Healthcare Prof:
Abortion-rights groups are “voicing frustration” that the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee appears to be “lining up behind” two candidates who do not support abortion rights to challenge Republican incumbents in 2006, Roll Call reports. The committee has recruited Pennsylvania Treasurer Bob Casey (D) and Rep. Jim Langevin (D-R.I.), both of whom oppose abortion rights, to run for the Senate in 2006. The committee is scheduled to hold a fundraiser for Langevin on Feb. 16 and sponsored a poll released last month that showed him ahead of Sen. Lincoln Chafee (R-R.I.), who supports abortion rights, by 20%. Langevin stated he plans to decide whether to run by April 1, according to Roll Call. Rhode Island Secretary of State Matt Brown (D), who supports abortion rights, also has “indicated interest” in running, according to Roll Call. Casey on Tuesday met with DSCC Chair Charles Schumer (D-N.Y.) and Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) but has indicated he will only challenge Sen. Rick Santorum (R-Pa.) if “the field is essentially cleared for him,” according to Roll Call. Other Democrats “eyeing a challenge” to Santorum include former Rep. Joe Hoeffel (D-Pa.) and former state Treasurer Barbara Hafer (D), both abortion-rights supporters. “Democrats have always elected pro-life candidates,” Ramona Oliver, spokesperson for EMILY’s List, said, adding, “I think the concern is that the DSCC has taken this extraordinary step and seems to be trying to clear the field when there are obviously (other) very strong candidates in both races. We’re not even close to resolving where those races are going to go.” Schumer “brushed aside” criticism for supporting Langevin and Casey, saying that he had not yet talked with abortion-rights groups, Roll Call reports. “We’re a big tent party, and they would agree,” Schumer stated (Whittington, Roll Call, 2/3).
“Reprinted with permission from kaisernetwork.org kaisernetwork.org. You can view the entire Kaiser Daily Reproductive Health Report, search the archives, or sign up for email delivery at www.kaisernetwork.org/dailyreports/repro The Kaiser Every day Reproductive Wellness Report is published for kaisernetwork.org, a free service with the Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation . 2005 Advisory Board Company and Kaiser Family Foundation. All rights reserved.
4 (1 votes)
Healthcare Prof:
.The San Francisco Chronicle on Monday examined the “intens[e]” debate within the Democratic Party over the issue of abortion rights. While some Democrats since the November 2004 elections have suggested that the party try to “broaden its appeal” by reaching out to abortion-rights opponents, other people within the party have said that it “should not step back from a strong and resolute position” supporting abortion rights, according towards the Chronicle (Marinucci, San Francisco Chronicle, 2/7). The complete article is available online.
CQ Examines Party’s Efforts To Reframe Abortion-Rights Debate
Congressional Quarterly on Monday examined efforts by leaders inside the Democratic Party to reframe the party’s position on abortion rights following its defeats in the November 2004 election. According to a January poll conducted by Democracy Corps, voters ranked the Democratic Party’s support of abortion rights as third on a list of negative qualities associated with the party, according to Congressional Quarterly. In addition, many voters stated they favored the Republican Party’s views on “moral values,” which some interpreted as a reference to issues including gay marriage and abortion rights. Some Democrats have suggested that the party’s defeats show that it needs “new ways to communicate” its position on abortion rights, Congressional Quarterly reports. However, other Democrats believe the party “need not change a thing” with regard to its support for abortion rights, according to Congressional Quarterly. According to a Jan. 31 poll conducted by EMILY’s List, a group that helps raise funds for Democratic female candidates who support abortion rights, the Democratic Party’s support for abortion rights had no “significant negative impact on top races” in the last election, according to Congressional Quarterly (Carey, Congressional Quarterly, 2/7).
“Reprinted with permission from kaisernetwork.org kaisernetwork.org. You can view the entire Kaiser Everyday Health Policy Report, search the archives, or sign up for email delivery at http://www.kaisernetwork.org/dailyreports/healthpolicy. The Kaiser Day-to-day Health Policy Report is published for kaisernetwork.org, a free service of the Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation . 2005 Advisory Board Company and Kaiser Family Foundation. All rights reserved.
four (1 votes)
Healthcare Prof:
The Virginia House of Delegates on Friday approved 72-20 a bill (HB 1524) that would require physicians to anesthetize fetuses at 20 weeks gestation or beyond before performing abortion procedures, the Richmond Times-Dispatch reports (Smith, Richmond Times-Dispatch, 2/5). The measure, which was sponsored by state Del. Richard Black (R), includes exceptions for when a pregnant woman refuses anesthesia for her fetus or if fetal anesthesia could endanger the well being of the pregnant woman. Black said that the cut off of 20 weeks gestation was selected because it is a time when medical information indicates that fetuses might be able to feel pain. Black last year proposed legislation that would have necessary anesthesia of all fetuses aborted at three months gestation or beyond, but the measure failed in a Senate committee right after passing inside the state House (Kaiser Daily Reproductive Health Report, 2/2).
Senate Committee Rejects Bill Requiring Stricter Regulation of Abortion Clinics
The Virginia Senate Education and Well being Committee on Thursday rejected 9-6 a bill (SB 839) that would have mandated stricter regulation of abortion clinics, the Washington Post reports (Helderman, Washington Post, 2/4). The House on Tuesday approved similar legislation (HB 2784) that would have increased wellness standards in order to make the clinics comply with hospital standards. Currently, abortion clinics are regulated like doctors’ offices, which do not undergo routine state inspection. Under the House measure, clinics performing 25 or far more first-trimester abortions annually would have to be licensed and meet the same standards as ambulatory surgery centers. The licensure also would have required specific staffing arrangements and wide doorways to allow the passage of gurneys, among other requirements (Kaiser Everyday Reproductive Wellness Report, 2/2). About 200 abortion-rights advocates opposed to the bill attended the committee meeting on Thursday, the Richmond Times-Dispatch reports (Smith, Richmond Times-Dispatch, 2/4).
Senate Committee Approves Embryonic Stem Cell Research Bill
The state Senate Education and Health Committee on Thursday approved 10-5 a bill (SB 1194) that would create a fund for embryonic stem cell research in the state, the Post reports. The measure, sponsored by state Sen. Russell Potts (R), would call for $1 million in state funds and allow the state to administer private funds to Virginia’s academic institutions for the research. A number of bill opponents testified against the measure, saying embryonic stem cell research is unethical because “it exchanges 1 life for the promise of another,” according to the Post. The state Senate Finance Committee is expected to consider the bill and decide whether state money should be appropriated for the fund, the Post reports (Washington Post, 2/4).
House Committee Approves 1, Rejects Two Abortion-Related Bills
The Virginia House Courts of Justice Committee on Friday approved a bill (HR 1810) 18-0 that would prohibit the sale of tissue from aborted fetuses. The bill, which was sponsored by state Del. Robert Marshall (R), was amended so that it “mirrors” federal law, which allows fetal tissue to be donated for research purposes, according to the Times-Dispatch. The committee rejected 19-1 two bills sponsored by Marshall that would have classified abortions as “consumers transactions,” which would subject the procedures to state consumer-protection laws, the Times-Dispatch reports (Richmond Times-Dispatch, 2/5). The first bill (HB 2350) would have required abortion clinics to meet state consumer-protection requirements, which includes facility cleanliness, sterilization, fire protection, evacuation, staff credentials, equipment and maintenance of facilities and equipment (Bill summary, 1/11). The second bill (HB 2352) would have required doctors who perform abortion-related procedures to have admitting privileges at nearby hospitals and screen women for probable physical and psychological “complications” before performing a procedure, according towards the Times-Dispatch. The committee on Friday approved a bill (HR 1812) sponsored by Marshall that would prohibit the execution of a pregnant woman (Richmond Times-Dispatch, 2/5).
“Reprinted with permission from kaisernetwork.org kaisernetwork.org. You can view the entire Kaiser Every day Well being Policy Report, search the archives, or sign up for email delivery at http://www.kaisernetwork.org/dailyreports/healthpolicy. The Kaiser Daily Health Policy Report is published for kaisernetwork.org, a free service with the Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation . 2005 Advisory Board Company and Kaiser Family Foundation. All rights reserved.
3.33 (3 votes)
Healthcare Prof:
The….. Christian Science Monitor on Wednesday examined the rise inside the number of sex-selective abortions in India and also the resulting gender imbalance in the population. Although the government for “decades” has been aware of the practice of killing newborn girls, any progress in stemming that practice has been counterbalanced by an increase in the prevalence of sex-selective abortion, the Monitor reports. Now, many couples — with the aid of medical technology, “weak” enforcement of laws banning abortion based on a fetus’s gender and the cooperation of “unethical” physicians — choose to terminate pregnancies if the fetus is female, worsening India’s already “awkwardly skewed gender ratio,” according to the Monitor. In 1981, there were 962 girls under age six for every 1,000 boys of the same age in India, but that disparity had widened even further by 2001, with 927 girls per 1,000 boys. Although some observers say that the government and doctors need to do a better job enforcing current laws banning infanticide and sex-selective abortions, other people say that the trend will not change until women in India are empowered and traditional attitudes favoring male children fade (Girish, Christian Science Monitor, 2/9).
“Reprinted with permission from kaisernetwork.org kaisernetwork.org. You can view the entire Kaiser Every day Reproductive Well being Report, search the archives, or sign up for email delivery at www.kaisernetwork.org/dailyreports/repro The Kaiser Daily Reproductive Health Report is published for kaisernetwork.org, a free service of the Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation . 2005 Advisory Board Company and Kaiser Family Foundation. All rights reserved.
Healthcare Prof:
.Long Island Newsday on Wednesday examined how the high-profile murder of pregnant California woman Laci Peterson and new antiabortion majorities in Congress have “galvanized” antiabortion groups to press for much more abortion-rights restrictions. Tony Perkins, president of the Family Research Council, stated the Peterson case “clearly helped to pass” a new federal law that makes it a separate crime to harm a fetus during the commission of a violent federal crime against a pregnant woman (Susman, Long Island Newsday, 2/9). President Bush in April 2004 signed the federal Unborn Victims of Violence Act, also known as “Laci and Conner’s Law” to honor Peterson, who was murdered by her husband Scott in December 2002. Under the measure, perpetrators can be charged regardless of whether they were aware with the woman’s pregnancy. The law applies to fetuses at “any stage of development” but states that “nothing in this section shall be construed to permit the prosecution … of any person for conduct relating to an abortion for which the consent with the pregnant woman or a person authorized by law to act on her behalf has been obtained” (Kaiser Everyday Reproductive Health Report, 11/15/04). Despite the abortion exception, Perkins said the true intent of the law would be to restrict abortion rights. He added, “It puts a crack inside the legal reasoning for Roe v. Wade, so yes, it is ultimately laying the groundwork for a significant reduction of abortions in this country.” Twenty-nine states have similar laws — 4 of which were passed “in the wake” of the Peterson case — and 12 much more states are considering such laws, according to Newsday. Kim Gandy, president with the National Organization for Women, said that abortion rights are “more vulnerable” now than at any time since the passage of Roe v. Wade, the 1973 U.S. Supreme Court decision that struck down state abortion bans, according to Newsday (Long Island Newsday, 2/9).
“Reprinted with permission from kaisernetwork.org kaisernetwork.org. You can view the entire Kaiser Everyday Reproductive Well being Report, search the archives, or sign up for email delivery at www.kaisernetwork.org/dailyreports/repro The Kaiser Everyday Reproductive Well being Report is published for kaisernetwork.org, a free service with the Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation . 2005 Advisory Board Company and Kaiser Family Foundation. All rights reserved.
Healthcare Prof:
The South Dakota House State Affairs Committee on Wednesday unanimously approved a bill… (HB 1166) that would require doctors to provide far more information to women seeking abortions within the state, the AP/Aberdeen American News reports (Kafka, AP/Aberdeen American News, 2/9). The bill, sponsored by state Rep. Roger Hunt (R), would declare that abortion terminates the life of a human being and require physicians to far more fully inform women about the risks and consequences of abortion and alternatives towards the procedure, such as adoption (Kaiser Day-to-day Reproductive Wellness Report, 2/2). The measure also would establish that women have a relationship with the fetus until birth and that the state has an interest in “protecting” that relationship, according towards the AP/American News. Hunt said he proposed the bill to make sure that women considering abortion are “fully educated on the risks of abortion and will clearly understand that they are making decisions to end the lives of their babies,” the AP/American News reports. Opponents of the legislation have questioned the measure’s constitutionality, according towards the AP/American News. The House State Affairs Committee also has unanimously approved legislation (HB 1233) that would establish a task force to study abortion, the AP/American News reports (AP/Aberdeen American News, 2/9). Under the measure, which also was sponsored by Hunt, the task force would report its findings to the state Legislature along with the governor by Dec. 1 (Kaiser Everyday Reproductive Well being Report, 2/2).
“Reprinted with permission from kaisernetwork.org kaisernetwork.org. You can view the entire Kaiser Day-to-day Reproductive Wellness Report, search the archives, or sign up for email delivery at www.kaisernetwork.org/dailyreports/repro The Kaiser Daily Reproductive Wellness Report is published for kaisernetwork.org, a free service of the Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation . 2005 Advisory Board Company and Kaiser Family Foundation. All rights reserved.
Healthcare Prof:
Two years ago, a baby boy was delivered at 24 weeks soon after three failed attempts to abort him by doctors in the BPAS (British Pregnancy Advisory Service). The 24 year old mother who had been given a series of abortion drugs was told by the clinic that the ultrasound scan confirmed that the child was dead. On her way home from the clinic she felt fetal movement and changed her mind about the abortion. The baby, now a healthy 2 year old, spent seven months inside the neonatal intensive care unit at Hope Hospital in Manchester, UK, before being allowed home.
‘This horrific case again highlights the gross injustice of abortion. A healthy baby had to fight for his life whilst doctors tried repeatedly to kill him,’ stated Julia Millington with the ProLife Alliance.
‘We are opposed to abortion at any stage of gestation and are confident that our nation has the humanity to reject the perverse mentality of those who campaign for abortion to be available “as early as achievable and as late as necessary”.
‘We praise this mother for her courage in changing her mind and saving the life of her baby. Abortion is promoted as a woman’s right to choose yet it is clear that this mother, likes many others, ‘chose’ abortion because she felt that she had no other choice. What kind of choice is that? What kind of society is it that offers abortion as the only real solution to a crisis pregnancy?’
Julia Millington
Political Director
ProLife Alliance
Tel: 020 7581 6939
Fax: 020 7581 3868
info@prolife.org.uk
http://www.prolife.org.uk
Healthcare Prof:
Article Opinions:1 posts
Some abortion-rights supporters are “fuming” over reports that the… Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee has “signaled its preference” for two antiabortion candidates in Democratic primaries for Senate races in 2006, the Washington Post reports (Babington, Washington Post, 2/13). The committee has recruited Pennsylvania Treasurer Bob Casey Jr. (D) and Rep. Jim Langevin (D-R.I.), both of whom oppose abortion rights, to run for the Senate in 2006. The committee is scheduled to hold a fundraiser for Langevin later this month, and Langevin stated he plans to decide by April 1 whether he will indeed run for Senate. Casey earlier this month met with DSCC Chair Charles Schumer (D-N.Y.) and Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) but has indicated he will challenge Sen. Rick Santorum (R-Pa.) only if the field is essentially cleared for him. A number of abortion-rights supporters — such as former Rep. Joe Hoeffel (D-Pa.) and former state Treasurer Barbara Hafer (D) for the Pennsylvania seat and Rhode Island Secretary of State Matt Brown (D) for the Rhode Island seat — have indicated interest in running for Senate in those races (Kaiser Daily Reproductive Well being Report, 2/3).
Reaction
“It’s disturbing,” Kate Michelman, former president of NARAL Pro-Choice America, said about the apparent DSCC support for antiabortion candidates, adding, “It concerns women and it concerns the pro-choice community that the party would pre-empt the (nominating) process and anoint someone who doesn’t share the party’s core values.” Michelman said the situation is “especially troubling” in Pennsylvania because Hafer is viewed as someone who “has earned a shot at the Senate,” according to the Post. Michelman added that Hafer would offer a “clear contrast” to Santorum, who is 1 of the “most outspoken” abortion-rights opponents in the Senate, according towards the Post. Schumer stated that DSCC has “absolutely not” helped raise money for specific candidates in the 2006 races, according towards the Post. DSCC spokesperson Phil Singer said that the Langevin fundraiser invitations say “Paid for by the DSCC” because a DSCC staff member agreed to fax the invitations from DSCC headquarters, according to the Post. Singer said that the Langevin fundraiser is “not a DSCC event” but added that “Jim Langevin would be an excellent candidate” and that DSCC would “love to see him run” (Washington Post, 2/13).
“Reprinted with permission from kaisernetwork.org kaisernetwork.org. You can view the entire Kaiser Daily Reproductive Health Report, search the archives, or sign up for email delivery at www.kaisernetwork.org/dailyreports/repro The Kaiser Everyday Reproductive Wellness Report is published for kaisernetwork.org, a free service with the Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation . 2005 Advisory Board Company and Kaiser Family Foundation. All rights reserved.
Healthcare Prof:
President Bush on Monday resubmitted towards the Senate 20 judicial nominees, including seven federal appeals court nominees who during the last Congress were blocked by Democratic filibusters because of concerns about their records on issues such as abortion rights, the… Washington Times reports (Hurt, Washington Times, 2/15). Bush has renominated California Supreme Court Justice Janice Rogers Brown for the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia, Texas Supreme Court Justice Priscilla Owen for the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in New Orleans and former Alabama Attorney General William Pryor for the 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in Atlanta (Fletcher/Babington, Washington Post, 2/15). Senate Democrats last year used filibusters to block confirmation votes for Rogers Brown, Owen and Pryor. Bush appointed Pryor towards the court in February 2004 using his recess-appointment powers, but his nomination now must be approved by the Senate to allow him to remain on the court panel (Kaiser Daily Reproductive Well being Report, 1/3). Some abortion-rights supporters have opposed Rogers Brown’s nomination because of her dissent within the California Supreme Court’s 1997 decision that allowed teenagers to obtain abortions without having the consent of a parent or judge (Kaiser Everyday Reproductive Wellness Report, 11/7/03). Many of the controversy over Owen’s nomination stems from a dissent she wrote from a ruling interpreting Texas’ law permitting a teenager to obtain an abortion without having parental notification if she can demonstrate to a court that she is mature enough to understand the consequences of the procedure (Kaiser Everyday Reproductive Wellness Report, 9/17/03). Senate Democrats have said that they opposed Pryor’s nomination because he has what they describe as a “right-wing” or “extreme” record influenced by his personal views on issues such as abortion (Kaiser Daily Reproductive Well being Report, 5/19/04).
Other Blocked Nominees Not Renominated
Democratic senators last year also blocked votes for Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Carolyn Kuhl, a nominee to the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in San Francisco; HHS Deputy Secretary Claude Allen, a nominee to the 4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals; and attorney Miguel Estrada, a nominee towards the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia, who withdrew his nomination in 2004. Senate Democrats also blocked the appointment of Charles Pickering, who Bush in January 2004 used his recess-appointment powers to temporarily seat on the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals. However, Pickering in November 2004 announced his retirement and did not seek a permanent position on the court when his term expired that month. Bush has chosen not to re-nominate Estrada, Kuhl and Allen (Kaiser Everyday Reproductive Health Report, 1/3).
Reaction
With increased majorities within the Senate, Republicans are “optimistic” that the judicial nominees who were blocked in Bush’s first term will be confirmed this year, the New York Times reports (Hulse, New York Times, 2/15). Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist (R-Tenn.) said he is “hopeful” that Democrats will work with him to get up-or-down votes on each nominee (Stanton, CongressDaily, 2/15). However, Democrats have “vowed to thwart” the nominees who they believe are “too conservative,” according to the Post. “We should not divert attention from other pressing issues facing this nation to re-debate the merits of nominees already found too extreme by this chamber,” Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) stated (Washington Post, 2/15). Frist stated that Republicans will use “diplomacy” to gain up-or-down votes on the nominees but added that Republicans have the 51 votes necessary to change Senate rules and ban filibusters on judicial nominees, according towards the Washington Times. Democrats say there will be a “political meltdown” if Republicans execute the so-called “nuclear option” of changing Senate rules to prevent filibusters of judicial nominees, according to the Washington Times. “The nuclear option is aptly named because it will blow up the Senate,” Sen. Charles Schumer (D-N.Y.) stated. Senate Judiciary Committee Chair Arlen Specter (R-Penn.) stated he hopes to avoid changing Senate rules, adding, “I’m not going to jump off that bridge until I come to it, and I hope I don’t come to it” (Washington Times, 2/15).
“Reprinted with permission from kaisernetwork.org kaisernetwork.org. You can view the entire Kaiser Everyday Reproductive Well being Report, search the archives, or sign up for email delivery at www.kaisernetwork.org/dailyreports/repro The Kaiser Everyday Reproductive Wellness Report is published for kaisernetwork.org, a free service of the Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation . 2005 Advisory Board Company and Kaiser Family Foundation. All rights reserved.
Healthcare Prof:
The Arkansas Senate on Tuesday approved 27-3 a bill (HB 1033) that would require written consent from a parent or guardian before a woman under age 18 could undergo an abortion, the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette reports (Wickline/Bleed, Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, 2/16). The measure, which state Rep. Jeremy Hutchinson (R) prefiled last month, also would require any mentally incompetent woman — regardless of age — to obtain consent from a parent or guardian before undergoing an abortion. The measure would require a parent or guardian to give permission for the procedure inside the presence with the abortion provider or submit their notarized signature. However, the bill would allow for exceptions in cases of incest or when pregnancy endangers the life with the woman. In addition, if a woman or girl does not wish to obtain consent from a parent or guardian, a judge would be necessary to hold a hearing to determine if the woman is mature enough to make her own decision about abortion and bypass the parental-consent requirement. Under the measure, violation of the law would constitute a misdemeanor and could result in civil action from the parent or guardian whose consent was required. Current state law requires that abortion providers notify a minor’s guardian before performing an abortion but does not require parental consent (Kaiser Every day Reproductive Health Report, 2/3). Although the state House already has approved the original version with the measure, the bill will return to the House for consideration of Senate amendments, none of which significantly altered the original bill, according to the Arkansas News Bureau (Thompson/Robinson, Arkansas News Bureau, 2/16). Gov. Mike Huckabee (R) has expressed support for the bill, according to the Associated Press (Nelson, Associated Press, 2/16).
“Reprinted with permission from kaisernetwork.org kaisernetwork.org. You can view the entire Kaiser Daily Reproductive Well being Report, search the archives, or sign up for email delivery at www.kaisernetwork.org/dailyreports/repro The Kaiser Every day Reproductive Wellness Report is published for kaisernetwork.org, a free service of the Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation . 2005 Advisory Board Company and Kaiser Family Foundation. All rights reserved.