No One Saw This Coming! President Trump Just Launched Federal Investigation On Liberal Giant, Dems Said He Couldn’t Do It

Source: Guerrilla News



The advancement of unfettered abortion openings is a bedrock position of the Democratic Party. Truth be told, party leaders have contended that such a position must be a litmus test for fitting the bill to try and keep running as a Democratic candidate for office. At any rate, they’re straightforward about their position, if deplorably off-base.

Thus, Planned Parenthood is just about a segment of the Democratic Party. It should be from that organization and the Democrats are joined at the hip. Given the activities of Planned Parenthood, that really ought to be to the Democrats’ disgrace.

A standout amongst the most hostile practices of which Planned Parenthood has been blamed has been the deal for the body parts of aborted babies. The reality of the matter is that once they’ve killed the kid, no further damage is accessible for the abortion mill to cause. However, treating dead babies like some other animal is frightful. What’s more, President Trump has had the FBI launch an examination of Planned Parenthood and claims of this disgusting demonstration. Keeping in mind that despite everything anybody question, Mr. Trump descends in favor of expert life.

Read more about this at The Guerrilla News

Judge Strikes Down Indiana Law Against Selling Aborted Baby Parts

Source: Life News



Indiana received bad news this Christmas season when a judge struck down part of a state law prohibiting the trafficking of aborted baby body parts.

The Indiana Lawyer reports Chief Judge Jane Magnus-Stinson of the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Indiana sided with Indiana University researchers on Friday, arguing that most of the law was unconstitutional.

The university sued the state in 2016 after lawmakers passed a law prohibiting the acquisition, receipt, sale or transfer of aborted baby body parts. Violations would be a felony.

Read more about this at The LifeSite News

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Over 50,000 Moral Outcry Petition Signers in First Amicus Brief at the U.S. Supreme Court - Abortion is a Crime Against Humanity

By The Moral Outcry

Washington, D.C. - December 14, 2017 - (The Ponder News) -- The Moral Outcry Project, through its founder, Melinda Thybault, and The Justice Foundation filed their first Supreme Court Amicus brief including over 50,000 signers of The Moral Outcry Petition, in Case No. 17-689, Andrew March v. Janet T. Mills, as Attorney General of Maine, et al. The issue in this first case for The Moral Outcry is whether a preacher should be allowed freedom of speech to preach against abortion on a sidewalk outside the abortion facility.

Melinda Thybault is the founder of The Moral Outcry Petition. She states: "Join us as we raise a Moral Outcry and sign our petition to see the travesty of legalized abortion overturned. I thank the Lord that the first 57,725 voices of Outcry are now filed with the Supreme Court."

The over 50,000 Moral Outcry Project signers believe that abortion is a crime against humanity and that the Supreme Court should ultimately reverse its abortion decisions such as Roe v. Wade.

Christian Supporters or Signers of The Moral Outcry Petition include: Frank Amedia, POTUS Shield; Mike Bickle, International House of Prayer; Pierre Bynum, Family Research Council; Pastor David Chun, L.A. Glory Church; Lou Engle, The Call; Lewis & Rachel Hogan, United Cry; Intercessors for America; Steven Kendrick, co-writer and producer of the movies Facing the Giants, Fireproof, Courageous, and War Room; Dr. Alveda King, Alveda King Ministries; Byron Paulus, Life Action Ministries; Jeanne Mancini, March for Life; Herman Martir, Asian Action Network; Dutch Sheets, Dutch Sheets Ministry; Doug Stringer, Somebody Cares; Tim Wildmon, American Family Association.

Click here to read the brief. The Justice Foundation was represented pro bono by Erin Mersino and William Wagner of The Great Lakes Justice Center.

Click here to read the Petition.

Click here to go to the website. Sign the Petition to add your name in appropriate cases until the Supreme Court reverses legalized abortion.

11 Women Hurt By Abortion also gave their testimonies for the brief. See Appendix of Amicus Brief.

Allan Parker, President of The Justice Foundation stated: "Everyone, but particularly Christians, must oppose this crime against humanity. We must bear witness in love, just as the Reverend Martin Luther King fought courageously against the crimes against humanity committed against his people."


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McConnell Should Resign for Helping to Defeat Judge Roy Moore

By Operation Rescue



Montgomery, AL - December 14, 2017 - (The Ponder News) -- It's no secret that Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell did not like Judge Roy Moore, who ran to fill the seat vacated by Jeff Sessions. McConnell endorsed his primary opponent, Luther Strange, and poured an estimated $30 million into a campaign against Moore.

When Strange was soundly rejected by the people of Alabama, and Moore became the GOP nominee, McConnell continued to oppose him.

At the first sign of an unproven 40-year old allegation of sexual misconduct against Moore in the waning weeks of the campaign, the GOP halted financial support for Moore's campaign, and several Republicans withdrew their endorsements, when they should have maintained their support in the face of such obviously fake allegations. Instead, they allowed Moore to be tarred and feathered by the spurious attacks.

However, Mitch McConnell went a step further. He promised to never allow Moore to occupy his Senate seat, if he were to be elected, even though none of the allegations had ever been proved true in the four decades since they supposedly happened.

This sent a strong message to the electorate that Moore would never be accepted as a legitimate Senator, that the people of Alabama would be disenfranchised, and chaos would reign in the Senate.

"It is my opinion that Sen. Mitch McConnell heavily contributed to Moore's defeat, and because that led to giving a seat away to a pro-abortion Democrat, he should resign immediately," said Troy Newman, President of Operation Rescue. "McConnell has ensured that pro-life legislation will never pass, Planned Parenthood will never be defunded, and babies that can feel pain will continue to be aborted after the mid-point of pregnancy. He has made sure that the Trump agenda will stall out, and Congress will continue in gridlock. He has betrayed the will of the American people, who support the Trump agenda, especially when it comes to ending abortion. Sen. McConnell, please resign!"

Operation Rescue is one of the leading pro-life Christian activist organizations in the nation and has become a strong voice for the pro-life movement in America.


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DOJ Investigating Planned Parenthood

By Liberty Counsel


Washington, D.C. - December 12, 2017 - (The Ponder News) -- The Department of Justice (DOJ) is now investigating Planned Parenthood regarding the sale of aborted baby body parts for profit. Last Friday, DV Biologics and DaVinci Biosciences, which purchased aborted baby body parts from Planned Parenthood abortion clinics, agreed to pay $7.785 million and cease all business operations in California.

Justice Department Assistant Attorney General for Legislative Affairs Stephen Boyd sent a letter to the Senate Judiciary Committee requesting unredacted documents underlying a 2016 investigation by the committee into the exchange of human fetal tissue that had been donated for research by women who got abortions.

The Senate Judiciary Committee and the House Select Investigative Panel on Infant Lives both referred Planned Parenthood and the organ procurement companies to the Department of Justice for criminal investigation and prosecution. Based on its findings, the Judiciary Committee’s report, “Human Fetal Tissue Research: Context and Controversy,” concluded that the executive branch had failed for years to exercise oversight on the tissue transfer process and created a situation where costs and fees were not properly accounted for. The report recommended that the Justice Department “fully investigate” the fetal tissue practices of Planned Parenthood, its affiliates, and three companies involved in the sale of the tissue for potential crimes.

The DOJ investigation comes as a result of the 14 undercover videos produced by the Center for Medical Progress that show Planned Parenthood officials trafficking body parts of aborted babies, flippantly negotiating prices and abortion methods to sell aborted baby hearts, lungs, livers and brains. Liberty Counsel represents Sandra “Susan” Merritt, one of the two journalists with the Center for Medical Progress, whose undercover work exposed Planned Parenthood’s barbaric practices of harvesting organs from aborted babies and selling them to organ procurement organizations, including StemExpress, LLC, Advanced Bioscience Resources, Inc. and Novogenix Laboratories, LLC., for profit. Cecil Richards, Planned Parenthood’s CEO, has admitted before Congress that the recordings were made in public places and were not confidential.

The sale or purchase of human fetal tissue is a felony punishable by up to ten years in prison or a fine of up to $500,000.

“This investigation of Planned Parenthood is long overdue,” said Mat Staver, Founder and Chairman of Liberty Counsel. “The Obama administration shielded Planned Parenthood from scrutiny. The smothered voices of innocent children cry out for justice. There is no amount of money that can bring back all the precious lives lost due to the despicable actions of Planned Parenthood and these organ procurement companies. Two of the organ procurement companies have now faced the consequences of their barbaric acts. Now it is time for Planned Parenthood to face justice,” said Staver.

Liberty Counsel is an international nonprofit, litigation, education, and policy organization dedicated to advancing religious freedom, the sanctity of life, and the family since 1989, by providing pro bono assistance and representation on these and related topics.

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Court Strikes Abortion Buffer Zone Law

Newark, NJ - November 27, 2017 (The Ponder News) -- A New Jersey federal court struck down a City of Englewood eight-foot buffer zone that prohibits pro-life speech near abortion facilities. Applying the U.S. Supreme Court's unanimous 2014 opinion in McCullen v. Coakley, which held unconstitutional an identically worded Massachusetts buffer zone law, the New Jersey court ruled the ordinance violates the First Amendment.

The decision provides fresh optimism for Liberty Counsel's lawsuit against the City of Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, to strike down the twenty-foot buffer zone ordinance passed by the City at the behest of Planned Parenthood. The Harrisburg ordinance violates the constitutional rights of Liberty Counsel's clients Becky Biter and Colleen Reilly, who are Christian sidewalk counselors being prevented from telling women about alternatives to abortion they will not hear once inside Planned Parenthood. Just as in Englewood, the Harrisburg City Council failed to consider any less restrictive alternatives to its speech ban, opting instead to become enthusiastic agents for the Planned Parenthood agenda.

Both New Jersey and Pennsylvania are in the same federal appellate jurisdiction, covered by the U.S. Third Circuit Court of Appeals, where Liberty Counsel has already secured an early victory in the Harrisburg case. The Harrisburg trial court is now bound by the favorable Third Circuit ruling as the case proceeds, and should be favorably influenced by the plainly sound reasoning of its sister court in New Jersey.

"The New Jersey decision is a great example of clear constitutional reasoning, uncorrupted by the 'abortion distortion' that has pervaded so many court decisions since Roe v. Wade," said Mat Staver, Founder and Chairman of Liberty Counsel. "The decision should be an encouragement to pro-life sidewalk counselors around the country, and a warning to state and local governments who increasingly abdicate their duties to uphold the constitutional rights of their citizens in order to carry water for Planned Parenthood," said Staver.

Liberty Counsel is an international nonprofit, litigation, education, and policy organization dedicated to advancing religious freedom, the sanctity of life, and the family since 1989, by providing pro bono assistance and representation on these and related topics.


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San Diego Abortion Facility Where Abortionist Engaged in Demonic Rant Has Closed

By Cheryl Sullenger

San Diego, CA - November 27, 2017 (The Ponder News) -- FPA Women’s Health, a chain of California abortion facilities, has shut down its troubled office on Miramar Road in San Diego, effective on Friday, November 17, 2017.

The San Diego location was the site of an incident involving abortionist Robert Santella and pro-life activist Zephaniah Mel. Santella threatened Mel with a pair of surgical scissors during a bizarre demonic rant, that included hissing and a confession that he loved killing children during abortions.

That behavior, along with complaints of malpractice and botched abortions, resulted in Santella’s firing from the abortion chain, which he had been affiliated with for over 30 years. Santella was forced to surrender his medical license after the California Medical Board charged him with negligence and unprofessional conduct.



Operation Rescue confirmed that Santella’s medical license has been surrendered and his private office on College Avenue in San Diego, where he also conducted abortions, is also closed.

The FPA office was also the scene of several medical emergencies that required ambulance transport, including one in September 2015, when a mother accompanying her daughter for an abortion was forced to call an ambulance for her bleeding daughter when the FPA Women’s Health staff refused. Her action likely saved her daughter’s life.

FPA Women’s Health has had a presence in San Diego County since the 1980s. The high-volume abortion business, which once boasted that its “doctors” spent only three minutes per patient completing abortions, has been forced to move a number of times.

While located in La Mesa, California, in the 1990s, the FPA abortion facility was the site of numerous large pro-life sit-ins, that resulted in the arrests of several peaceful protesters. In early 2002, the abortion business’ landlord finally evicted them from their office. FPA relocated Sixth Avenue across from Balboa Park, until being forced to move again when the building they occupied was slated for demolition. Their most recent address on Miramar Road was considered an odd location since it was situated in the middle of a furniture mall.

Two years ago, a pro-life alternatives facility, Turning Point Pregnancy Resource Center, moved in next door to the abortion facility, and impacted FPA’s business by offering women assistance and positive alternatives to abortion.

Now, Operation Rescue has confirmed that the San Diego FPA abortion business is relocating once again, this time to the more conservative East County community of El Cajon. That facility is located at 1625 E. Main Street, Suite 202, in El Cajon — right next to an Albertson’s grocery store, which is sure to create tension in the community.

“We are thankful that this abortion business has been once again forced to move, thanks to the prayers and action of pro-life activists, who have been so faithful on the sidewalks throughout the decades. When abortion businesses relocate, it usually results in a loss of business – which means babies’ lives are spared,” said Troy Newman, President of Operation Rescue. “We pray the El Cajon FPA office shuts down soon and has nowhere to relocate.”


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Ohio House overwhelmingly approves Down Syndrome Non-Discrimination Act

Source: Ohio Right to Life

Washington, D.C. - November 4, 2017 (The Ponder News) -- The Ohio House overwhelmingly approved Ohio Right to Life's Down Syndrome Non-Discrimination Act (H.B. 214), 63-30, legislation which would prohibit abortions from being performed for the sole reason of a Down syndrome diagnosis. The legislation is sponsored by Representatives Sarah LaTourette (R-Chesterland) and Derek Merrin (R-Monclova Township).

“Ohio Right to Life commends the Ohio House for taking a stand against this devastating practice,” said Mike Gonidakis, president of Ohio Right to Life. “Today's vote is a vote against modern-day eugenics, plain and simple. After seeing the horrors of eugenics play out in the 20th century, it is appalling that this legislation is even up for debate. While aborting a human child is always wrong, we should all agree that there is something particularly egregious about targeting babies with disabilities for destruction."

Since June, multiple Down syndrome advocates have testified before House and Senate committees in favor of the legislation. Around the world and here in America, unborn babies diagnosed with Down syndrome are disproportionately aborted. Recent news reports have revealed these alarming trends in European countries like Denmark where 98 percent of babies with a positive diagnosis are aborted and in Iceland where 100 percent are aborted. Last week, advocate Frank Stephens, who has Down syndrome, testified before Congress, referencing such reports and saying, "I am a man with Down syndrome, and my life is worth living."

“These disturbing trends challenge us with the opportunity to be better,” said Gonidakis. “With this knowledge, we have an obligation to protect our friends with Down syndrome, not only because they can teach us to be a more loving and empathetic society, but because they, like all of us, are endowed with the fundamental right to life. With this legislation, Ohio is paving the way for a society that stands up to discrimination and defends the most vulnerable among us."

H.B. 214 has companion legislation (S.B. 164) in the Ohio Senate. The bill is sponsored by Senator Frank LaRose (R-Hudson) and has already received three hearings. Ohio Right to Life asks its members to sign its petition to pass the Down Syndrome Non-Discrimination Act. Click here to take action now.

Founded in 1967, Ohio Right to Life, with more than 45 chapters and local affiliates, is Ohio's oldest and largest grassroots pro-life organization. Recognized as the flagship of the pro-life movement in Ohio, ORTL works through legislation and education to promote and defend innocent human life from conception to natural death.

Read more about abortion issues at The Ponder News by clicking HERE

CONGRESSMAN PITTENGER INTRODUCES BIPARTISAN “NO ABORTION BONDS ACT”

Source: Robert Pittenger (R-NC, 9th)




Congressman Robert Pittenger (NC-09) formally introduced the No Abortion Bonds Act, which prohibits the use of federal tax-exempt bonds to finance construction of abortion clinics.

“Under a loophole in the current law, cities, counties, and states can issue federally tax-free bonds to finance construction of abortion clinics,” explained Congressman Pittenger during a speech on the House floor. “These tax-free bonds are intended to finance schools, hospitals, and infrastructure, not abortion clinics. This legislation applies the spirit of the Hyde Amendment to the tax code, by preventing tax-free bonds from going to abortion providers.”



Congressman Pittenger introduced the No Abortion Bonds Act during a Wednesday afternoon speech on the House floor. Click here for full video.

In 2012, New York City issued a tax-free, $15 million bond for renovation of Planned Parenthood’s national headquarters.

In 2007, Sarasota County, Florida floated an $8 million, tax-free bond to pay for a Planned Parenthood abortion clinic.

In 2007, the Illinois Finance Authority approved an $8.05 million tax-free bond to pay for a Planned Parenthood abortion clinic in Aurora.

In 2006, the Massachusetts Development Finance Agency granted a $5 million tax-exempt bond for a Planned Parenthood clinic in Worcester.

State and local governments are allowed to finance construction of schools, roads, and hospitals with special bonds exempt from federal tax. These tax breaks for the investors, which cost the federal government billions in revenue, lead to lower costs for the borrower. Federal taxpayers therefore subsidize the project, in addition to being ultimately responsible for the loan should the borrower fail to pay.

While the 1976 Hyde Amendment prohibits the use of taxpayer-funding for abortion or abortion-related services, a loophole allows these infrastructure bonds to be used for abortion clinics.

Congressman Pittenger’s No Abortion Bonds Act:

Removes the tax-exempt status of any bond that flows to an abortion provider or abortion clinic.

Includes exemption for clinics that only perform abortions in cases of rape, incest, or danger to the life of the mother.

Includes common sense exemption for hospitals.

Congressman Pittenger’s No Abortion Bonds Act is co-sponsored by Rep. Franks (R-AZ), Rep. Smith (R-NJ), Rep. Black (R-TN), Rep. Hartzler (R-MO), Rep. Walker (R-NC), Rep. Hudson (R-NC), Rep. Luetkemeyer (R-MO), Rep. Wagner (R-MO), Rep. Chabot (R-OH), Rep. Duncan (R-SC), Rep. Mooney (R-WV), Rep. Gibbs (R-OH), Rep. Jenkins (R-WV), Rep. Francis Rooney (R-FL), Rep. Jones (R-NC), Rep. Biggs (R-AZ), Rep. Dunn (R-FL), Rep. Lipinski (D-IL), Rep. Rokita (R-IN), Rep. Banks (R-IN), Rep. Hice (R-GA), Rep. Palazzo (R-MS), Rep. Webster (R-FL), Rep. Rothfus (R-PA), Rep. Lamborn (R-CO), Rep. Norman (R-SC), Rep. Yoho (R-FL), Rep. Johnson (R-LA), Rep. Flores (R-TX), Rep. Duncan (R-TN), Rep. Cramer (R-ND), Rep. Rohrabacher (R-CA), Rep. Moolenaar (R-MI), Rep. Gohmert (R-TX), Rep. Messer (R-IN), Rep. Babin (R-TX), Rep. Noem (R-SD), Rep. Brat (R-VA), Rep. Kinzinger (R-IL), Rep. Williams (R-TX), Rep. Jordan (R-OH), Rep. Fortenberry (R-NE), Rep. Loudermilk (R-GA), Rep. Gaetz (R-FL), Rep. Roe (R-TN), Rep. Scott (R-GA), Rep. Wittman (R-VA), Rep. LaMalfa (R-CA), Rep. Rouzer (R-NC), Rep. Harris (R-MD), Rep. Davidson (R-OH), Rep. Hultgren (R-IL), Rep. Weber (R-TX).

Congressman Pittenger’s No Abortion Bonds Act is supported by Americans United for Life, the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, Susan B. Anthony List, National Right to Life, the Eagle Forum, March for Life, Family Policy Alliance, North Carolina Right to Life, and the North Carolina Family Policy Council.

Right-to-Life Groups Across the Country Call for Opposition to Pain-Capable Legislation

Source: Personhood Alliance

Minneapolis, MN - October 12, 2017 - (The Ponder News) -- On October 3, 2017, the House passed the Pain Capable Unborn Child Protection Act (H.R. 36) with several serious flaws. Two of these flaws, say multiple right-to-life leaders, are detrimental to the common goal shared among the diverse factions of the pro-life movement--to protect and defend all human life, from conception to natural death.

"As a person concerned with defending human rights," explains Daniel Becker, president of Personhood Alliance, "I want to let my fellow pro-lifers know that it's okay to oppose laws Republicans put forth and national organizations support, when those laws go against our shared goal as a movement. You're NOT 'not pro-life' for speaking up. In fact, by opposing this flawed legislation, you're upholding the values that we all fight for every day."

The first flaw, notes Christopher Kurka, executive director of Alaska Right to Life, is the lack of standard language that prevents activist judges from using the law to create a right to abortion. "A simple clause," says Kurka, "stating that 'no right to abortion shall be established in this law' is completely missing. Combine that with language that specifically carves out exceptions to the 20-week rule and explicitly permits all abortions before 20 weeks, denying those younger babies personhood, and we've just set ourselves up for SCOTUS to keep Roe intact indefinitely."

Molly Smith, president of Cleveland Right to Life and board member of Right to Life Action Coalition of Ohio, agrees: "Whenever you have a piece of legislation that says 'if you do this and this and this, then you can go ahead and abort the child' it must be recognized for what it is—a bill that further enshrines abortion into law."

Gualberto Garcia Jones, national policy director for Personhood Alliance, explains further. "Forget about how the Supreme Court would analyze this bill, because it will never get past the Senate. Then the pro-life movement will be left with another failed show bill, and a poor one at that. We've already set a dangerously low bar for House GOP members by allowing them to proclaim how pro-life they are, all the while knowing this bill's fate. Now, we do a disservice to our pro-life base by pretending that the Senate, who couldn't even reallocate taxpayer funds away from Planned Parenthood, is going to end abortion after 20 weeks. Instead," says Jones, "We should focus on a real, winning strategy, which is to hold our legislators to a higher standard and replace those that fail to meet it. But sadly, much of the pro-life movement has, once again, lowered its standards in order to have a seat at the table with legislators that are pro-life in name only."

Echoing this sentiment, Dr. Patrick Johnston, president of the Association of Pro-Life Physicians explains the second flaw: Exceptions for children conceived in rape and incest. "To permit the killing of some children is to abandon our moral high ground and God's blessing. Our congressmen and women must protect all those they are duty- and constitutionally-bound to protect." Rebecca Kiessling, president of Save the 1 and conceived in rape herself, adds: "My people group feels the pain of discrimination every time so-called pro-life laws exclude us from protection. What's more, women who experience the horrific violation of rape deserve better than a law that promotes a second act of violence as a solution."

Similarly, permitting abortion for children conceived in incest is particularly harmful, as abortion is often used to hide evidence of the crime and give the perpetrator continued access to the victim. "Several studies have shown that abortion is rarely voluntary for incest victims," says Kiessling. "Like the assault itself, abortion is often forced or coerced, which contributes to the victimization. When abortion providers look the other way, and when we explicitly permit this in our laws, we aid and abet this injustice."

Ricardo Davis, African-American pro-life activist and president of Georgia Right to Life, reflects: "A strength of the early Civil Rights movement was its commitment to apply a biblical view of personhood to the plight of Black citizens dehumanized by slavery and faced with daily threats to their lives. Today, we cannot say that HR36 is 'just' when it dehumanizes the majority of preborn children killed by abortion."

"With Republicans in control of the House, Senate, and Oval Office, pro-lifers need to ask themselves some serious questions right now," says Matt Sande, legislative director at Pro-Life Wisconsin. "Why aren't we using this opportunity to put forth legislation that upholds our shared goal? And why are we allowing this current legislation to give cover to our politicians who continue to receive '100% pro-life' ratings while directly undermining our efforts?"

These are questions that leaders across the country are rising up to ask right now. Pro-lifers are encouraged to join them by calling upon their Republican representatives and national pro-life organizations to work toward ending legalized abortion without compromising the foundational principles on which the pro-life movement stands.

Sign our petition calling for Equal Protection.

Cancelled HHS Rule Receives Praise

Below are statements from several organizations concerning the repealed HHS mandate by President Trump:

March for Life and Alliance Defending Freedom:

The following quotes may be attributed respectively to Alliance Defending Freedom Senior Counsel Gregory S. Baylor and March for Life President Jeanne Mancini regarding a new rule that the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services issued Friday that expands protections in the Obama-era abortion-pill mandate for organizations with pro-life religious or moral convictions. That mandate had forced many employers, regardless of those beliefs, to provide abortion-inducing drugs, sterilization, and contraception under threat of heavy penalties by the Internal Revenue Service and other federal agencies if the mandate’s requirements weren’t met:

“The beliefs that inspire Christian colleges and universities and the Little Sisters of the Poor to serve their communities should be protected,” said Baylor. “During his campaign, President Trump promised that protecting religious liberty would be a top priority and people of faith would not be bullied on his watch. We are pleased that this rule is a major step forward in keeping that promise and restoring back to people of faith their constitutionally protected freedom. We are also pleased the rule protects the conscience convictions of organizations like March for Life, an organization that bases its pro-life beliefs on science and philosophy, and hosts the largest pro-life gathering in the world every year in Washington, D.C.

“Although organizations that filed civil rights lawsuits will still need final relief from the courts, it is encouraging to see the Trump Administration affirm the principle that all Americans should be free to peacefully live and work according to their faith and conscience without threat of government punishment. Access to contraception and other drugs and devices will continue to be as widely and readily available as it always has been for those who want these items. We commend the president for his commitment to freedom and restoring the choice of religious and pro-life employers and their female employees to work at organizations consistent with their convictions. We expect that the Department of Justice will work with us to quickly resolve these cases in a manner that fully and permanently protects the freedom of conscience of our clients.

“The March For Life Education and Defense Fund exists to protect and defend life from conception. When we were forced by the Obama administration to carry drugs and devices that destroy life in its early stages we were appalled and ultimately needed to seek legal protection. It is un-American to force non profit organizations to defy their very reason for being on something as important as life. We are grateful to the Trump Administration for this rule which will allow pro-life organizations to freely operate according to their beliefs on something as important as the protection of life and look forward to final resolution of our case in court that is consistent with this rule,” said Mancini, a litigant against the mandate. “Our nation has a rich history of protecting conscientious objectors and pro-life organizations must be free to operate according to their beliefs.”

Alliance Defending Freedom is an alliance-building, non-profit legal organization that advocates for the right of people to freely live out their faith.

National Religious Broadcasting

Dr. Jerry A. Johnson, President & CEO of National Religious Broadcasters, issued the following statement today in response to new religious liberty protections issued by the Trump administration:

"This a major victory for every American to exercise their freedom to believe, and to live, their faith. I look forward to looking at the details, but we are very thankful that the President and his team are moving in the right direction on religious liberty.

The National Religious Broadcasters (NRB) is a nonpartisan, international association of Christian communicators whose member organizations represent millions of listeners, viewers, and readers. Our mission is to advance biblical truth, promote media excellence, and defend free speech. In addition to promoting standards of excellence, integrity, and accountability, NRB provides networking, educational, ministry, and fellowship opportunities for its members.

National Right to Life

The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) today released a bulletin through the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) reiterating that qualified health plan issuers must segregate collected premiums to pay for abortion coverage; that enrollees be informed if abortions are covered by a qualified health plan; and that HHS intends to fully enforce these requirements as a step toward ensuring that federal tax dollars are not used to subsidize coverage for elective abortion.

A 2014 report by the Government Accountability Office (GAO) provided dismaying confirmation of earlier predictions by National Right to Life that federally subsidized abortion coverage would become a widespread feature of Obamacare. The report found that more than one thousand federally subsidized exchange plans covered elective abortion. The GAO findings validated previous charges by National Right to Life that the federal taxpayer is subsidizing the purchase of abortion-covering plans on a massive scale.

“While only comprehensive legislative reform can cure the multiple abortion-expanding components of Obamacare, today’s guidance from the Trump Administration takes a good first step to keep the federal government out of the business of paying for abortion until Obamacare can be replaced,” said Jennifer Popik, J.D., National Right to Life legislative director.

National Right to Life President Carol Tobias added, “We applaud President Trump and his administration for enforcing the law and seeking to uphold the principles of the Hyde Amendment to prevent the use of tax dollars to pay for abortion coverage.”

Additionally, HHS announced interim final rule changes to the Affordable Care Act and HHS coverage mandate that would protect moral and religious rights of conscience.

“Rights of conscience are extremely important to the right-to-life movement to protect medical professionals, religious institutions and employers from being forced to participate in abortion,” said Tobias. “We commend President Trump for keeping his campaign promises by supporting these rights of conscience. These rule changes will help promote a policy that protects pro-life rights of conscience with regard to abortion.”

Under President Obama’s administration, pro-abortion forces not only put increasing pressure on health care providers to violate their moral convictions with regard to abortion, but also backed efforts to force employers, including religious institutions and organizations that object to abortion, to cover abortion in their insurance plans.

“No one should be forced to participate in abortion against their religious or moral convictions,” Tobias said.

Founded in 1968, the National Right to Life Committee (NRLC), the federation of 50 state right-to-life affiliates and more than 3,000 local chapters, is the nation’s oldest and largest grassroots pro-life organization. Recognized as the flagship of the pro-life movement, NRLC works through legislation and education to protect innocent human life from abortion, infanticide, assisted suicide and euthanasia.

Operation Rescue

Today, the Trump Administration announced new rules that will provide new conscience protections for Americans.

As a result of the rules, those who have moral or religious objections to contraceptive and abortifacient services will now be exempt from paying for them in Obamacare insurance policies. The exemptions will apply to individuals as well as organizations and small businesses.

In May, President Donald Trump signed the “Executive Order Promoting Free Speech and Religious Liberty” in which he advised the Departments of Health and Human Services, Treasury, and Labor, to consider amending rules under the Obama Administration that essentially forced Americans to violate their consciences with mandated payments in their Obamacare health insurance policies for contraceptive and abortifacients that they found morally objectionable. Today’s action is in response to that directive.

“Thank you, Mr. President, for your leadership in protecting the religious liberties we hold dear,” said Troy Newman, President of Operation Rescue. “We are sincerely grateful for this action that will now restore governmental respect for the deeply held beliefs of Americans who oppose abortion, abortifacient drugs, and certain life-destructive contraceptives.”
The unjust “Obamacare Mandate” had suffered repeated losses in the US. Supreme Court, which ruled the government is not allowed to punish organizations or businesses for their beliefs.

ALL President Judie Brown Applauds Contraceptive Mandate Rollback

Source: American Life League

American Life League president Judie Brown applauded the Trump administration’s rollback of the Obamacare contraceptive mandate while noting the failed logic of Planned Parenthood’s response to the announcement.

“Birth control is not healthcare, as Cecile Richards likes to pretend, but rather it is a chemical compound which we call nothing more than a recreational drug. If women desire true health of mind and body, they will be chaste before marriage and faithful after marriage,” Brown stated. “We applaud President Trump for his logical thinking and rolling back the mandate.”

The House has Passed the Pain Capable Unborn Child Protection Act!

Washington, D.C. - October 3, 2017 (The Ponder News) -- The House has passed H.R. 36, the Pain Capable Unborn Child Protection Act. Jack Bergman (R-MI, 1st) was proud to co-sponsor this bill which prohibits abortions on unborn babies 20 weeks or older.

He states: "Medical evidence has overwhelmingly proven that an unborn child can feel pain by at least this point in the womb. H.R.36 is a great step towards protecting the sanctity and value of every life. As a Marine, I have always worked to protect those who are unable to defend themselves, and as your Representative in Washington, D.C., I will continue my effort to protect and defend all life."

This bill sponsored by Rep. Trent Franks (R-Ariz.), would save over 13,000 human lives each year. This bill would prohibit brutal abortions on unborn babies after 5 months post-fertilization, because they feel excruciating pain as they are ripped apart in the womb.

Family Research Council President Tony Perkins said of the vote:

"I applaud the House passage of a bill to protect against late abortion of unborn children since they can feel excruciating pain by 20 weeks after fertilization. Unborn children at this age are routinely given anesthesia during prenatal surgery, we know these babies recoil when prodded without anesthesia, and their pain receptors are developed enough to feel pain. This legislation conforms federal abortion law to modern science.

"Now with a pro-life president in the White House, it's heartening to see the country move beyond the outdated Roe v. Wade science of the '70s. Ignoring modern science is harmful to unborn children, since we know babies can also survive as early as 22 weeks after gestation. The horrific pain for these unborn children being ripped apart limb by limb must be stopped.

"Convicted murderer Dr. Kermit Gosnell's house of horrors shows we must stop late abortion. He was convicted of murdering babies born alive but also of 21 counts of illegal late abortions after 24 weeks in violation of state law. Yet many states continue to allow these brutal late abortions through the ninth month.

"The only difference between killing a baby born alive and aborting them just prior to birth is location. Human dignity is not dependent upon location. We should not be one of only seven countries in the world, along with North Korea, China, and Vietnam that have legalized abortion on demand after 5 months of development.

The House was right to prevent painful abortions on unborn babies, and we call on the Senate to bring up the bill and pass it as well. Congress should enact legal protections for pain-capable unborn children to stop those like Gosnell who continue to dissect these unborn children apart. We urge the Senate to follow the House's lead and send this bill to President Trump so he can sign this life affirming legislation into law," concluded Perkins.

Jeanne Mancini, president of the March for Life stated: “The March for Life stands with House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy and everyone who voted to pass Micah’s Law, formerly known as the Pain-Capable Unborn Child Protection Act. This common sense policy that would limit abortion to five months reflects the consensus shared by eight out of ten Americans – abortion should have real legal limits. This bill will not only save between 11,000-18,000 lives a year, but will serve to educate the public on the humanity of the unborn person and affirm the science of fetal pain early in development. We now ask the Senate to also vote on this legislation so that President Trump can fulfill his promise of signing this bill into law.”

Of course, some Democrats in office who wish to take gun rights from law-abiding citizens because a criminal murdered someone, yet has no problem murdering millions of innocent babies, like Alma Adams (D-NC, 12th) are not happy with it. “Just days after the deadliest mass shooting in U.S. history my Republican colleagues are wasting time re-litigating a woman’s constitutionally protected right to comprehensive healthcare instead of addressing gun violence in America,” said Congresswoman Adams. “I voted against H.R. 36 because this debate was settled by Roe vs. Wade in 1973 and now we’re just wasting time. With each passing day without action nearly 100 people die from gun violence nationwide. When is enough, enough?”

Wilson Announces Support For Pain-Capable Bill

Washington, D.C. - October 3, 2017 (The Ponder News) -- Congressman Joe Wilson (SC-02) has expressed his support for H.R. 36, Pain-Capable Unborn Child Protection Act. The bill, which bans abortions 20 weeks or more after fertilization, gives millions of unborn children a chance to live.

“Every life is precious, has value, and is blessed by God,” said Congressman Wilson. “Working together with pro-life leaders such South Carolina Citizens for Life – and its executive director Holly Gatling – I have fought to protect unborn babies, and I will continue to do so, because those who can’t speak for themselves deserve a voice.”

Congressman Wilson delivered a One Minute Speech on the floor of the House in support of the Pain-Capable Unborn Child Protection Act on Tuesday afternoon.

Video of Congressman Wilson's floor speech is available at: https://youtu.be/QkGsWkhay6U

According to medical professionals, a fetus that is 20 weeks old can feel pain. The Pain-Capable Unborn Child Protection Act establishes criminal penalties for anyone who performs or attempts an abortion after the 20-week mark. The bill provides exceptions to save the life of the mother, and in the case of rape or incest.

Tax Reform, Mining, Food Safety, Education, South Korea, Hurricanes, Insurance, abortion, Cuba, health care, Healthcare, Sports, Farmers, Drug Addiction, Prostate Cancer

The Ponder News
September 29, 2017
(If you are receiving this via email, you may access all the links at:
http://thepondernews.blogspot.com/2017/09/tax-reform-mining-food-safety-education.html )

Tax Reform

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Davis Statement on GOP Tax Reform Framework and Retreat
Rodney Davis (R-IL, 13th)
“Today House Republicans united around middle-class Americans who are being crushed by our outdated tax code,” said Davis. “Illinois residents know all too well the impact high taxes are having on their families’ ability to save and get ahead and our state’s ability to compete for good-paying jobs. Our plan uses Illinois as an example of what not to do. We want to cut tax rates for individuals, simplify but maintain important middle-class deductions, and make it so American businesses can compete globally. There’s still much more work to be done, but this is our shot at changing the lives of each working American for the better and I hope we get bipartisan support to get it done.”
Read more...

Statement from Congressman Dan Donovan on Tax Reform
Daniel Donovan (R-NY, 11th)
"...I’m of course concerned about the state and local tax deduction, and I’ll continue working with my colleagues as the legislation goes through the committee process. It’s important to me that Staten Island and Brooklyn residents benefit from tax relief and don’t shoulder the burden for cuts elsewhere in the country."
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DUNN RELEASES STATEMENT ON UNIFIED TAX REFORM BLUEPRINT
Neal Dunn (R-FL, 2nd)
“We have a once in a generation opportunity to overhaul our complex tax system, lower rates, and truly make the IRS work for the people, instead of against them,” said Dr. Dunn. “At more than 4 million words long, the current tax code is a prime example of the government red tape that is strangling our economy. By lowering rates, reducing the size and scope of the IRS, and closing loopholes, we will put more money back in the pockets of the people who earned it and supercharge the economy.”
Read more...

Fair and Simple Tax Reform for American Families and American Jobs
Bill Flores (R-TX, 17th)
Over the past eight months, American economic growth has jumped by almost 50 percent from the below-average growth levels of the last few years. We believe that tax reform can take our economic growth and job opportunities to even higher levels, and to relieve the economic strains being felt by working families.
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Mining

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Rep. Peter DeFazio Blasts Request to Overturn Protections for Critical Watershed
Peter DeFazio (D-OR, 4th)
“This is an egregious overstep by Washington, driven by special interests,” said Rep. DeFazio. “The prohibition on mining on the Smith River and the headwaters of Hunter Creek and Pistol River has broad, overwhelming support from thousands of residents of southwest Oregon, local governments, businesses and community leaders. Re-opening this area to allow a foreign company to strip mine our public lands without paying American taxpayers hardly any royalties would devastate surrounding economies and threaten critical drinking water sources. This withdrawal has been discussed, debated and endorsed by the surrounding communities and supported by federal agencies. Chairman Bishop and the Trump administration need to respect the will of southwest Oregon.”
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Food Safety

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DeLauro Responds to New OIG Report Detailing FDA’s Failure to Effectively Implement the Food and Safety Modernization Act
Rosa L. DeLauro (D-CT, 3rd)
“The goal of the Food Safety and Modernization Act (FSMA) was to prevent food-safety problems rather than react to these issues after they arise. However, the Inspector General’s report revealed that the FDA has not taken effective or timely action to identify and correct food facility inspection violations.”
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Education

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DelBene Introduces Bipartisan Bill to Lower College Textbook Costs
Suzan Delbene (D-WA, 1st)
“An often overlooked driver of the rising cost of college is textbooks and supplies. In addition to tackling tuition hikes and burdensome student loan debt, we must find solutions to the other factors making a college degree less attainable for working families,” DelBene said. “Technology is changing the classroom experience, and the E-BOOK Act will help spur innovation in our colleges by incentivizing the adoption of new learning technologies, which in turn will save students money.”
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South Korea

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Congressman Dent Supports Maintaining South Korea-U.S. Free Trade Agreement
Charles W. Dent (R-PA, 15th)
"Retracting from this South Korea trade agreement would be detrimental to American econoimc, diplomatic, and security interests," said Dent. "It's a short-sighted move that fails to take into account two key factors. First, the deal benefits both American workers and businesses, especially in terms of agricultural exports. Second, America would be sending te wrong message to our ally by backing out of our trade agreement in the midst of the ongoing North Korea threat. We cannot slight the South Korean government in this way by seemingly abandoning them," Dent stated.
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Hurricanes

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Diaz-Balart Votes for Tax Relief to Support Hurricane Impacted Communities
Mario Diaz-Balart (R-FL, 25th)
“This year, we have experienced an extremely active hurricane season that has left destruction and devastation in its path. After days without running water or electricity, parts of Florida are just beginning the rebuilding process. A large number of homes in our community have been deemed structurally unsafe, and hundreds more require critical repair. This legislation provides significant tax relief that will assist Floridians and others who have been impacted by recent storms. Many are now left to find the financial means to make needed repairs to their homes. Among others, by eliminating the tax penalty on early retirement plan withdrawals, we can help folks access the capital required to make these repairs and get back on their feet. These tax benefits also extend to citizens of Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands, assisting Caribbean citizens who need our support in this difficult time.”
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Insurance

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Duffy Introduces Bipartisan FIO Reform Act
Sean P. Duffy (R-WI, 7th)
Wisconsin Congressman Sean Duffy, chairman of the House Financial Services Subcommittee on Housing & Insurance, today co-introduced the Federal Insurance Office (FIO) Reform Act with Congressman Denny Heck (D-WA).
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Abortion

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CONGRESSMAN DUNCAN'S STATEMENT ON H.R. 36
John J. Duncan, Jr. (R-TN, 2nd)
This bill would protect an unborn child old enough to feel pain from being aborted. Evidence indicates an unborn baby is able to feel pain at 20 weeks old," said Duncan.
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Cuba

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Congressional Cuba Working Group Statement in Response to Ongoing Investigation in Cuba
Tom Emmer (R-MN, 6th)
“The federal government has a responsibility to ensure the safety and security of our diplomats and Foreign Service personnel, regardless of where they serve. Those who are responsible for perpetuating these harmful and unacceptable acts will be held accountable.
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Health Care

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EVANS AND SMUCKER INTRODUCE BILL TO IMPROVE PEDIATRIC CARE AND REDUCE PHYSICIAN SHORTAGE
Dwight Evans (D PA, 2nd)
Rep. Dwight Evans and Rep. Smucker, along with, today introduced the Strengthening Our Pediatric Workforce Act – bipartisan legislation that will help address America’s growing pediatric physician shortage by creating a new grant program for children’s teaching hospitals to make additional residency positions available for pediatric specialists
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Sports

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Congressman Farenthold Reintroduces the PRO Sports Act
Blake Farenthold (R-TX, 27th)
“Professional sports leagues should not be exempt from paying taxes,” said Congressman Farenthold. “These are highly profitable businesses that make tens of millions of dollars each year and have been exploiting loopholes to game the system. It’s time we blow the whistle on this foul, and get this bill over the goal line.”
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Farming

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Faso Introduces Bill to Crack-Down on Fake Organics, Support Organic Farmers
John Faso, (R-NY, 19th)
Congressman Faso said, “Fraudulent ‘organic’ grain and feed originating overseas is not only deceptive to consumers, but it artificially drives down the price of real organics, hurting legitimate organic farmers in Upstate New York and across the country. I am proud to introduce the Organic Farmer and Consumer Protection Act alongside Congresswoman Lujan Grisham as it will crack down on these fake organics. This is commonsense legislation that puts American consumers and farmers first
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Drug Addiction

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Op-Ed: White House must formally declare the opioid crisis a national emergency
Brian Fitzpatrick, (R PA, 8th)
A little over a month ago, President Trump announced his intention to declare the opioid epidemic a national emergency. He was right—it is an emergency. Drug overdoses killed almost 54,000 people in 2015, and the majority of those deaths involved an opioid. Last year about 12 million Americans misused an opioid, and the overdose death toll rose to 65,000. The opioid crisis is cutting deep scars in our communities, and in some states, is taking more of our loved ones than car accidents, suicides and firearms combined. It is absolutely an emergency and we urge the president to move quickly in formally declaring the opioid crisis a national health emergency.
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Other

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ENGEL: GOP HAS WASTED TIME, JEOPARDIZED VITAL PROGRAMS
Eliot Engel (D-NY, 16th)
Congressional Republicans have spent nine months on their tired vendetta against the Affordable Care Act (ACA). Now, just days before the fiscal year ends, they’ve proven only that they were willing to put critical programs on the backburner for a shot at fulfilling their misguided political promises.
Read more...

Esty Calls on Congress to Vote on Puerto Rico Aid Relief, Expiring Federal Programs
Elizabeth Esty (D-CT, 5th)
“I am calling on my colleagues to come together to find a bipartisan approach that fully funds these programs and assists all Americans to keep our country moving forward.”
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September is Prostate Cancer Awareness Month
By: Mrs. Brenda Fleischmann
The calendar fills up quickly in September as families return to a packed routine after quieter summer days. Unfortunately, your health might take a backseat to your busy schedule. So make a note on your calendar that September is Prostate Cancer Awareness Month, and remind yourself—or the men in your life—about the importance of a healthy prostate.
Read more...

Pro-lifers Offensive at Wright State University

Source: Citizens for Community Values

Fairborn, OH - September 22, 2017  (The Ponder News) -- University administrators at Wright State University have a problem.
A student group put up images and a display in the Quad that was so offensive, vile, and dangerous in the minds of these administrators that they had to send a warning out to all students.

“Members of our community who are uncomfortable with viewing these images may want to avoid the Quad area during this time. Furthermore, if you need support or wish to talk with someone, you are encouraged to visit our Counseling and Wellness Center” wrote Dr. Gary Dickstein, Interim Vice President of Student Affairs. “The staff in the Women’s Center will also be available.”

Anyone who spends time on a college campus today knows that offensive and graphic displays aren’t necessarily unusual. But a campus-wide warning like is something I’ve never seen before.
So what was happening that is so offensive and traumatizing that it called for such a dire warning?

Pro-life students were handing out literature on abortion.

As Dr. Dickstein wrote “Wright State University has received notification that a group of approximately 10 individuals from the organization Create Equality will erect an anti-abortion display and hand out literature on the Dayton Campus on Wednesday, September 20. The display is scheduled to be on the Quad from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. They have informed the university that they plan to bring large 4X3 placards that contain very graphic images.” (emphasis from Dickstein)
Apparently to Dr. Dickstein, at a school of more than 12,000 students, 10 students wanting to discuss the realities of abortion requires the student body be put on notice.

This is one of the most embarrassing messages I’ve ever seen from a university. Only an institution that is steeped in liberal ideology would think that a pro-life display would cause such serious trauma to the student body.

Thankfully we have leaders in Ohio calling out this absurd move by the University, like Rep. Niraj Antani who called out Dr. Dickstein in the Dayton Daily News.
It’s wrong for a university to send a message like this out to students, singling out pro-life speech. It’s insidious and coercive. Do they send out similar messages when pro-abortion students walk around with uterus hats on their heads? Do they send out messages like this during Pride parades that often have people walking around naked? I highly doubt it.

Yet students merely trying to show the realities of abortion warrant putting the campus on alert.

Ohio students deserve better.

Pro-life centers ask court to halt law that forces them to promote abortion

Source: Alliance Defending Freedom

The National Institute of Family and Life Advocates, together with Calvary Chapel Pearl Harbor’s “A Place for Women” pregnancy care center, filed suit on July 12 to challenge the new law, Senate Bill 501, which went into effect the previous day.

“No one should be forced to provide free advertising for the abortion industry, least of all pro-life centers that exist to help women choose life for their babies,” said Connelly. “Freedom of speech also means the freedom to not express views that violate your conscience. Yet, under this law, the state is forcing pro-life centers and doctors to, in effect, provide free advertising for the abortion industry. Because of the First Amendment’s protections, courts have repeatedly rejected these types of laws as unconstitutional, and accordingly we are asking the court in this case to halt enforcement of this law while our case moves forward.”

SB 501 requires pro-life pregnancy care centers to direct women to a state agency that provides abortion referrals and funding. Specifically, the law requires the centers to post large signs or provide notices which advertise that the “state of Hawaii provides free or low-cost access to comprehensive planning services,” including abortion-inducing drugs. The law also forces the centers to include both a website address and phone number for accessing these services. ADF attorneys point out that the centers are subject to the law regardless of whether they offer free ultrasounds and other prenatal care to women, making the law even more egregious for the centers that don’t provide medical services.

Other courts have invalidated or mostly invalidated similar laws in Austin, Texas; Montgomery County, Maryland; Baltimore; and New York City. Additionally, ADF attorneys are representing NIFLA in a case out of California that the U.S. Supreme Court is currently considering for review.

The lawsuit, Calvary Chapel Pearl Harbor v. Chin, asks the U.S. District Court for the District of Hawaii to halt the enforcement of SB 501 and declare it unconstitutional under the U.S. and Hawaii constitutions. It also asks the court to require Hawaii to return federal funds it received which were conditioned on the state’s commitment not to force pro-life pregnancy centers to make abortion referrals. On Sept. 11, Calvary Chapel Pearl Harbor additionally filed a complaint with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services with regard to the funding violation.

James Hochberg of Honolulu is among the nearly 3,200 attorneys allied with ADF and serves as local counsel for NIFLA and Calvary Chapel Pearl Harbor.

Life Legal Files Joint Amicus Brief with SCOTUS in Masterpiece Cakeshop Case

Source: Life Legal Defense Foundation

Washington, D.C. - September 8, 2017 (The Ponder News) -- Life Legal has collaborated with the Bioethics Defense Fund in an amicus brief filed with the Supreme Court yesterday in Masterpiece Cakeshop Ltd. v. Colorado Civil Rights Commission. The brief was written on behalf of the American College of Pediatricians and other pro-life health professionals.

As you may be aware, the Masterpiece case involves a baker who was asked to create a cake for the wedding of a same-sex couple. The baker, Jack Phillips, said he could not use his artistic talents to give approval to a marriage that violated his religious beliefs. In response, the Colorado Civil Rights Commission said Phillips' religious beliefs were illegal and prohibited him from designing any wedding cakes, which resulted in the loss of 40% of his business. The Commission imposed draconian reporting requirements on Phillips, forcing him to provide a detailed account of the reasons for any orders he declines.

So why would Life Legal, a pro-life law firm, file a Supreme Court brief in support of a baker?

If the State of Colorado can destroy Phillips' business because he chooses not to use his skills to create a product that expresses the state's sentiment on a controversial issue, what is to stop a state from forcing any professional to violate his or her deeply held belief in furtherance of the state's viewpoint?

Our concern is that the Masterpiece Cakeshop case is "likely to have rapid and lasting impact on the rights of medical professionals to practice their professions consistently with their consciences and the teachings of their faiths on issues of life and death—or indeed to practice their professions at all."

"Masterpiece Cakeshop has enormous implications for the First Amendment rights of everyone in the workplace, especially those whose deeply held beliefs require them to opt out of certain practices," said Life Legal Defense Foundation Executive Director Alexandra Snyder. "We have seen increasing pressure on health care professionals, in particular, to perform or facilitate abortions or risk losing their livelihoods. Life Legal trusts that the Supreme Court will adhere to precedent in guarding First Amendment freedoms, including protections against laws compelling speech and activities that violate religious and conscience objections."

Click here to read the brief

Life Legal Defense Foundation was established in 1989, and is a nonprofit organization composed of attorneys and other concerned citizens committed to giving helpless and innocent human beings of any age, and their advocates, a trained and committed voice in the courtrooms of our nation.

American Life League President Statement on Abortion Funding for Harvey Survivors

Source: American Life League

Washington, D.C. - September 3, 2017 (The Ponder News) -- American Life League president Judie Brown issued the following statement concerning the pro-abortion Lilith Fund establishing an abortion fund for Hurricane Harvey survivors:

The very idea that the pro-death LILITH FUND would raise money to kill babies during everyone's hour of need in Houston and elsewhere is beyond belief. How callous and disgusting can any pro-abortion charity (excuse the word) get? We should be doing all we can to help everyone suffering from this tragedy created by Hurricane Harvey, not adding to the death and destruction. God help us when the best response some can give is to suggest that killing babies is a charitable thing to do.

ALL recommends that, instead of funding abortion in disaster areas, people consider donating to the Houston Coalition for Life which sustained damage in the storm, to LifeHouse which is raising funds to help expectant mothers affected by the storm, or to Missions of Hope which is directly providing equipment desperately needed to dry out flooded homes.

Democratic Senator Decry's Trump for Condemning the Leftist Groups with the Supremacists, while this same senator's son is arrested for leftist rioting.

The Ponder just received information that Senator Tim Kaine's (D - VA) son got arrested last week rioting at a Trump Rally. Such a good father. Tell me, if he can't even raise his own son to respect America, what makes him fit to be a Senator? We can remember that issue next election.

Jacob Wohl, CEO of Montgomery Assets said that Trump has brought the stock market to an all-time high. Business is good with Trump in office. Those who wish to destroy our nation are screaming for Trump's impeachment. All this is in the wake of Trump's announcement to end his Manufacturing Council after eight CEO's quit in protest of Trump's refusal to place the blame on just one group of protesters.

Vice President Pence was supposed to stay in Argentina for a week, but he has decided to cut his trip short and come home, due to all of the Charlottesville backlash against Trump, who he is adamantly supporting.

While the Oregon governor signs a bill to require health insurers to cover abortion, Governor Abbott in Texas signed one that said health insurers are not allowed to cover abortions unless it is an emergency situation that threatens the life of the mother.

For those who think Trump is racist, check out this video: