limited. The lots around the Capitol are reserved lots. Do not use them. The driver will have to let off his riders and then find a place to park. This could be up to 5 or 6 blocks away but is only about a 10 to 15 minute walk.  Some of the street parking is longer term but some is only one or two hours. If you do not want a fine, $5 to $10, you will have to move your car (closer to the Capitol, tires may be marked) or refill the meter.

If you are a bus captain, of any type of bus, or in a van, please instruct the driver to proceed around the capitol to the north or river side of the capitol. There is an inside lane for the bus to stop and let off passengers.  There will be “bus directors” in that area that will give the bus drivers a map and directions to prearranged parking spots.

MRL is supporting several pro-life bills this year, which are explained in the information packet you will receive on the buses, at several entrances throughout the Capitol, or at our registration desk.   You are asked to call on your legislators and Senate and House leadership and ask for their support of this legislation.  MRL will have volunteers at the chamber doors for your assistance.

Pro-Life Citizens Called to Participate in Missouri Caucus

Missouri Right to Life and National Right to Life have not endorsed a candidate in the Republican presidential primary race. If you choose to participate in the Republican caucuses taking place this Saturday, March 17th throughout Missouri, and on March 24th in Jackson County and St. Louis City, the following may be helpful to you.

Missouri’s Presidential Preference election which took place on February 7 was non-binding, meaning it did not elect any delegates to the Republican National Convention. This year Missouri Republicans will help choose a presidential nominee through the caucus process beginning with township and county caucuses.  National Right to Life has published a comparison of all the presidential candidates which is available here:   http://www.nrlpac.org/pdf/POTUS%20Comparison.pdf

Here is what you need to know, and what you need to do to participate in the caucus:
http://www.mogop.org/2012stateconvention/caucuses/

U. S. Health and Human Services Force Private Insurance Plans to Cover Abortifacients

Tomorrow, September 30th is the deadline to object to the new U.S. Health and Human Services rule forcing all private insurance plans to cover the abortifacient drug “ELLA” as well as abortifacient contraceptives.

Planned Parenthood asked for the recent contraceptive mandate. Health care plans will now be required to provide birth control for free to essentially all women, and plans can no longer charge a patient a copayment, coinsurance or deductive” for these services under the Obama administration guidelines.

Click here to comment to U.S. Health and Human Services

Pro-life Americans will be subsidizing the use of abortifacient contraceptives, including the abortion causing drug, ELLA through their increased insurance premiums. In addition Religious institutions, such as Catholic Charities or Baptist Children’s Home, will not be able to “opt out” unless they are comprised only of members of their particular faith providing services only to members of their particular faith. Traditionally, religious service organizations have ministered to all those in need, regardless of their religious beliefs. Secular organizations with a moral or religious objection to coverage of anti-life “preventive” measures will also be ineligible for the exemption.

Should the rule be finalized in its present form, a federal law must be passed in order to overturn it. The Respect for Rights of Conscience Act (H.R. 1179 and S 1467) are bills that would accomplish that. U.S. Missouri Senator Roy Blunt is sponsor of S. 1467. Please contact Sen. Blunt (here) and thank him for sponsoring this important legislation. Contact Sen. Claire McCaskill (here) and ask her to support S. 1467. Contact your congressperson(here) and ask them to support H.R. 1179.

Work and Pray as Never Before!

Dear Friends of Life,

At this critical time, the Missouri legislature is in the process of deciding the structure, process, and nature of the life sciences research industry in Missouri. As you know from past legislative alerts from Missouri Right to Life, this is being done in this final phase through the Missouri Science Innovation and Reinvestment Act (MOSIRA.)

The MOSIRA legislation (SB 7), which passed the Missouri Senate by a vote of 30 to 4, had no pro-life protective language restricting public funding for abortion, human cloning, or embryonic stem cell research. This bill will likely be brought to the Missouri House for a vote this Friday.

It is absolutely critical that you call your representative and express your opposition to this bill unless it contains the prolife protective language supported by Missouri Right to Life. (Various other language proposals have circulated behind the scenes, but all have had major loopholes to the protections we seek. And, procedural moves to cover a good amendment with one of these bad amendments is another way to kill the true pro-life amendment.) Pass this information to your pro-life friends and family and ask them to call as well.

To identify your legislator and obtain contact information click here.

After you have made your call and asked as many people as you can to do the same, please pray for our legislators that they will vote to protect the smallest and most vulnerable among us

Urgent Update and Action Alert on MOSIRA!

Missouri Right to Life issued the following memo this morning to legislators.

Your phone calls are again urgently needed to ask your state senator to reject MOSIRA since effective pro-life protective language was thwarted from going on the bill.

Also call your representatives and ask them to add the effective pro-life language to MOSIRA that was approved in 1993 on a separate fund and promoted by MRL.

Senators’ e-mails and telephone numbers may be found at:
http://www.senate.mo.gov/11info/senalpha.htm

Representatives’ e-mails and telephone numbers may be found at:
http://www.house.mo.gov/member.aspx

To determine who your legislators are, visit:
http://www.senate.mo.gov/llookup/leg_lookup.aspx

MEMORANDUM

TO: Members of the Missouri House and Senate

FROM: Pam Fichter, President
Steve Rupp, Vice-President
Gerard Nieters, Legislative Director

DATE: September 14, 2011

RE: Pro-Life Amendment and Final Vote for MOSIRA

Tuesday night the Missouri Senate took up and voted first round approval on the legislation known as MOSIRA without human life protective language. Senator Scott Rupp (St. Charles) introduced the language supported by Missouri Right to Life which would provide clear parameters on restricting use of any public funds generated by this legislation from being used for unethical research. That language is as follows:

Public funds shall not be expended, paid, or granted to or on behalf of an existing or proposed research project that involves abortion services, human cloning, or prohibited human research as defined in section 196.1127.

Sadly this amendment was amended, before voting, with another amendment introduced by Senator Bob Dixon (Springfield) which would eliminate these specific restrictions and instead would merely require that the Missouri Technology Corporation report and post on the internet, ten days ahead of time, the recipients of the public funding of this legislation.

Such reporting requirements would provide no restrictions on unethical research with public funds and should be soundly rejected by any senator or representative who claims to be pro-life.

To those who question the constitutionality of 196.1127, we refer you to the January 2009 decision of Judge Callahan who stated that the Missouri legislature had the authority to make restrictions on funding. Ironically some legislators who now question the constitutionality of restrictive language supported restrictive language previous to the Callahan decision. Which is it? It would seem that the opinion on constitutionality depends on whether or not the pro-cloning interests are best served.

What happened Tuesday night in the Missouri Senate was a carefully choreographed maneuver engineered by the pro-cloning lobbyists and those who do their bidding. The legislators and organizations involved in the back-room deals that resulted in first round approval for open-ended funding of human life science research have assisted in funding the destruction of innocent human life. Pro-life Missourians feel betrayed by these actions.

The Senators’ actions beg the following questions:

1. Why did this anti-life measure pass first round approval from a self-professed pro-life majority Senate?

2. Why was the vote on Senator Dixon’s amendment a voice vote? If it provided pro-life protections, wouldn’t they want credit for their vote?

MRL urges all Senators and Representatives to stand with Missouri Right to Life and others in opposition to MOSIRA without true pro-life protections.

Action Alert: Pro-Life Vote is NO on MOSIRA!

Dear pro-life friends: tonight the MO Senate gave first-round approval to MOSIRA** without pro-life protections. Instead, they added an amendment that is simply another reporting requirement and will do nothing to protect the lives of innocent human beings being destroyed by unethical research with public funds. Missouri Right to Life continues to oppose MOSIRA without a clear ban on public funds being used for abortion services, human cloning and embryonic stem cell research.

Action Needed:

The Senate could third-read and pass the bill as early as 10:30 tonight when they are scheduled to be back in session. Please call your Senator and urge them to vote NO on MOSIRA!

Senators’ e-mails and telephone numbers may be found at:

http://www.senate.mo.gov/11info/senalpha.htm

To determine who your legislators are, go to this website:

http://www.senate.mo.gov/llookup/leg_lookup.aspx

—————————-
**Background on MOSIRA here.

Now is the Time! Call to Stop Funding Unethical Research in Missouri!!

The Missouri Legislature is now in special session and considering an omnibus economic development bill in which funding for unethical research with public tax dollars weighs in the balance.

One part of this legislation is the Missouri Science Innovation & Reinvestment Act (MOSIRA). MOSIRA sets up a fund, channeled through the state budget and to be administered by the pro-cloning Missouri Technology Corporation, to provide state money or tax incentives for new technology businesses, including businesses engaged in human life science research. MOSIRA does not currently include language preventing unethical research but only requires unethical research to be reported.

Missouri Right to Life opposes MOSIRA or any economic development legislation that includes only a reporting requirement for this life-destroying research, and we call for protective language preventing state money from being used for human cloning, embryonic stem cell research, or fetal research on aborted babies.

On July 1, MRL sent a letter to Governor Nixon, all Representatives, and all Senators expressing our concerns and suggesting pro-life protective language for MOSIRA. That letter may be read by clicking here.

Action Needed

Please call or e-mail your State Senator and ask them to support the protective language of Missouri Right to Life for MOSIRA and any legislation dealing with human life sciences research.

Senators’ e-mails and telephone numbers may be found at:

http://www.senate.mo.gov/11info/senalpha.htm

To determine who your legislators are, go to this website:

http://www.senate.mo.gov/llookup/leg_lookup.aspx

You may also call the MRL State Office, 573-635-5110, for assistance.

After you call your state representative and senator, please call the following State Leaders that determine the direction of a piece of legislation for the State, House and Senate:

Governor Jay Nixon: 573-751-3222
Speaker of the House: Representative Steven Tilley – 573-751-1488
President Pro-Tem of the Senate: Senator Rob Mayer – 573-751-3859

Abortions to Resume in Columbia, MO This Week

It is with a heavy heart that we inform you that after 16 weeks without abortions, the Planned Parenthood in Columbia, MO has found an abortion doctor who will start work there this Thursday, May 26. The Columbia Planned Parenthood represents one of only two abortion clinics here in Missouri, so the need for prayers and action as they attempt to resume this deadly practice is critical.

40 Days for Life of Columbia is asking all pro-lifers to please check your calendars, call your friends, bring your children and come to pray on the sidewalk this Thursday, May 26 anytime after 1:00pm. They expect to be there until 7:30 pm or later. As many as 15 women are expected to show up for abortions at this time.

The other bad news is that this new doctor will abort babies up to 13 weeks. This means surgical abortions, which have not been committed here since last summer. God has been listening to our prayers and we are praying for another miracle. We pray for the conversion of this doctor who will become an abortionist on May 26.

Planned Parenthood in Columbia is located at 711 N Providence Road. If you are able to come on Thursday, please send an email with ‘count me in’ in the subject line to columbia40daysforlife2@gmail.com. Of course, there can never be too many prayer supporters, so if you can not make it, please take a few minutes out of your Thursday afternoon to pause and pray for these women, children and especially for the abortionist!

Pro-Life Help Needed in Joplin, MO!

This Sunday, the city of Joplin, Missouri was hit by one of the deadliest tornadoes in U.S. history. Our thoughts and prayers are with everyone affected by this tragedy. As they begin to recover, volunteers and organizations in the devastated area desperately need help reaching out to those in need, including the local pregnancy resource center.

LifeChoices Medical Clinic and Resource Center has been visiting mothers affected by the tornado in shelters and damaged homes and apartments throughout the town assessing their needs and offering assistance. Their office, located several blocks from the tornado damage, remains open, but supplies are going fast. Items needed include diapers, wipes, pre-mixed formula and infant clothing. (h/t St. Louis Review)

Monetary donations are also appreciated and can be sent to LifeChoices either online at lifevoices.org or by check and mailed to: LifeChoices, 531 E. 7th St., Joplin, Mo., 64801. Donations are tax deductible and Missouri residents and corporations are eligible for an additional 50 percent state income tax credit for donations of $100 or more. Visit dss.mo.gov/dfas/taxcredit/pregnancy.htm for more information.

Pro-life pregnancy care centers in other parts of Missouri are also stepping up and collecting items for LifeChoices to distribute to Joplin moms and babies. There are six drop-off spots to leave items that will then be taken directly to LifeChoices at some point in the future (at the moment no one except emergency personnel are allowed to enter Joplin). The locations are:

-St. Louis – Frank Block at Love Basket – email: frankb@lovebasket.org or call 636-797-4100
-Springfield – Cindi Boston at Pregnancy Care Center – email: director@pccchoices.org or call 417-877-0800
-Branson – Jeanie Williams at Options Clinic – email: optionspc@centurytel.net or call 417-336-5483
-Kansas City – Marsha Middleton of the Alliance for Life – Missouri in Lee’s Summit – email: allianceforlife.mo@gmail.com or call 417-598-1040
-Lake of the Ozarks – Patricia Dascher at Pregnancy Help Center – email: pdascher@pregnancyhelpcenters.org or call 573-365-2345
-Macon – Michele Jorgenson at Ray of Hope – call 660-651-2652

Please be generous and be sure to visit the LifeChoices Facebook page for regular updates!