Pro-Life News: Abstinence Education, Abortion, Washington, Missouri 
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by Steven Ertelt
LifeNews.com Editor
March 18, 2006
Abstinence Education Has Lowered Poverty for African Americans
Washington, DC (LifeNews.com) — A new study says that abstinence education has been responsible for helping reduce the poverty rate among African Americans. Janice Crouse of the Beverly LaHaye Institute found that the birth rate of unwed black teens has lowered 42 percent since 1991. Poverty has dropped at the same time. “The promotion by our government of abstinence programs, the reforms in welfare and the increased emphasis on personal responsibility and self reliance are paying off and they’re paying off big time," Crouse told Family News in Focus. David Almasi of Project 21 said black teens used to scoff at abstinence. “But now they’re saying, ‘No, there’s an opportunity where you can get away from disease, you can get away from the heartbreak of bad relationships,’ and that’s by, and going through abstinence and waiting till you’re married," he explained.
Sam Brownback Decries Embryonic Stem Cell Research in Georgetown Speech
Washington, DC (LifeNews.com) — During a speech at Georgetown University, Kansas senator and potential 2008 presidential candidate Sam Brownback discussed the problems with embryonic stem cell research. Brownback said basically biology has convinced him that life begins at conception and should be legally protected from that point onward. “If you’re biologically a person in the womb, you’re legally a person,” he said. “I’m not willing to say, ‘Well, we can research on you when you’re 10 days old and not 10 years old.” He said he worries that human cloning and genetic engineering tells disabled people that they have lives not worth living. “What does [genetic manipulation] say to people who have Down syndrome?” Brownback asked. “That they are lesser human beings because we don’t build people like them?” He said embryonic stem cell research is unnecessary given the success of adult stem cells and the ethical problems with using human embryos. “I want to find a cure…and I believe we have a way of doing it without sacrificing the sacredness of humans,” he said.
Florida Democrats Hope Bill Opens Door to Fund Embryonic Stem Cell Research
Tallahassee, FL (LifeNews.com) — Florida lawmakers who back embryonic stem cell research have seen little support for their bill to spend $150 million on the unproven research. However, Democrats in the state legislature say a Republican bill on cancer and Alzheimer’s may have the unintended effect of funding the unethical research. Sen. Ron Klein and Rep. Franklin Sands, both Democrats, say the bill could open the door for funding. The measure allows funding of embryonic stem cell research, but only under President Bush’s strict guidelines for funds for embryonic stem cells created before August 2001. The bill would not fund any new embryonic stem cell science. Sen. Burt Saunders told the Palm Beach Post newspaper the lawmakers were not right. "This does not open the door to embryonic stem-cell research," Saunders said. "This is going to comply with federal guidelines, and it’s not permitted under those guidelines."
Washington Will Have End of Life Web Site for Living Wills, Advanced Directives
Olympia, WA (LifeNews.com) — The Washington Department of Health plans to set up a web site specifically to catalog the living wills and advanced directives on file from state residents. Gov. Chris Gregoire signed a bill on Friday creating the web site. Residents can rescind the documents or doctors can access them at any time. Assisted suicide advocates backed the idea saying it would prevent doctors from giving lifesaving medical treatment to those who don’t want it. The web site would also help make sure patients who want to be properly treated wouldn’t be denied medical care.
Missouri State House Prohibits Family Planning Clinic Abortion Referrals
Jefferson City, MO (LifeNews.com) — The Missouri state House voted this week to prohibit taxpayer funding of contraception for poor women and to not allow state family planning clinics to refer women to other facilities, such as abortion businesses. Republican Rep. Susan Phillips of Kansas City said people can pay for contraception with their own money. In place of the contraception funds, she diverted the money to pregnancy centers around the state. Rep. Bob Johnson offered an amendment to reinstate the funding, but the House defeated it 100-53. Right to Life and the Missouri Catholic Conference supported Phillips’ initial proposal, which lawmakers approved on a 96-59 vote.
