Friday, April 11, 2014

MCCL GO defends life at the United Nations; executive director addresses assembly

The following was released on April 11, 2014.

NEW YORK, N.Y. — The 47th session of the Commission on Population and Development took place this week at the United Nations. Minnesota Citizens Concerned for Life Global Outreach (MCCL GO), a U.N.-accredited non-governmental organization, encouraged delegates to prioritize the improvement of maternal health care rather than promote the legalization of abortion.

The meeting sought to assess the implementation of the Program of Action of the International Conference on Population and Development, which was adopted in Cairo in 1994. The Program of Action calls for reducing maternal mortality and morbidity, among other goals. It does not call for the legalization or expansion of abortion.

Scott Fischbach, Executive Director of MCCL GO, addressed the full assembly of nations on Friday. "We can save women's lives with prenatal and antenatal care, skilled birth attendants, emergency obstetric care, basic sanitation and clean water," he stated. "These measures helped lead to a 47 percent decline in maternal deaths worldwide from 1990 to 2010, according to estimates. Now they must be extended to the places where basic health care is still lacking."

International abortion advocacy groups, including Ipas and the International Planned Parenthood Federation, argued that abortion must be legalized worldwide to protect women's health. "That is not true," Fischbach noted. "Maternal health depends on the quality of maternal health care, not on the legal status or availability of abortion. Countries such as Ireland, Chile and Malta prohibit most or all abortions and have a very low incidence of maternal mortality."

MCCL GO also distributed brochures explaining the inherent risks of abortion. "Legalized abortion is often touted as beneficial to women, but a wealth of medical and psychological evidence suggests otherwise," Fischbach said. "Legal or illegal, abortion poses both short-term and long-term risks to the physical health of women. It can also seriously affect their mental health."

MCCL GO urged U.N. delegates to avoid pushing abortion as the international community looks to formulate a new global development agenda. "Legalizing abortion does nothing to address the underlying issue of poor health care," Fischbach told the assembly. "Member states should reject all efforts to legalize or promote abortions and instead focus on maternal health care and healthy reproductive outcomes."

Fischbach's remarks are expected to be available online at the U.N.'s video page; he spoke about 12:50 p.m. this afternoon, EDT. A written statement submitted by MCCL GO and circulated at the U.N. is available online in English and five other languages (under agenda item 4).

MCCL GO is a pro-life NGO global outreach program of the Minnesota Citizens Concerned for Life Education Fund with one goal: to save as many innocent lives as possible from the destruction of abortion. Learn more at www.mccl-go.org.

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Wednesday, April 9, 2014

Planned Parenthood targets low-income women

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Taxpayer funding of abortion in Minnesota is a result of the state Supreme Court's Doe v. Gomez decision. See also MCCL's coverage of the latest report on taxpayer-funded abortions.

One-third of all abortions paid for by Minnesota taxpayers

The following news release was issued on April 9, 2014.

ST. PAUL — Taxpayer-funded abortions numbered more than 3,500 in Minnesota in 2012. After 17 years of taxpayer-funded abortions, Minnesotans have funded more than 65,000 abortions at a cost of $20.7 million, according to a just-released report from the Minnesota Department of Human Services (DHS). Nearly all of these abortions have been elective.

The state's abortion industry in 1995 successfully challenged Minnesota's law which prohibited funding of most abortions. Since then, abortion advocates have steadily marketed taxpayer-funded abortions to low-income women. Taxpayers now pay for 33.4 percent of all abortions performed in the state, compared to less than one percent before 1995.

"The state's abortion facilities take a steady stream of taxpayer revenue by targeting economically vulnerable women," said Scott Fischbach, Executive Director of Minnesota Citizens Concerned for Life (MCCL). "It is time to end this exploitation of poor women and their unborn children."

Minnesota taxpayers have been required to fund elective abortions since the Minnesota Supreme Court's 1995 Doe v. Gomez ruling. In that decision, the Court created a state "right" to abortion on demand and obligated all taxpayers to fund abortions, including purely elective procedures.

Since the Doe v. Gomez ruling, taxpayers have paid $20,737,288 for a total of 65,823 abortion procedure claims. Taxpayers' 2012 portion (the latest available) was $822,403 for 3,571 abortions. Prior to the court decision, taxpayers were charged about $7,000 per year for about two dozen abortions in cases of rape and incest and to save the life of the mother.

Planned Parenthood's taxpayer funded abortion claims rose 32 percent in 2012 after Regions Hospital closed its abortion facility at the end of 2011. Planned Parenthood increased its revenues from taxpayer funded abortions by 30 percent to $255,192.

"Polls continue to show that most Minnesotans and most Americans are opposed to taxpayer funded abortions, yet they continue to be forced to pay for them," Fischbach said.

MCCL helped to pass a ban on taxpayer funded abortion during the 2011 legislative session; it was vetoed by Gov. Mark Dayton. The Minnesota House of Representatives approved the same legislation Apr. 3; the Senate defeated it on Apr. 8. The measure would end the forced funding by taxpayers of this mistreatment of poor women and the killing of unborn children.

Tuesday, April 8, 2014

Senate votes down amendment to ban taxpayer funded abortion

The following news release was issued on April 8, 2014.

ST. PAUL — An effort to finally end taxpayer funded abortions in the state has been defeated in the Minnesota Senate today. The pro-life amendment is strongly supported by Minnesota Citizens Concerned for Life (MCCL). The amendment was sought to a multimillion-dollar supplemental budget bill the Senate.

The proposal that no Minnesota tax dollars may be used to fund the destruction of human life by abortion was brought by Sen. Carrie Ruud, R-Breezy Point. First introduced by Sen. Lyle Koenen, DFL-Clara City, as S.F. 753, the policy would end the injustice of forcing Minnesotans to pay for elective abortions. The provision would prohibit taxpayer funded abortions, except to the extent necessary for continued participation in a federal program. This policy would mirror that of the federal government, which currently prohibits funding for abortion except in cases of reported rape or incest or to save the mother's life.

The Minnesota Supreme Court's 1995 Doe v. Gomez decision forced taxpayers to fund elective abortions performed on low-income women. However, most Minnesotans are opposed to taxpayer funded abortions, including many who are not pro-life. A majority of senators upheld taxpayer funding of elective abortions by defeating the amendment on a vote of 31-35.

"It is a grave injustice to kill unborn babies and require Minnesota citizens to pay for it," said MCCL Legislative Director Andrea Rau.

Taxpayer funded abortions have swelled to one-third of all abortions performed in the state, according to the Minnesota Department of Human Services. In 2011, taxpayers paid more than $1.2 million for 3,693 abortions. Since the Doe v. Gomez decision, the state has paid $19.9 million to the abortion industry for more than 62,000 abortions.

"Taxpayer funded abortions have become highly lucrative for abortionists, who market 'free abortions' to vulnerable women," Rau added. "The amendment would end this exploitation of women."

The Minnesota House of Representatives approved the ban on taxpayer funded abortions in a floor vote on Apr. 3; the amendment passed on a bipartisan vote of 69-61. The Legislature approved a similar measure in 2011, which was vetoed by Gov. Mark Dayton.

Monday, April 7, 2014

Friday, April 4, 2014

House approves MCCL-backed amendments related to fetal pain, abortion

The following news release was issued on April 4, 2014.

ST. PAUL — Two pro-life amendments supported by Minnesota Citizens Concerned for Life (MCCL) were offered in the Minnesota House of Representatives on Thursday. Both were approved as part of a multibillion-dollar supplemental budget bill the House passed last night.

Rep. Mary Liz Holberg, R-Lakeville, offered an amendment to ban abortions at the point when the unborn child is able to feel pain. Originally introduced as H.F. 2927, the Pain Capable Unborn Child Protection Act would protect unborn children from the excruciating suffering caused by abortion. Overwhelming anatomical, behavioral and physiological evidence confirms that the developing unborn child is capable of experiencing tremendous pain by 20 weeks post-fertilization. This evidence did not exist when the U.S. Supreme Court's 1973 Roe v. Wade decision removed all protections for unborn children and established abortion on demand through all nine months of pregnancy.

The most common abortion procedure used at this point in development is dilation and evacuation (D & E), which involves dismembering the unborn child. The abortionist uses forceps to tear apart the fetus in the womb, and then reassembles the arms, legs, torso and head to ensure that no parts of the unborn child's body have been left inside the woman. Rep. Holberg's amendment was approved 70-60.

An amendment proposing that no Minnesota tax dollars may be used to fund the destruction of human life by abortion was brought by Rep. Patti Fritz, DFL-Faribault. First introduced as H.F. 901, the policy would end the injustice of forcing Minnesotans to pay for elective abortions. The Minnesota Supreme Court's 1995 Doe v. Gomez decision forced taxpayers to fund elective abortions performed on low-income women. However, most Minnesotans are opposed to taxpayer funded abortions. The amendment passed 69-61.

"Killing unborn babies and requiring Minnesota citizens to pay for it are both great injustices that must be corrected," said MCCL Legislative Director Andrea Rau.

Taxpayer funded abortions have swelled to 34 percent of all abortions performed in the state, according to the Minnesota Department of Human Services. In 2011 (most recent figures), taxpayers paid more than $1.2 million for 3,693 abortions. Since the Doe v. Gomez decision, the state has paid $19.9 million to the abortion industry for more than 62,000 abortions.

"Taxpayer funded abortions have become highly lucrative for abortionists, who market 'free abortions' to vulnerable women," Rau added. "The amendment would end this exploitation of women."