2005 Pro-life Year in Review

I watched EWTN last night for their Solemn Mass for Life from the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception in Washington DC. It was amazing. So many people and so many priests were there. It took around 20 minutes just for all the concelebrants to enter for the Mass [no comment on that liturgical issue at the moment though].

And during the Mass, William Henry Cardinal Keeler, spoke of the greatest successes this past year. He is the chairman of the pro-life committee for the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, and he during the homily he spoke of successes.

He said that 52 pro-life laws were passed last year. Nineteen parental notification laws were proposed. There are so many victories from 2005!

As of the end of 2005, this is true:

"Twenty-nine states mandate that a woman seeking an abortion be given counseling including information intended to discourage her from obtaining the procedure, such as a purported link with breast cancer; 24 states require a woman seeking an abortion to wait a specified period of time, usually 24 hours, between when she receives counseling and when the procedure is performed.

Thirty-three states and the District of Columbia prohibit the use of public funds to pay for abortion for low-income women, even when it is medically necessary, generally making exceptions only in cases of life endangerment, rape or incest. Only 17 states use their own funds to pay for all or most medically necessary abortions for Medicaid enrollees.

Thirty-four states require some type of parental involvement in a minor’s decision to have an abortion: Twenty-one states require one or both parents to consent to the procedure, while 13 require that a parent be notified. "

Source: Guttmacher Institute

Yet, there is still so much to be done! Please join me in supporting life this year in supporting pro-life legislation. Pro-life legislation does make a difference! Again, here is a link to NARAL's grades for states on abortion. Let's strive to fail more states this year and stand up for life.

Please let me know of any pro-life legislation passed by your state this year as I make this master list of pro-life laws from 2005:

Federal:
The Cord Blood Stem Cell Bill became Federal Law

Arkansas:
Parental Consent Law

Illinois:
Born Alive Infant Protection Act signed into law on Aug 12, 2005

Minnesota:
Unborn Child Pain Awareness Act passed

Mississippi:
Prevents minors from crossing state lines & requiring abortion centers within a 30 mile radius of a hospital.

South Dakota:
5 great laws passed

Texas:
Parental Consent Law