Senate GOP Leader Blocks Vote on Pro-Abortion Obama Pick Kathleen Sebelius
Washington, DC (LifeNews.com) -- Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell, a pro-life senator from Kentucky, on Thursday objected to a vote on Kathleen Sebelius, the abortion advocate President Barack Obama nominated to become health secretary. Senate Democrats had requested a unanimous consent to allow a vote on Sebelius’ nomination, but McConnell’s objections makes it to Democrats will need 60 votes to overcome a potential filibuster to allow a vote on the nomination to proceed. McConnell said he blocked the vote because of Sebelius’ long pro-abortion record and the hundreds of thousands of dollars in campaign donations she has received directly or indirectly from late-term abortion practitioner George Tiller. Following the news that Sebelius’ nomination would be blocked, the Senate agreed to schedule a confirmation vote for Tuesday. Then, the Senate will engage in 10 hours of debate and Senate Democrats will follow by calling for a 60-vote supermajority to break the pro-life filibuster and allow a vote on Sebelius’ confirmation to proceed. The Senate Finance Committee previously approved Sebelius’ nomination on a 15-8 vote, with the baking of two Republicans. It is unclear how many lawmakers will side with the filibuster, but Sebelius’ nomination is expected to move ahead given that she has the support of the handful of pro-abortion Republicans in the chamber and the two Republican senators from Kansas, her home state.

Pro-Life Congressman Responds to Hillary Clinton's Abortion Rights Admission
Washington, DC (LifeNews.com) -- This week, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton admitted that the term “reproductive rights” includes abortion. Her statement confirms what pro-life organizations have said for years about how abortion advocates want to include seemingly-innocuous terms like “reproductive rights” and “reproductive health” in international documents and legislation and define those terms later as covering abortions. Rep. Chris Smith, whose question prompted Clinton’s answer. "We happen to think that family planning is an important part of women's health," Clinton told Smith. "And reproductive health includes access to abortion that I believe should be safe, legal, and rare." In a statement sent to LifeNews.com, Smith said Clinton’s testimony shows how the Obama administration is planning to promote abortion as an international right and to do so at taxpayer expense. 'It is evident that Mrs. Clinton and President Obama want to force the tragedy of abortion upon women around the world especially and including in countries where democratically elected leaders want to continue to protect their unborn children," Smith said. "There are other ways in which both mother and baby are protected, cared for and helped-- with food, nutrition, clean water and life-affirming healthcare. Secretary Clinton's inability to see this will mean more babies will die and more women will suffer the consequence of abortion as a result of U.S. foreign policy overseas.”

Senate Pro-Life Advocates Block Vote on Pro-Abortion Legal Pick Dawn Johnsen
Washington, DC (LifeNews.com) -- Senate pro-life advocates have placed a block on the nomination of former NARAL lawyer Dawn Johnsen to become an assistant attorney general overseeing the Office of Legal Counsel. President Barack Obama selected the ex-lawyer for the leading pro-abortion group to the position that provides legal advice for his administration. Johnsen has drawn strong opposition from pro-life groups because of her pro-abortion views but also for outlandish comments comparing pregnancy to slavery and calling women “fetal containers.” Senate Democratic Leader Harry Reid has not yet scheduled a vote on Johnsen and Sen. Jon Kyl, a leading pro-life Republican, tells CQ that “there may not be enough votes” to cut off a filibuster of her nomination, as Reid and his pro-abortion allies would need 60 votes to allow a vote on the nomination itself. Obama’s efforts to get a vote on his nominee are complicated by opposition from pro-life Sen. Ben Nelson, the only consistent pro-life Democrat in the Senate. “Senator Nelson is very concerned about the nomination of Dawn Johnsen, based on her previous position as Counsel for NARAL. He believes that the Office of Legal Counsel is a position in which personal views can have an impact and is concerned about her outspoken pro-choice views on abortion,” spokesman Clay Westrope told CQ. Meanwhile, unrelated political issues surrounding the release of Bush administration memos are also prompting some Republican lawmakers to object to Johnsen’s nomination and it appears likely that Reid will have to secure a supermajority for Johnsen’s nomination to survive.

Kansas Gov. Kathleen Sebelius Vetoes Bill for More Limits on Late-Term Abortion
Topeka, KS (LifeNews.com) -- In yet another move to add to her lengthy pro-abortion record, Kansas Gov. Kathleen Sebelius has vetoed a bill the legislature approved that-term would place more limits and late-term abortions. Sebelius has received a nomination from President Barack Obama to become the Secretary of the Health and Human Services Department and pro-life advocates cite her record vetoing numerous pro-life bills and her close relationship with late-term abortion practitioner George Tiller as reasons to reject the nomination. Kansans for Life director Mary Kay Culp told LifeNews.com she is not surprised that Sebelius vetoed the bill, saying she is “extremely liberal, but especially so on late-term abortion.” Culp says the veto is another move by Sebelius for her abortion practitioner buddy. “If this confirmation goes forward, George Tiller will have a friend not only in the highest office in Kansas, as he likes to brag, but heading the highest health office in the land,” she said. Kansans for Life is urging the state legislature to override the veto of a bill it says conforms to decisions handed down by the Supreme Court and would have required Tiller and other abortion practitioners to state the reasons for a late-term abortion instead of merely citing state law as the valid reason. The group says the bill would have stopped some abortions done late in pregnancy for supposed mental health considerations. “The number of post-viability abortion rose 14% in Kansas last year because Tiller ignores the law and Sebelius keeps trying to ignore her role as administering and enforcing the law,” Culp says. Kansas has become notorious as the late-term abortion capitol of the nation.

Graduating Students Called on to Remember Missing Peers Who Died From Abortions
Washington, DC (LifeNews.com) -- Millions of students in colleges, high schools and other graduating classes across America will participate in graduation ceremonies in the coming months. Although the chairs in the halls holding the commencement activities will be filled, Father Frank Pavone of Priests for Life says most people probably won't notice that a large number of potential graduating students are missing. That’s because they were victims of abortion. He told LifeNews.com he is urging graduating students to remember those who, because of abortion, are not participating in ceremonies with them. "I urge young men and women receiving their degrees this year to take a different path and honor those who, but for abortion, would have been with them at graduation,” he said. Past graduating classes have remembered the aborted in yearbooks and at commencement exercises through speeches, prayers, or just by leaving an empty chair draped with a cap and gown. "Over 1 million students again will be missing from ceremonies," added Pavone. "Let's acknowledge those who could not celebrate with us, and let's work to let others live." Pavone also told LifeNews.com that remembering those who died from abortions and couldn't be present with their expected classmates stands in contrast to what is happening at the University of Notre Dame. There, a historically Catholic college has invited pro-abortion President Barack Obama and will bestow on him an honorary degree. "This graduation season, Notre Dame University has chosen to honor a man who couldn't care less about protecting the unborn," he said.

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