Blog – Concerned Women for America

May 25 2019

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Trying Times in the Maine Legislature – Still Time to Make a Difference!

L.D. 1313, the Doctor-Prescribed Suicide bill, was scheduled to be voted on in the Maine House Tuesday and again Thursday of this week but no vote was taken. The bill was tabled and will be voted on sometime next week – Tuesday, May 28, at the earliest.

You still have time to contact your representatives to ask them to oppose LD 1313! Please do so immediately. Contact them again even if you have previously done so and let them know that you once again wanted to encourage them to oppose LD 1313. It’s that important!

We have endured many defeats this session, including taxpayer-funded abortion, the requirement that private insurance companies include abortion in their health coverage plans, other than doctors allowed to perform abortions, loss of parental rights, loss of religious freedom, and the ban on conversion therapy.

My prayer is that you will remain engaged and take a stand against the suicide bill. God is on the throne. He has given us the privilege to advocate for His truth; the results are entirely up to Him.

Take Action:
Contact your state representative and urge him/her to oppose L.D. 1313. Find your representative alphabetically by the town in which you live or call the Maine House at 287-1400 and leave a message for your representative. Be sure to let them know you are a member of Concerned Women for America of Maine.
Please send this message to family and friends and ask them to take action and pray.

Keep updated on LD 1313 here.

Please pray with me: Dear Father, thank you to all those who have fought alongside us in this legislative session. We aren’t discouraged because You are on Your throne and we trust You to act on our behalf for what’s best. We ask that You grant us victory for the eighth time as we once again oppose the physician-assisted suicide bill. May the Maine legislators protect life for those who are sick and need of care and protection. In Jesus’ Name. Amen

Maranatha!

Penny Morrell
State Director
CWA of Maine

May 25 2019

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Abortion Bills are Poised for a Comeback!

By State Staff | Illinois | No Comments

The Parental Notice of Abortion Repeal and the Late-Term Abortion No Restricts bills that CWA of Illinois has actively opposed have been sequestered in an Executive sub-committee since the massive April 20 pro-life rally and lobby day. And now with the passage of pro-life bills in Alabama, Georgia, Ohio, and Missouri, as well as the influx of conservative judges to the bench, Planned Parenthood, pro-abortion legislators and proponents are working overtime to see that extreme abortion laws are fully established in Illinois and other states equally vulnerable.

It appears the Democrat supermajority is planning to amend the stalled bills and move them to a new shell bill named the Reproductive Health Act. If passed, the Reproductive Health Care Act , proposed in the House by Rep. Kelly Cassidy (D-Chicago), and in the Senate by Sen. Melinda Bush, (D-Grayslake), would repeal Illinois’ abortion law and replace it with what proponents and detractors agree would be the most liberal reproductive health care legislation in the country.

Highpoints of the bill, as cited in the ACLU Illinois account of the February 12, 2019, Planned Parenthood press conference, include:

Repeal Illinois Abortion Law of 1975 including criminal penalties on doctors who commit abortion
Repeal the Partial Birth Abortion ban, thereby allowing babies to be killed up to the time of birth
Remove any and all regulations on clinics that commit abortion
Repeal the Parental Notification Act of 1995
Allow DCFS to use public funds to pay for abortions–which would be in addition to Medicaid

Please take action:

Contact your state representative and state senator and urge him/her to oppose the Reproductive Health Care Act. Click here to find your senator and state representative’s contact information. Be sure to tell them you are a member of Concerned Women for America of Illinois.
Forward this alert to your family, friends, as well as churches in your area.

Please join me in prayer that the Church will wake up to the assault on the lifeof the unborn in Illinois and speak out against the Reproductive Health Act. Pray also for the hearts of the Illinois legislators that they will courageously vote against the bill.

“The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing.”- Edmund Burke

Debbie Leininger
State Director
CWA of Illinois

May 25 2019

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Urge Governor Abbott to Veto Mental Health Bill – HB 18

By State Staff | Texas | No Comments

HB 18 attempts to solve the problem of school violence by creating a state bureaucracy – a coalition of psychiatric and psychological experts in medical schools – to STUDY the problem. This involves multiple assessments of all school children with invasive questions about children and their homes and families. We believe that mental health care must remain in the control of parents and that if tax dollars are appropriated for this purpose, they must be distributed at the request of families.

Take action:

Call Gov. Abbott at (512) 463-2000 or contact him here and say this:
Please veto HB18.
While we recognize the mental stability of each child contributes to their learning capacity; and
Recognize that the disruptive antics of disturbed children affect, and in cases endanger, entire classrooms,
We, however, object to turning our schools into mental health clinics using assessments by mental health researchers to label ALL children on some researcher’s “mental health scale.”
We object to using vital funds for this experimental study when those funds can actually remedy some of the frustrations in classrooms and schools by making low cost/no-cost mental health centers immediately accessible in local communities.
This is a huge misdirection of tax-payer funds to solve a problem that it is incapable of solving.

Pray that the voice of reason from citizens of Texas will be heard by the Texas governor. Remember that a portion of Proverbs 24:6 says, “In a multitude of counselors there is safety.”

Thank you,
Ann Hettinger
State Director
CWA of Texas

May 23 2019

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Anti-Boycott, Divestment, Sanctions (BDS) Language Fails to Pass in the House

By Toni DeLancey | International, News and Events, Press Releases, Support for Israel | No Comments

This afternoon an attempt to add anti-BDS (Boycott, Divestment, Sanctions) language to H.R. 1994, a retirement enhancement act, was narrowly defeated in the U.S. House with a vote of 200 to 222. Though bipartisan, the vote was largely along party lines with only 12 Democrats joining the Republicans in support. Anti-BDS language within this legislation would end foreign tax breaks for companies who boycott Israel. Shea Garrison, Concerned Women for America’s Vice President of International Affairs had this to say:

“At a time when anti-Semitism is on the rise all around the world, it is a travesty that the U.S. House is unable to unite to support Israel, our most critical ally in the Middle East. Make no mistake, BDS is anti-Semitic. The founders of the BDS Movement have been explicitly clear: The BDS Movement opposes the very existence of Israel, or any Jewish state.

Although H.R. 1994 passed without the anti-BDS language, 12 Democrats and the majority of Republicans chose to stand with Israel, voting to send H.R. 1994 back to committee to ensure American’s don’t pay for foreign tax breaks of companies who engage in anti-Israel activity. However, those same 12 Democrats have yet to sign the petition to release the Strengthening America’s Security in the Middle East (SASME) Act of 2019, which contains the Combatting BDS Bill of 2019, to the House floor for a vote. An identical bill passed in the Senate with strong, bi-partisan support; yet Speaker Pelosi has blocked this legislation from getting a vote on the House floor.

Concerned Women for America calls on those same members who supported the anti-BDS motion today to immediately sign the discharge petition and get SASME to the House floor for a vote.

It is in America’s national interest to stand strong against anti-Semitic BDS. Support for Israel should be a non-partisan issue with complete bi-partisan cooperation. We ask the House to come together and condemn anti-Semitism in all forms.”

May 23 2019

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House Votes on (In)Equality Act and Rejects Efforts to Save Women’s Sports

By Doreen Denny | Blog, Defense of Family, Feminist / Women's Issues, Legislative Updates, News and Events, Social / Cultural Issues | No Comments

Last week, the House passed H.R. 5, the deceptively-named “Equality Act” by a vote of 236-173. By redefining the term sex to include “sexual orientation and gender identity” in civil rights law, this bill elevates “gender identity” over the protected class of sex as male and female, giving any person the right to claim “gender identity” as the opposite sex at any time. This sounds absurd, but the bill strips women from any protection from men who would identify as women in bathrooms, locker rooms, women’s shelters, sports competition, and more.

Before final passage, Republicans attempted to expose the threats to female athletes with a “motion to recommit with instructions.” A motion to recommit (MTR) is a procedural vote that would send the bill back to the relevant House committee with instructions on changes that should be made. If an MTR is successful, a vote on final passage would be delayed until the committee fixes the bill and sends it back to the whole House for consideration.

The so-called Equality Act effectively erases women’s sports by opening up any competition to biological men who identify as women. The MTR for H.R. 5 was very narrowly tailored to amend the bill to ensure that nothing may be construed to weaken any protections under Title IX to ensure female athletes have equal opportunity. This would have at least safeguarded the integrity of girls’ and women’s sports. Negating Title IX in the so-called “Equality Act” is a deep flaw in the bill, acknowledged by people across the political spectrum. Unfortunately, the MTR was rejected along party lines by a vote of 181-228.

The need to protect female sports is not a hypothetical situation; the unfair playing field is happening already because of similar state and local laws. Selina Soule, a high school track athlete in Connecticut, lost her chance to compete in the New England championship this year after two biological males took first and second place in the 55-meter dash. This week, CeCe Telfer, who previously competed as a male, has stolen an opportunity for a female athlete to compete in the 100 and 400-meter hurdles in the NCAA Division II Women’s Track and Field Championships.

The so-called Equality Act’s unverifiable and unscientific attempt to address discrimination by elevating protections for certain groups on the basis of a new definition of sex is a direct threat against every woman in America. Its effects are nothing less than extreme, far-reaching, and uncontainable and the gutting of Title IX is just one of these effects. Supporters have no way of defending the “Equality Act” against these threats to women even though basic common sense makes it obvious to most people. It’s a shame 228 House members blindly jumped on the bandwagon.

At this time, the Senate has no plans to take up the bill. However, 46 Senators, almost half the Senate, are cosponsors of the identical Senate bill. It remains a threat that must be opposed.

May 22 2019

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Urgent! Calls Needed – Mental Health Mandates Must be Stopped!

By State Staff | Texas | No Comments

We need you to act immediately to save our children and families from the invasion of the overreaching arm of our state government.

Last night, SB11 was subversively reconsidered for a 2nd reading in the Texas House of Representatives. The reason for this was so that they could add language via the Zerwas amendment, which is the whole of SB10. SB10 was defeated on a Point of Order earlier in the evening. (You can read about SB 11 and SB 10 in a previous alert here.)

Assuming SB11 passes third reading in the Texas House of Representatives today, it will then return to the Senate to concur on the amendments. The Senate is not expected to concur. Therefore, it will be assigned to a conference committee (five members from each chamber to work out a compromise bill). It then goes back to both chambers for an up or down vote.

It is imperative for Concerned Women for America of Texas to stop this encroachment into the homes and families by the provisions of these two allegedly mental health mandates.

Act:

Call your state senator and state representative immediately and firmly, but respectfully, ask them to:

Please oppose SB11.
SB11 is a huge expansion of a dangerous and expensive new bureaucracy complicit with the pharmaceutical companies and progressive groups.
All children, including home and private schoolers, will be screened by physicians and caregivers in the name of “safety.”
This bill establishes mental health telemedicine screening programs for “at risk” children. There is no definition for “at risk.” In this day, any child can be considered “at risk” and in need of assessment.

2. Click here to find your legislators. Be sure to let them know that you are a member of Concerned Women for America of Texas.

Pray for legislators to listen to their constituency and ignore the intimidating threats of the establishment no matter who is making the threats.

Thank you for your diligence and faithfulness,

Ann Hettinger
State Director
CWA of Texas

May 22 2019

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Planned Parenthood and NDSU have teamed up AGAIN

By State Staff | North Dakota | No Comments

Planned Parenthood is using the backdoor to enter North Dakota schools by offering a free workshop to classroom teachers! Their plan is obvious – what better way to influence children but through building a relationship with teachers. North Dakota State University (NDSU) is offering the workshop, Safe Spaces, a professional development class for sex education teachers. Planned Parenthood is even offering scholarships to teachers so that the NDSU Professional Development credit is covered by Planned Parenthood. Classes will be held June 3-4 in Dickinson, June 6-7 in Fargo, and June 13-14 in Grand Forks. The classes are open to any teacher with students kindergarten through grade 12!

More about Safe Spaces
The Safe Spaces course is offered through a partnership between NDSU and Planned Parenthood Minnesota, North Dakota, South Dakota. It is advertised as a “comprehensive, medically-accurate, and age appropriate” course. You can watch Minnesota legislators debate the Safe Spaces curriculum here.

The materials recommended in Safe Spaces do not belong in the classroom! Under the category of “Books for Children,” Planned Parenthood’s recommended curriculum for children as young as ten years old includes, It’s Perfectly Normal by Robbie Harris, a former member of Planned Parthood’s National Board of Advocates. This book for elementary aged children contains graphic drawings of female and male anatomy and cover topics such as sexual intercourse (vaginal, oral and anal sex), abortion, and homosexuality.

(Caution, some of the links below are offensive and inappropriate for children.)

Click here to learn more about Planned Parenthood’s recommended sex education curriculum for all students, aged kindergarten through high school.

Together, again, we can stop the Safe Spaces courses from taking place!
Just last year, CWA and other pro-family voices spoke out against the Safe Spaces teacher training workshops that were scheduled to held in Mandan, Minot, and Jamestown. Because you took action, two of the three events were canceled.

Please Take Action:
1. Contact NDSU President, Dean Bresciani, at [email protected] and ask him to cancel all Safe Spaces classes and to discontinue NDSU’s affiliation with Planned Parenthood. Others to contact in President Bresciani’s office:

Chief of Staff Chris Wilson: [email protected] and (701) 231-6409
Executive Assistant to the President Stephanie Wawers: [email protected] and(701) 231-7211
Associate Executive Assistant to the President LaDonna DeGeldere: [email protected] and (701) 231-8522

2. Considering sharing the additional Planned Parenthood talking points at the bottom of the page when talking with NDSU.
3. Forward this on to friends and family and ask them to both pray and take action.

Please Pray! Join me in thanking God for opportunities to protect our children from harm. “He who follows righteousness and mercy finds life, righteousness, and honor.” Proverbs 21:21

Planned Parenthood is the last group we want teaching our teachers how to teach our children! This issue is so very important! We must speak up and keep Planned Parenthood away from our students!

Thank you for your commitment to both prayer and action.

Linda Thorson
State Director
CWA of North Dakota

Additional Planned Parenthood talking points:
There is a well-documented connection between Planned Parenthood and sex traffickers. When sex trafficked victims become pregnant as a result of their abuse, they are often coerced into having abortions. Planned Parenthood has been caught on film helping pimps obtain abortions for their victims, including minors! The only thing Planned Parenthood did to fix the situation after it was made public was train employees how to avoid making incriminating statements, not how to identify victims of sex trafficking. You can read more about this in the January 2018 Washington Times story.

Planned Parenthood has also been known to teach acceptance of BDSM (bondage, discipline, dominance and submission, sadomasochism) to our youth.

May 22 2019

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Penny Nance Discusses the “Equality Act” on Tucker Carlson Tonight

By CWALAC Staff | Feminist / Women's Issues, News and Events, Religious Liberty, Sexual Exploitation | No Comments

Concerned Women for America Legislative Action Committee (CWALAC) CEO & President Penny Nance joins Tucker Carlson on his Fox News Show, alongside feminist Natasha Chart of the Women’s Liberation Front to express their historic joint opposition to the so called Equality Act, which will have numerous detrimental effects for women.

May 21 2019

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Another Great Coffee Talk Event

By State Staff | California | No Comments

Wonderful Coffee Talk & Fellowship!

We had a wonderful Coffee Talk event in Wildomar last week. We sang, we prayed, and we fellowshipped over delicious and comforting tea, coffee and cakes. Thanks to our Prayer/Action Chapter Leader, Linda Wallace, for organizing the event.

Area Director, Ruth Smith, and I met incredible prayer warriors! A new member of Concerned Women for America (CWA) of California proclaimed, “For many years, I was a Christian who was asleep about the issues affecting our community. Now, I’m awake, eager, and engaged – going to town hall meetings and being specific in prayer. Even my husband is speaking up in the workplace for Biblical values! Praise God!”

Our Coffee Talk events are a great way to learn more about CWA of California and the work we do here in the state. We talk about:

Legislation about CWA’s seven core issues
Praise reports at the state and national level
Issues to pray about at the local, state and national level
Upcoming events
Public policy focused initiatives

Our next Coffee Talk is Thursday, June 13 in Orange County. Click here for event information. We invite you to join us if you live in or around Irvine. Please contact me if you would like to host a Coffee Talk in your area.

What a blessing to gather with the body of Christ to praise in thanksgiving for God’s love and mercy, to fellowship and encourage one another in the Lord, and be productive and engaged in Christian advocacy for our state and nation.

Proverbs 27:17 says, “As iron sharpens iron, so one person sharpens another.”

United with you in prayer and thanksgiving,
Marlo Tucker
CA State Director
Concerned Women for America

May 21 2019

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Final Week to Pass Religious Freedom Bill

By State Staff | Texas | No Comments

Calls needed for SB 1978, the “Save Chick-fil-A” Religious Freedom Bill

Sine Die, the last day of the 2019 Texas legislative session is Monday, May 27. This means that SB 1978, the Religious Freedom bill, must pass the Texas House this week! Religious freedoms of Americans are being attacked more than ever. It is time to protect Texas from this onslaught.

Take Action:

Call your state representative and respectfully and prayerfully urge him or her to vote “Yes” on SB 1978. Find your Representative here. Be sure to tell them you are a member of Concerned Women for America of Texas.
Share this alert with like-minded friends and family.

Pray that the members of our state legislature will recognize our religious heritage and restrain government entities from prohibiting the exercise of our faith. “Blessed is the nation whose God is the LORD; and the people whom he hath chosen for his own inheritance.” Psalm 33:12

Talking Points

SB 1978 tells local governments, like the San Antonio City Council, that they cannot punish businesses, like Chick-fil-A, simply for donating to or associating with religious organizations.
SB 1978 prevents state and local governments from discriminating against entities that associate or donate to religious groups.
SB 1978 ensures businesses and organizations are able to operate consistent with their beliefs without fear of government punishment.
SB 1978 prohibits government authorities from denying government grants, contracts, licenses, tax benefits, and access to other programs because of being associated with or donating to a religious organization.
Government should never punish Texans for operating according to their religious beliefs.

Examples of Protections under SB 1978
Faith-based Businesses and Charities
SB 1978 protects Chick-fil-A, The Salvation Army, local faith-based substance-abuse recovery programs, Catholic charities, and many other faith-based social service agencies serving the poor and disabled. The bill ensures that those groups do not lose government funding and contracts because of their association or donations to these religious groups.Educational Institutions
SB 1978 protects religiously affiliated preschools, elementary schools, and high schools in the state. It also protects those schools’ tax-exempt status under state law and ensures that they can continue to serve their students without being penalized.

Texans
SB 1978 ensures that Texans who serve their communities, contract with the state, take out a loan, or apply for benefits will not be denied simply because of their association or donations to a religious organization.