Mar 20 2019
0

Your action is needed! Be a voice for our unborn children and their mothers!

By | North Dakota | No Comments

Dear Friend,

Just last week, HB 1336, the Abortion Pill Reversal Informed Consent bill, passed the State Senate after a unanimous “Do Pass” recommendation from the Senate Judiciary Committee members! HB 1336 now sits on the governor’s desk waiting for his signature!

HB 1336 is a pro-life, pro-woman bill that amends the informed consent requirements to include information that it may be possible to reverse the effects of the abortion pill (mifepristone). Information and assistance with the reversal possibility is to be includedin printed materials provided to women seeking an abortion. The printed consent material would also include the locations of facilities that provide medical services in the reversal of abortion-inducing drugs.

HB 1336 allows women seeking a medical abortion to receive information about their health decisions. Women not only have the right to be informed; they want to know their options. Read CWA of North Dakota testimony here.

Take Action: Your voice is needed to ensure HB 1336 becomes state law.
Please contact Gov. Doug Burgum today through his online contact form and respectfully urge him to sign, HB 1336.

Gov. Doug Burgum is receiving pressure from the pro-abortion crowd: Planned Parenthood of Minnesota, North Dakota, South Dakota Political Action Fund, Planned Parenthood of North Dakota Advocate and Rewire. Rewire News, an online pro-reproductive rights/pro-abortion news publication is asking the governor to veto HB 1336.

Spread the message to your family and friends. Let’s be sure Gov. Burgum hears from North Dakota citizens that support life! 

Suggested email message:
Dear Gov. Doug Burgum,

Please sign HB 1336, the Abortion Pill Reversal Informed Consent law. Women seeking an abortion deserve the right to complete information regarding their health decisions.

Sincerely,

Your Name, town

“Now may the God of peace who brought up our Lord Jesus from the dead, that great Shepherd of the sheep, through the blood of the everlasting covenant, make you complete in every good work to do His will, working in you what is well pleasing in His sight, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory forever and ever. Amen.” Hebrews 13:20-21

Linda Thorson
State Director
CWA of North Dakota
nd.cwfa.org
[email protected]
Facebook: concerned Women for America of North Dakota

Mar 20 2019
0

Watch the Outstanding Abortion Pill Reversal Informed Consent Bill Debated on the State Senate Floor

By | North Dakota | No Comments

On Friday, March 15, 2019, the North Dakota State Senate debated HB 1336, the Abortion Pill Reversal Informed Consent bill.   The bill passed!  You can watch the Senate chamber debate beginning at the 12:50:13 minute mark.

“God be merciful to us and bless us,
And cause His face to shine upon us, Selah

That Your way may be known on earth,
Your salvation among all nations.

Let the peoples praise You, O God;
Let all the peoples praise You.

Oh, let the nations be glad and sing for joy!
For You shall judge the people righteously,
And govern the nations on earth. Selah

Let the peoples praise You, O God;
Let all the peoples praise You.

Then the earth shall yield her increase;
God, our own God, shall bless us.

God shall bless us,
And all the ends of the earth shall fear Him.”

-Psalm 67

To God be the Glory.

 

 

Mar 19 2019
0

Your Voice Made a Difference— Neomi Rao to the D.C. Circuit

By | LBB, Legal, News and Events | No Comments

Neomi Rao, President Trump’s nominee to be a judge on the D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals, often recognized as the second-highest court in the land, was confirmed by the U.S. Senate last week by a vote of 53-46. No Republican senator opposed Rao.

This is a major victory and a testament to your voice and influence on Capitol Hill. Rao came under attack in the waning days of her nomination. But thanks to your voice, we have a conservative woman with excellent credentials and a trustworthy judicial philosophy at the D.C. Circuit. CWA leaders from across the country, and especially in key states, were quickly mobilized to express our support for Rao and to help explain her record and address any concerns Senators might have. Because of your efforts, she is now a federal appellate court judge.

Rao will fill the seat left vacant by Justice Brett Kavanaugh at the D.C. Circuit where she will handle numerous cases involving federal agencies, which is her area of expertise— administrative law. She comes to the bench after serving in the Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs where she worked on deregulation efforts that have untangled businesses to invest in our economy and give rise to the current favorable economic numbers we are witnessing. As an associate professor of law at George Mason University’s Antonin Scalia Law School, Rao also founded the school’s Center for the Study of the Administrative State.

These experiences, along with her solid judicial philosophy, will make her a major stabilizing influence at this important federal appellate court. During her hearing, Rao stated consistently that judges do not create law, but rather interpret and apply the Constitution, law, and precedents as they exist. She has publicly criticized activist judges who try to go “beyond the law to reach a particular result” they desire, rather than ruling as the law demands.

She is the type of judge we are in desperate need of, and we are glad to have played a role in her confirmation.

—
Mario Diaz, Esq. is CWA’s general counsel. Follow him on Twitter @mariodiazesq.

 

Mar 19 2019
0

For America (Day 102)

By | LBB, News and Events, Prayer | No Comments

O let us taste and see that You are good, Lord;
Help us to trust in You and the promises
You have given to us through Your Word.
Blessed is He who puts his hopes in them.

Help us to know You and understand You, increasingly so;
Help us to fear You in Your holy love.
Teach us to love as You do
Keep us from becoming “noisy gongs” or “clanging cymbals.”

May all our works be covered in love and humility;
Directed by discernment and a desire to serve those in need.
You have prospered us, and we are grateful
For all we have, big and small.

We confess our sins before You,
Our joyless bouts and unforgiving hearts.
We are in desperate need
Of Your mind and heart-altering touch.

Help us to wield the sword of truth in love.
Help us to expose the darkness and bring joy.
In You there is life and peace and hope.
Help us to live and move in You.

Merciful Father, be near us;
Bring us ever closer to Your holy presence
And remind us of who we are in You –
Who we are becoming through Your sanctification.

Give us food for the hungry,
A calming word for those in distress,
A loving hand for those who are hurt,
And hearts who empathize with all.

Give us boldness to speak against
Injustice and unrighteousness and evil.
Give us hearts inclined to prayer
That in our weakness, we may stand strong.

In Jesus’ Name,
Amen.

 

—
Click here for more prayers from our For America Prayer Journal.

Mario Diaz, Esq. is CWA’s general counsel. Follow him on Twitter @mariodiazesq.

Mar 19 2019
0

Action Needed on Illinois K-12 LGBTQ History Courses

By | Illinois | No Comments

The proselytizing of the LGBTQ lifestyle on impressionable school-aged children continues as HB 246 passed the Illinois House 60-42. Forty-four Republicans and 14 Democrats did not vote on the bill. If passed in the Senate and signed by the governor, this bill will go into effect July 1, 2020. Gov. Pritzker indicated he would sign the bill into law.

Click here to see how your State Representative voted.

HB 246 mandates:

  • Students will be instructed on the roles and contributions of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender people in American and Illinois History.
  • With regards to the textbook block grant program, it provides that the textbooks authorized to be purchased must include the roles and contributions of all people protected under the Illinois Human Rights Act and must be non-discriminatory as to any of the characteristics under the Act. 

At its core, HB 246 is about a moral issue that parents alone have the right to teach their children. As believers, we first and foremost rely on the Bible’s teachings against such lifestyles because it is in opposition to God’s plan for our lives. Secondly, medically, these lifestyles are statistically dangerous, and it is not in the interest of our children for us to portray them as normal and healthy when they medically and emotionally are not. According to a Center for Disease Control study, students in the LGB lifestyle are more likely to engage in risky behavior. This immoral lifestyle brings with it harm. This is not something to be taught or celebrated. 

Take Action:

  • Call your State Senator today and voice your opposition to HB 246. Click here to find your senator. Be sure to let them know you are a member of Concerned Women for America of Illinois.
  • Forward this alert to like-minded family members and friends and encourage them to call their senator.

 Please join me in prayer that the minds of public-school children will be protected from the LGBTQ ideology and that the Church will arise to defend them.

“Train up a child in the way he should go; even when he is old, he will not depart from it” (Proverbs 22:6).

Debbie Leininger
State Director
CWA of Illinois
[email protected]
il.cwfa.org
815-297-2918 

Take the next step!

  • Consider donating to CWA of Illinois online or write a check out to “Concerned Women for America,” put “CWA of IL” on the memo line, and then send it to CWA of Illinois at 1255 W. Empire Street, Freeport, IL 61032. Our state is run exclusively through donations. Thank you in advance for considering this opportunity.
  • Visit the CWA of Illinois webpage to see how you can become involved in our organization.
  • If someone forwarded this e-alert to you, and you would like to be on our e-alert list, email me, and I will be happy to add you.  You will receive legislative, project and event notices.
Mar 19 2019
0

Communities That Care Survey – Your Voice is Needed!

By | Kansas | No Comments

ACTION needed on opt-out Communities That Care Survey! We want to keep the opt in language.

Yesterday, HB 2361 passed out of the Children and Seniors Committee. The focus of this legislation is the Communities That Care Survey, which is a very invasive student health survey that CWA of Kansas very much opposes.

Currently, parents must opt their student(s) in to participate in the survey. We like this policy because schools assume the responsibility of ensuring they have parental permission to take the survey. The bill seeks to change opt-in to opt-out which is not in the best interest of parents and students.

Take Action: Contact the Speaker and House Majority Leader and urge them to not allow this bill to go before the House. Be sure to let them know that you are a member of Concerned Women for America of Kansas.

  • Speaker of the House Ron Ryckman (R-District 78) Phone: 785 296-2302 | E-mail: [email protected]
  • Majority Leader Dan Hawkins (R-District 100) Phone: 785 291-7662 | E-mail: [email protected]

Please pray for our children as they go throughout their school day. Pray for the protection of their minds and hearts as they often hear and see things that are an antithesis to Biblical truths.

Thank you for all you do and considering doing this much needed task.

Sincerely,

Barbara Saldivar
State Director
CWA of Kansas
[email protected]
ks.cwfa.org
785-260-5659
Facebook: Concerned Women for America of Kansas

Thank you for all you do educating, praying and acting in an appropriate manner. Please consider donating to CWA of Kansas by mailing a check to PO Box 8331, Topeka, KS 66608 or click here to donate to Kansas online. If you send a check, please make it out to “Concerned Women for America” and put “CWA of KS” on the memo line.

 

 

Mar 15 2019
0

Strengthened Debbie Smith Act Introduced in Senate

By | Blog, News and Events, Sexual Exploitation | No Comments

On Thursday, Senator Cornyn (R-Texas) and Senator Feinstein (R-California) introduced the Debbie Smith Act of 2019, a bill that would reauthorize funding aimed at increasing capacity for DNA testing to reduce the rape kit backlog. The Debbie Smith Reauthorization Act was first signed into law in 2004 in response to the story of Debbie Smith, a rape victim who only saw justice because of DNA evidence and testing.

Last July, CWALAC CEO and President Penny Nance testified before the Senate Judiciary Committee on her experience as an attempted rape victim and why we must work to end the backlog. Unfortunately, after fifteen years since the inception of the Debbie Smith Act and over $1 billion spent, an unknown number of rape kits still sit untested in evidence rooms across the country. Meanwhile, the statute of limitations ticks on with no resolution for victims.

CWALAC partnered with RAINN (Rape, Abuse and Incest National Network) on specific improvements to the Debbie Smith Act, introduced by Sen. Cornyn, that would increase prioritization of rape kit testing and improve accountability in tracking the backlog of sexual assault cases. A recent New York Times piece highlighted Maisha Sudbeck, a rape victim who saw justice years after her assault only because of funds prioritized through programs to clear the backlog. Ms. Sudbeck cited the testing of her rape kit as “a catalyst for hope.”

Not only is testing these kits a crucial step in pursuing justice for victims and possible exoneration for the wrongfully accused, it often shows patterns of assault and can take serial perpetrators off the street. Ms. Sudbeck’s kit showed a hit for a man who had raped at least six other women. This phenomenon is far from uncommon. One study found that about half of the DNA kits tested resulted in hits for serial offenders. In her Senate Judiciary testimony, Penny stated, “We must push ourselves until each sexual assault kit is accounted for and every last one is processed — because every kit represents a brave woman waiting for justice.” CWALAC will continue to work with Congress to ensure this crucial legislation is passed, so that every victim has the chance for justice.

See Penny’s letter to cosponsors.

Mar 15 2019
0

Use Your Voice – Episode 9, The Heartbeat of Humanity

By | Use Your Voice | No Comments

 

In this episode, CEO & President of Concerned Women for America Penny Nance looks back at her CPAC 2019 experience, where she was joined by Congresswoman Cathy McMorris Rodgers and Dr. Ben Carson, in a moving panel that left a mark on this year’s amazing festivities, to discuss the dignity of every human life.

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Mar 14 2019
0

Sixth Circuit Greenlights Ohio Law Prohibiting Public Funding of Abortion Clinics

By | Case Vault, Legal, Planned Parenthood, Sanctity of Life | No Comments

Planned Parenthood of Greater Ohio v. Hodges

The Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals reversed a decision from the Southern District of Ohio at Cincinnati invalidating an Ohio law barring the public funding of abortion clinics. This is good news. The law has now been upheld and can go into full effect.

The court said the state’s condition for receiving public health funds “does not violate the Constitution because the [clinics] do not have a due process right to perform abortions.” I know that seems obvious, but this is exactly what Planned Parenthood has tried to argue for many years. They claim not only that women have a constitutional right to abortion but also that they, as the providers of this “holy” right, have a constitutional right to provide abortions. The court appropriately and emphatically rejected that claim. The court’s sound reasoning now opens the door for the will of the majority of Ohioans to be carried out. The citizens of Ohio, along with the majority of the rest of the country, do not want their tax dollars to subsidize abortion providers.

In 2016 Ohio passed a law prohibiting funds from being used to “(1) Perform nontherapeutic abortions; (2) Promote nontherapeutic abortions; (3) Contract with any entity that performs or promotes nontherapeutic abortions; (4) Become or continue to be an affiliate of any entity that performs or promotes nontherapeutic abortions.”

Ohio made clear the purpose of the law is, (1) to “Promote childbirth over abortion” which the Supreme Court has already said is constitutionally permissible (“[A] State is permitted to enact persuasive measures which favor childbirth over abortion, even if those measures do not further a health interest.” Planned Parenthood v. Casey, 505 U.S. 833, 886 (1992)), (2) “to avoid ‘muddl[ing]’ that message by using abortion providers as the face of the state healthcare programs” (there are thousands of quality health care options for women besides Planned Parenthood – in Ohio, one study found 280 federally qualified health clinics and rural health clinics, compared to just 28 Planned Parenthood Abortion Clinics), and (3) “to avoid entangling program funding and abortion funding” (public funding inevitably helps Planned Parenthood be the number one abortion provider in the country, performing more than 300,000 abortions a year – more than 27,000 a month, more than 900 a day).

Planned Parenthood, having become synonymous with abortion, promptly sued Ohio, “claiming that the law violates the First and Fourteenth Amendments by conditioning government funding on giving up their rights to provide abortions and to advocate for them.” The district court and a panel of the Sixth Circuit agreed and permanently enjoined the State from enforcing the law.

Thankfully, the Sixth Circuit en banc (before the full court) now reverses those misguided opinions and correctly applies the law, including applicable precedent, to this case. Judge Jeffrey Sutton, writing for the court, reminds us that, “The United States Constitution does not contain an Unconstitutional Conditions Clause.” Writing clearly and concisely, he says, “Governments generally may do what they wish with public funds,” citing Rust v. Sullivan, 500 U.S. 173, 192–94 (1991). He continues, “What makes a condition unconstitutional turns not on a freestanding prohibition against restricting public funds but on a pre-existing obligation not to violate constitutional rights.” In other words, the government cannot deny a clinic’s funding on a reason that violates the clinic’s constitutional rights.

But the constitutional right at issue here “prohibits a State from imposing an ‘undue burden’ on a woman’s access to an abortion before fetal viability. Casey, 505 U.S. at 877 (plurality).” It has nothing to do with a clinic’s right to perform abortions. “The Supreme Court has never identified a freestanding right to perform abortions.”

Therefore, since there is no constitutional right, there can be no constitutional violation of that right. It is that simple.

A woman may bring a claim, as the dissent envisions, saying this law places an undue burden on her constitutional right to obtain an abortion, but this is hard to imagine, given the facts of this case where the clinics have all publicly expressed their commitment to abortion with or without this law. Ruling for Planned Parenthood in this case, “would create a constitutional right for providers to offer abortion services and, in doing so, move the law perilously close to requiring States to subsidize abortions. Case law rejects both possibilities.”

Bottom line, “so long as the subsidy program does not otherwise violate a constitutional right of the regulated entity, the State may choose to subsidize what it wishes — whether abortion services or adoption services, whether stores that sell guns or stores that don’t.”

—

Mario Diaz, Esq. is CWA’s general counsel. Follow him on Twitter @mariodiazesq.

Mar 14 2019
0

Pro-Life Bill – There is GOOD NEWS!

By | North Dakota | No Comments

Praise the Lord! On March 13, HB 1336, the Abortion Pill Reversal Informed Consent bill, received a unanimous vote of “Do Pass” recommendation from the Senate Judiciary Committee members!

Thank you, everyone, who contacted lawmakers regarding this important life changing bill! Women are strong and capable and should have the right to know, if they change their mind after taking the first abortion pill, that they may be able to reverse the chemical abortion procedure. Women should have the right to complete information regarding their health decisions.

HB 1336 will soon be voted on by all 47 members of the North Dakota State Senate, possibly as early as tomorrow, Friday, March 15.   Please take a moment today to contact senators to ask them to vote for HB 1336.

Status: On January 21, CWA of North Dakota submitted testimony in support of HB 1336 to the House Human Services Committee. The bill passed by a vote of 73 yeas and 16 nays! Then on March 4, I was there to testify on behalf of CWA of North Dakota members in support of the bill to the Senate Judiciary Committee members. Committee members gave the bill a 5-0 Do Pass recommendation! You can read my testimony here.

Your voice for life is needed! Will you take a moment and contact the members of the Senate? Ask them to vote yes on HB 1336. Spread the message to your family and friends. Let’s be sure senators hear from North Dakota citizens that support this bill!

Suggested email message:
Dear Senator,
Please vote in favor of HB 1336, the Abortion Pill Reversal Informed Consent bill. Women seeking an abortion deserve the right to complete information regarding their health decisions.
Sincerely,
Your Name, town

Copy and paste email addresses into the send box of your email.

[email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected];[email protected]; [email protected]gov; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected] ; [email protected] ; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]

Pray! Be encouraged! We have so much for which to be thankful. Thank God for all those He has placed in authority. Thank Him for the opportunity today to be a voice for unborn children and their mothers!

“I exhort, therefore, that, first of all, supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks, be made for all men; for kings, and for all that are in authority; that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty. For this is good and acceptable in the sight of god our Savior.” – I Timothy 2: 1-3

Linda Thorson
State Director
CWA of North Dakota
nd.cwfa.org
[email protected]
Facebook: Concerned Women for America of North Dakota