Ultrasound Bill casts glimpse inside abortion debate

It isn’t often that a piece of legislation comes along and exposes rhetoric so hollow that it results in the systemic collapse of an argument. Such is the case with The Ultrasound Bill recently introduced in the 2011 Kentucky General Assembly.

For years, abortion supporters have circled the wagons around the idea of “choice,” aiming to convince the uninitiated that abortion is “a difficult decision that should be between a woman and her doctor and ultimately a choice only the woman should make.” That’s the line anyway. But what do you do with an abortionist who doesn’t want women to have all the information before they make that “difficult decision”?

This is why SB 9—The Ultrasound Bill, has passed the Senate by landslide margins in each of the past four sessions. The latest effort, which passed the Senate on Jan. 6 by a vote of 32-5, simply mandates that abortionists give a woman an opportunity to see an ultrasound picture of her unborn child. It doesn’t force the woman to look. Nor is she coerced or penalized if she doesn’t. The bill also bans late-term abortions and exacts heavy fines on abortionists who skirt the law and keep valuable information from their patients.

Ultrasound technology gives us a glimpse inside the womb, but ultrasound legislation casts a glimpse inside the abortion debate. And it is becoming clear that some choices are simply unacceptable to self-designated “pro-choicers,” especially if that choice might result in life.

This is reminiscent of the controversy over Madonna’s 80’s hit Papa Don’t Preach. The song so perturbed the abortion crowd because she vowed to “keep her baby,” which left them concerned that pregnant teens might actually follow her lead. Mandating ultrasound availability could do the same thing, but how choosing life for an unborn child would be bad has yet to be explained.

Last year, 1.2 million babies were aborted in this country. Many women come to regret their decision, wishing that they had more information and better counsel. Of course, an abortionist’s best allies are disinformation and obfuscation.

Shouldn’t we be just as angry at those who prefer to keep women in the dark as the abortionist in Philadelphia who kept his illegal practice out of the public spotlight for 18 years? Kermit Gosnell was arrested in January for practicing late-term abortions on six-, seven- and eight-month-old pre-born babies and committing infanticide on those born alive. It’s people like the $15,000-profit-per-day Gosnell who’d prefer to keep the public attention off his grisly practices, but what about the practices going on inside Kentucky’s two remaining abortion clinics?

Who could be opposed to forcing an abortionist to at least make an ultrasound available to a woman in his office?

Answer: Kentucky House Leadership which has been beholden to their Party’s pro-abortion wing for the last six years – killing all pro-life legislation passed by the Senate.

The Ultrasound Bill has deadlocked twice in Tom “if-you-send-it-to-my-committee-I-will kill-it” Burch’s Health and Welfare Committee. He publicly announced he’d kill the bill in 2009; killed it again in 2010; and he will kill it this year if the Leadership sends it there.

Twenty-one states have some kind of law requiring abortionists to offer women an ultrasound before allowing an abortion. Isn’t it time for Kentucky to ensure that women have this choice?

As for the “pro- choicers” who want to avoid an identity crisis, can they do anything but support the bill if they want to live up to their name?

When pro-choicers oppose choice

Today marks the 37th anniversary of the landmark Roe v. Wade decision that legalized abortion on demand and ushered in the era of "choice." Since then, Roe's allies assert that abortion should be a last resort. Unfortunately, they have done little to make that happen. Pro-choicers have done even less to further assist women in crisis pregnancies with all the information they need to truly make an informed decision.

Enter SB 38—The Ultrasound Bill, which passed the Senate Judiciary Committee on Jan. 14. This bill requires abortionists to offer a woman the opportunity to see the ultrasound picture of her unborn child and to provide an explanation of the results. It does not force the woman to look at the screen; nor does it force her to hear the abortionist's interpretation. It simply mandates that the abortionist turn the screen (they already do ultrasounds to determine how much to charge) and ask the woman if she would like to see what he already sees. As it is, they keep that picture from the women, and unfortunately, women are kept in the dark.

Where I come from, people would consider SB 38 a choice. But in the Twilight Zone that is called the General Assembly, House Leadership has effectively denied a choice for the same women they purport to be preserving choices for. That they can do it with a straight face is disturbing.

One would think such a bill would unite the "let's keep it safe, legal and rare" crowd with the "one in every three babies dies from choice" crowd. Yet one would be wrong. For the past two years, the Kentucky House has killed ultrasound legislation by assigning the bill to committees where its fate was doomed on arrival. But also killed was a choice for women to have at their disposal medical information that could better help them in one of the most critical decisions in their life.

Interestingly, pro-choice organizations across the nation have labeled ultrasound legislation as "anti-choice" and a threat to "reproductive freedom." And in their Orwellian world, death is life and information is disinformation. So the bill hangs in the balance. Or maybe not.

The political winds are shifting, not just nationally, but also in Kentucky. In last month's special elections, the candidates who favored ultrasound legislation each handily won seats in the Senate and House. House Leadership seems to have gotten the memo and early political maneuvering indicates the bill may have a chance this year. This is good. According to Lifenews.com, 16 other states have similar ultrasound laws on the books. Kentucky could be next.

The emergence of the ultrasound bill has shattered the figurative bunkers between embattled pro-choicers and pro-lifers. Default arguments no longer apply here. If the issue is really about choice, SB 38 should receive hearty support from both sides. If it’s about something else, then a certain political agenda has been exposed. And it’s the pro-choice crowd that might want to contemplate another moniker for their movement.

Family group releases video regarding possible State House ultrasound vote

For Immediate Release
March 23, 2009
Contact: David Edmunds
Phone: 502-457-5744

LEXINGTON, KY--The Family Foundation released a video today revealing Senate President David Williams challenging House Speaker Greg Stumbo to pass ultrasound legislation on the last two days of this legislative session.

* Legislative coverage courtesy of KET.

"There is still time...and there will be other bills that pass," says the Senate President in the video. The Foundation is urging House Democratic leadership to allow a full vote on HB 241, a bill that would provide women an opportunity to view their ultrasound 24 hours before making a final decision to have an abortion.

The State Senate attached the language to a House bill that has already passed both chambers and is headed back to the House for concurrence. Williams tells Stumbo in the video, "It's coming, get ready it's coming your way." The bill will receive a vote unless it is blocked by House Leadership.

"This bill is in the House and is still very much alive," said David Edmunds, policy analyst with The Family Foundation. "The only thing blocking it from a vote is House Leadership. This is a test for the new House leadership on family issues. It will tell us where they stand."

The video is being distributed statewide in an effort to inform Kentuckians of this important legislation.

Ultrasound legislation is still alive

For Immediate Release
March 13, 2009

Contact: David Edmunds

Phone: (502) 457-5744

LEXINGTON, KY—“The Senate has proven once again that it is whole-heartedly committed to the sanctity of life,” said David Edmunds of The Family Foundation in response to the Senate’s action today to amend House Bill 241 to include language from SB 79, The Ultrasound Bill.

The Ultrasound Bill would require abortionists to offer face-to-face consultation and the availability of an ultrasound for a woman seeking an abortion. It passed the Senate 33-4 on March 2, but failed to pass out of the House Health and Welfare Committee where Committee Chairman Tom Burch has previously promised to kill it.

“Tuesday's 8-8 vote in the House Health and Welfare Committee prevented SB 79 – The Ultrasound Bill – from going to the House floor, where we were confident it would pass,” said Edmunds. “With an overwhelming vote, the Senate has now included the essence of SB 79 into HB 241, and it is headed back to the House floor.”

“Only House Leadership can stop it now. They have a second chance to do the right thing and save the lives of hundreds of babies and the heartache of hundreds of women.”

###

Family group responds to defeat of The Ultrasound Bill

For Immediate Release

March 10, 2009
Contact: David Edmunds
Phone: (502) 457-5744

LEXINGTON, KY—“The ‘Grim Reaper’ of Kentucky’s General Assembly strikes again,” said David Edmunds of The Family Foundation in response to today’s action. “Tom Burch upheld the promise he recently made in The Courier-Journal to kill the bill; he did it by actively lobbying to bring the bill to his committee where he knew he could kill it.”

Rep. Tom Burch (D-Louisville), Chairman of the House Health & Welfare Committee called for a vote today on SB 79, The Ultrasound Bill, with limited discussion. The bill failed to clear the committee on an 8-8 vote.

“Burch’s actions today come as no surprise, given his past promises,” said Edmunds. “What is a surprise is that this new House leadership team sent this bill to his committee where Burch was intent on its defeat.”

“Last year, previous House Leadership sent the bill to Judiciary where Kathy Stein killed it,” Edmunds explained. “It appears this leadership has a new hatchet man in Tom Burch.”

“This leadership team had talked about a new tone in Frankfort, but this seems like politics as usual when the whole House is denied an opportunity to vote on this bill, thus denying women their medical ultrasound records and the opportunity to make a fully informed choice.”

###

Indiana Abortionists deserve coal for Christmas

Santa Claus is coming to town and it looks like he will be putting coal in some Indiana stockings. The shocking revelation that Planned Parenthood of Indiana is selling Christmas gift certificates for services including abortion came as unwelcome tidings to those that believe Christmas is the celebration of a successful birth.

A video just released by LiveActionFilms.org also shows how the Indiana abortion provider counsels a 13-year-old to lie about the age of her 31-year-old "boyfriend" to prevent reporting abuse to the state. The Planned Parenthood counselor even suggested that the 31-year-old could transport the 13-year-old across state lines for a covert abortion to bypass the state's parental consent laws.

Santa's "gonna find out who's naughty or nice..."