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    21Feb, 2019
    ERA Fails in Virginia!

    Democrats intent on bypassing the committee process and the rules in the General Assembly failed to get the votes they needed to pass the ERA in the state of Virginia.

    The way the ERA is interpreted in states where it has passed (such as New Mexico), groups like Planned Parenthood have pushed successfully for taxpayer funding of abortions and the reversal of protective laws such as parental notification laws for minor daughters.

    There is a very real fear that this would also happen in Virginia. In addition, as I mentioned in yesterday’s post, passage in Virginia would set off a tidal wave of court challenges and rulings regarding ratification of the amendment to the U.S. Constitution.

    With every member of the General Assembly up for reelection this fall, it is imperative that pro-life members be re-elected.

    20Feb, 2019
    Virginia and the ERA

    Here in Virginia, we are at a crossroads. We have the potential to impact the entire nation—we will either protect innocent human life or we will turn the tide and destroy generations to come. It all comes down to a handful of votes.

    Despite the fact that it failed in committee, there will be an attempt to bring the Equal Rights Amendment to the floor for a vote. This requires a rules change and Delegate Hala Ayala (D-Woodbridge) announced that an effort for that rules change will come tomorrow.

    You may ask, “What’s wrong with the Equal Rights Amendment?” For the vast majority of women, it seems like a no-brainer but the danger is that passing ERA amendments in several states immediately led for abortion groups to demand that the states provide funding for abortion.

    According to Virginia Society for Human Life, “The ERA, as currently written, would eliminate virtually every single regulation on abortion including over turning partial-birth abortion ban, mandate funding for abortion-on-demand, etc.”

    Delegate Scott Garrett (R-Lynchburg) rose to challenge the upcoming attempts to pass the ERA, “The next few days will give us the opportunity to answer that question by saying out loud what this has been about all along: a proxy fight on unrestricted access to abortion. I think we’re all well aware of the shock and outrage that emerged not only across the Commonwealth but across the country, after the details of House bill 2491 became widely known. That legislation, Mr. Speaker, erased all meaningful restrictions on late term abortion, allowing abortion up to the moment of birth for the most tenuous of reasons.”

    The bill Del. Garrett was referring to was introduced by Del. Kathy Tran (D-Springfield) would have allowed abortions up until the very moment of birth and would have stripped all protective laws that exist in Virginia—e.g. reflection periods, parent consent, ultrasound requirements, etc. The legislation failed but as Del. Garrett pointed out the attempts to pass the ERA are a proxy fight.

    If the ERA passes in Virginia, Virginia would be the last state needed to “ratify” the amendment to the U.S. Constitution. I put ratify in quotes because, by law, the ratification process was closed years ago and the process should be restarted from the beginning. (In fact, 5 states reversed their votes for ratification.)

    If Virginia passes the ERA, whether or not the state ratification votes from 40 year ago would count would be up to the courts to decide.

    And we all know that court decisions can be all over the map.

    6Feb, 2019
    The State of the Union

    President Trump delivered probably the strongest State of the Union speech I’ve ever heard–especially on the issue of life. In his speech, he said:

    To help support working parents, the time has come to pass School Choice for Americans’ children.  (Applause.)  I am also proud to be the first President to include in my budget a plan for nationwide paid family leave, so that every new parent has the chance to bond with their newborn child.  (Applause.)

    There could be no greater contrast to the beautiful image of a mother holding her infant child than the chilling displays our nation saw in recent days.  Lawmakers in New York cheered with delight upon the passage of legislation that would allow a baby to be ripped from the mother’s womb moments from birth.  These are living, feeling, beautiful babies who will never get the chance to share their love and their dreams with the world.  And then, we had the case of the Governor of Virginia where he stated he would execute a baby after birth.

    To defend the dignity of every person, I am asking Congress to pass legislation to prohibit the late-term abortion of children who can feel pain in the mother’s womb.  (Applause.)

    Let us work together to build a culture that cherishes innocent life.  (Applause.)  And let us reaffirm a fundamental truth: All children — born and unborn — are made in the holy image of God.

    Even with a pro-life president, we are in deep battles on the state level in a couple of states. As President Trump mentioned, New York legislators cheered when Governor Cuomo signed legislation that removed all protective legislation in the state and opened the door for abortions literally up to the moment of birth.

    Shocking? Yes.

    True? Most definitely.

    Earlier this week, I wrote about what we have been dealing with here in Virginia and the push to open the floodgates to allow abortions for any reason at anytime–even up to birth–and our governor’s desire to enshrine that in our state constitution.

    Contrary to what Planned Parenthood would have you believe, many, if not most, late-term abortions are NOT done for severe fetal abnormalities. Several years ago, I remember being stunned when, while on staff at National Right to Life, we received a copy of papers submitted by a leading late-term abortionist. In it, he listed the number of abortions he did for things like Down syndrome, cleft lip/palate or the fact that the mother was a teenager. These are not severe fetal abnormalities.

    But even if all late-term abortions were done for severe fetal abnormalities, ask yourself this: Is it better to deliver a child who will likely die but will spend his or her last moments wrapped in the loving arms of his or her parents or is it better to kill the baby? Does any child deserve to die?

    We should show compassion to both the parents and the child but killing a child through the act of abortion is not compassionate–it’s cruel.