Doylestown
"A
federal court challenge to Pennsylvania's 17-year-old law banning the
recognition of same-sex marriages took an important step toward a trial
Friday when a judge rejected two different attempts to block the lawsuit
and said high court treatment of cases involving sex and sexual
identity have undergone a 'sea change.' U.S. District Judge John E. Jones III denied the motions to dismiss
the lawsuit by Pennsylvania's secretaries of the departments of Health
and Revenue and Bucks County's register of wills [Emphasis added.]. It is a strong sign the case is headed to trial and, potentially, the
U.S. Supreme Court.... Lawyers for the plaintiffs, including the American Civil Liberties
Union...said they were delighted with the decision" (Associated Press, 11/15/13).
On the 11/19/13 editorial page, the Courier
Times took a disingenuous, ostensibly objective position, advocating
that we abandon efforts to seriously support the Bucks County register
of wills: "we support Bucks County Commissioner
Diane Marseglia’s suggestion the county should refuse to mount a
serious and costly defense against a federal lawsuit targeting Bucks
County Register of Wills Don Petrille....the county commissioners should seriously consider
Marseglia’s suggestion to unlace the boxing gloves. The commissioners
have to approve paying those bills, and so they are within their rights
to instruct county attorneys to stand down."
Though he had courageously stood alone in defense of marriage, it is
now reported that Bucks County Register of Wills Don Petrille "will 'take no position' on the issue of
same-sex marriage in Pennsylvania and could assume a limited role in an
ongoing lawsuit that’s playing out in federal court" (Courier Times, 2/25/14).
Harrisburg
HB 162
The Pennsylvania Catholic Conference has a special web page to contact your state senator and object to HB 162, which would open adoption records: "Because it will violate confidentiality agreements made with birth parents long ago, this legislation is unfair and could dissuade birth parents today from choosing adoption for their babies and opting instead for life-ending choices." You can also email all four of Bucks County's state senators (i.e., Sen. Greenleaf, Sen. McIlhinney, Sen. Mensch, and Sen.
Tomlinson), asking that they oppose HB 162. While the goal of HB 162 is ostensibly to get info to young adults about biological parents, it would leave the anonymity of so-called egg donors and so-called sperm donors intact. The commitments of
anonymity
to birth parents who gave children up for adoption would be
disregarded!
HB 587
As reported by the Pa Catholic Conference: "Among
the many atrocities revealed at Dr. Kermit Gosnell’s 'House of Horrors'
abortion clinic in West Philadelphia was that several of his staff
provided medical services without the proper training or license to do
so....[the] House of Representatives passed House Bill 587
to increase the penalty for those who commit the crime of impersonating
a doctor of medicine." HB 587 is now with the Senate judiciary committee, of which Bucks/Montgomery Counties' Senator Stewart Greenleaf is chair. Please urge Greenleaf (sgreenleaf@pasen.gov) to move forward with this legislation, so that it can ultimately receive a favorable vote by the full senate and a signature by the governor.
HB 1762
As per the Pa Pro Life Coalition, HB 1762 “requires abortionists to have admitting
privileges at a hospital within 30 miles of the facility where they are
committing abortions….If your
State House member is pro-life, please write to him or her with a request to
co-sponsor H.B. 1762….Please write Rep. Ron Marsico, the Chairman of the
Pa. House Judiciary Committee, and ask him to run H.B. 1762, as soon as
reasonably possible….Please write Rep. Mike Turzai, the Pa. House Majority
Leader, and ask him to run H.B. 1762, as soon as reasonably possible….Pa.
Senator Stewart Greenleaf, the Chairman of the Pa. Senate Judiciary Committee,
indicated that he is open to running H.B. 1762 in this Committee, which has a
pro-life majority." Kudos to Bucks County's Rep Paul Clymer, who joined in introducing this legislation! (Note: In addition to Clymer, Bucks County's Rep John Galloway was among those who introduced the comparable
H.B. 1314 in the 2011-2012 term.).
Human Trafficking
As per the U.S. State Department's Trafficking in Persons Report 2013, only "a mere fraction of the more than 26 million men, women, and
children who are estimated to suffer in modern slavery have been
recognized by governments as such and are eligible to receive the
protection and support they are owed." "The solemn proclamation of human rights is contradicted by a painful reality of violations,
• wars and violence of every kind…,
• genocides and mass deportations,…
• ever new forms of slavery such as
Sen Stewart Greenleaf "introduced SB75, a law to fight human
trafficking in Pennsylvania that was unanimously approved Dec. 10 in the
Senate” (Linda Finarelli, Human trafficking bill pending in PA House, 1/24/14). As per the Pennsylvania Catholic Conference, "Legislation was already passed unanimously by the
Pennsylvania Senate in December and hopefully it will be considered by
the House of Representatives in the near future.... we must demand legislative action that supports the dignity
of the person and prevents victims from even getting involved in human
trafficking. Please send a message in support of legislation that ends human trafficking by clicking here" (Note: The Pa Catholic Conference has not specifically said if it supports SB75.).
Ultrasound Legislation
"There are about a dozen states that require that ultrasound images be offered to women seeking abortions, before the procedure is performed. Here in Pennsylvania, we do not currently have such a requirement.
Here, an ultrasound bill was introduced last session by Rep. Kathy Rapp,
R-Warren, and other key members of the House pro-life caucus and
quickly gained more than 100 co-sponsors. But the abortion lobby and its
allies on the political left – many even from out-of-state – went on
the attack and intimidated otherwise well-meaning legislators from
moving ahead, for now" (Pennsylvania: A Picture is Worth a Thousand Words, Citizen Link, 12/19/13).
Marriage / Family: Support HB 1349 and Oppose HB1647/SB719
"A Marriage
Protection Amendment to the Pennsylvania State Constitution may be the
only way to preserve the definition of marriage as the union between one
man and one woman" (Pa Catholic Conference).
The Pa Catholic Conference has a web site, to facilitate a message to
Governor Corbett, in support of marriage and Pa's DOMA (https://www.votervoice.net/PACC/Campaigns/32995/Respond). Our legislators should support Sen. Clymer's HB1349, and oppose SB719/HB1647.
Oppose SB 872
Proposed legislation in Pennsylvania, SB 872,
"Prohibiting mental health professionals from engaging in sexual
orientation change efforts with an individual under 18 years of age," would join California’s Senate Bill 1172 and New Jersey's S2278 in running counter to common sense:
"In 2013 California and New Jersey
passed laws that ban licensed mental health providers from offering
sexual orientation change efforts (SOCE) to minors....To be clear, the
present debate concerns banning voluntary (not coerced) SOCE by
professionals for minors who are distressed by their unwanted homosexual
feelings. Support for this ban is based
upon four claims. First, that sexual orientation is a fixed, inborn
trait. Secondly, that homosexual attractions experienced during
adolescence are enduring. Thirdly, that homosexual behavior carries no
increased health risks as compared to heterosexual behavior, and
finally, that scientific research proves SOCE is universally harmful.
None of these claims, however, is based in science....the American
College of Pediatricians and the National Association for Research and
Therapy of Homosexuality insist that adolescents retain their right to
choose SOCE with full informed consent under the care of experts in the
field" (Adolescents, Therapeutic Choice and Scientific Integrity, American College of Pediatricians, 2/13/14).
Oppose HB300/SB300
"House Bill 300/Senate Bill 300 would add 'gender identity or expression'
and 'sexual orientation' to Pennsylvania's non-discrimination law.
Changing the Pennsylvania Human Relations Act (PHRA) to protect people
based on sexual attraction and behavior will jeopardize many churches
and their charitable outreach. In other states, this law has shuttered
Catholic adoption agencies and trampled religious liberty. HB/SB 300
could mean that Catholic agencies would no longer be able to make our
contributions to the common good of Pennsylvania without violating our
religious beliefs. The law has also caused conflicts for private business owners with
legitimate religious and moral concerns....In reality, HB/SB 300 exposes even more Pennsylvanians to
discrimination. Simply put, this legislation is intolerant and
prejudiced against people of faith. Send a message to the legislature
urging them to vote 'no' on HB/SB 300" (Pennsylvania Catholic Conference).
From Bucks County, HB300/SB300 is being co-sponsored by Rep. Tina Davis, Rep. John Galloway, Sen. Chuck McIlhinney, Rep. Marguerite Quinn, Rep. Steve Santarsiero, Rep. Scott Petri, and Rep. Katherine Watson (cf. http://legiscan.com/PA/bill/HB300/2013 and http://legiscan.com/PA/bill/sB300/2013). While the Pa Catholic Conference calls HB/SB 300 "intolerant and
prejudiced against people of faith," as many as 28 original co-sponsors are "Catholic" (i.e., Reps Brendan Boyle, Thomas Caltagirone, Mike Carroll, Dominic Costa, Paul Costa, Tina Davis (???), Frank Dermody,
John Galloway, Patrick Harkins, Joseph Markosek, Michael McGeehan,
Thomas Murt, Eddie Day Pashinski, John Sabatina, Mario Scavello, Thomas Killion, Robert Matzie, and Catherine Harper. Sens Patrick Browne, Jay Costa, Chuck McIlhinney, Lisa Boscola, Wayne Fontana, John Blake, Mike Stack, Sean Wiley, John Yudichak,
and Richard Kasunic). Though he also identifies himself as "Catholic," Governor Tom Corbett has indicated that he would sign this legislation.
Email
Gov. Corbett and all of Bucks County's representatives and senators in
Harrisburg (i.e., Rep. Clymer, Rep. Davis, Rep. DiGirolomo, Rep. Farry,
Rep. Galloway, Rep. O'Neill, Rep. Petri, Rep. Quinn, Rep. Santarsiero,
Rep. Watson, Sen. Greenleaf, Sen. McIlhinney, Sen. Mensch, and Sen.
Tomlinson), asking that they OPPOSE HB 300 / SB 300 (as well as SB 872)
and SUPPORT Pa's DOMA, as well as HB 587.
As per the Pa Pro Life Coalition, "If your
State House member is pro-life, please write to him or her with a request to
co-sponsor H.B. 1762….Please write Rep. Ron Marsico, the Chairman of the
Pa. House Judiciary Committee, and ask him to run H.B. 1762, as soon as
reasonably possible….Please write Rep. Mike Turzai, the Pa. House Majority
Leader, and ask him to run H.B. 1762, as soon as reasonably possible….Pa.
Senator Stewart Greenleaf, the Chairman of the Pa. Senate Judiciary Committee,
indicated that he is open to running H.B. 1762 in this Committee, which has a
pro-life majority."
WASHINGTON
Abortion Insurance Full Disclosure Act of 2013
- Support HR 3279/S1848
Child Interstate Abortion Notification Act -
Support HR 732 / S 32 / S 369
Human Trafficking indeed! As the USCCB previously
explained, "a mother in Pennsylvania, where parental involvement is
required, testified before Congress that her daughter was taken without her
knowledge to New Jersey for a secret abortion by the parents of her daughter's
boyfriend.... 'We urge Congress to pass this law to help protect vulnerable
girls from this kind of exploitation'" (USCCB, 4/27/05). Kudos to Mike
Fitzpatrick for being among the co-sponsors of HR
732. NEITHER Bob Casey NOR Pat
Toomey are among the 6 co-sponsors of S.32.
However, kudos to Pat Toomey for being among the 28 co-sponsors of S.369.
De-Fund Planned Parenthood
Employment Non-Discrimination Act of 2013 (ENDA) -
Oppose HR 1755 / S 815
As S 815 passed the Senate (with votes from BOTH Casey and Toomey), it is
all the more vital that Fitzpatrick oppose HR 1755. As per the USCCB's
10/31/13 letter to the U.S. Senate, "the USCCB continues to promote the
dignity of both work and marriage and to oppose unjust discrimination on any
grounds, including those related to homosexual inclination or sexual identity.
But we cannot support a bill, like ENDA, that does not justly advance the
dignity of all workers and authentic non-discrimination" Mike Fitzpatrick, are you committed to voting AGAINST HR 1755?
Federal Marriage Amendment - Support HJ Res 51
Health Care Conscience Rights Act - Support HR
940 / S 1204
As
per the USCCB, "All House and Senate members should be urged to
support and co-sponsor the Health Care Conscience Rights Act" Kudos to Mike Fitzpatrick for being among
the co-sponsors of HR
940. Kudos to Toomey for being among the co-sponsors of S
1204; Casey is NOT among the 20 co-sponsors.
Immigration Reform
Marriage and Religious Freedom Act - Support
HR 3133/S1808
No Taxpayer Funding for Abortion Act - Support
HR 7 / S 946
Pain Capable Unborn Child Protection Act -
Support HR 1797/ S 1670 / S 886
State Marriage Defense Act - Support HR3829 / S2024
As reported by the Pa Catholic Conference,
"Archbishop Salvatore Cordileone of San Francisco, chairman of
the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops’ Subcommittee for the Promotion
and Defense of Marriage, applauded the January 9 introduction of the
bipartisan State Marriage Defense Act of 2014 (H.R. 3829)....'The
State Marriage Defense Act is a necessary piece of legislation
that will prevent the federal government from unjustly disregarding, in
certain instances, state marriage laws concerning the definition of
marriage,'....He went on to say, '....State marriage laws defining marriage as the union of
one man and one woman deserve respect by the federal government.'" Heretofore, Mike
Fitzpatrick has claimed marriage to be a "state" issue. Yet, he is NOT one of the
60 co-sponsors of HR 3829. As per the National Organization for Marriage, senate version S 2024 "is substantively similar" to HR 3829. Neither Casey nor Toomey are cosponsoring S 2024.
To provide for the establishment of the
Special Envoy to Promote Religious Freedom of Religious Minorities in the Near
East and South Central Asia - Support HR 301 / S 653
As per Bishop
Pates' 5/20/13 letter to Senators Roy Blunt and Carl Levin, "As Chair
of the Committee on International Justice and Peace of the United States
Conference of Catholic Bishops, I commend your tireless efforts to advance
religious freedom as evidenced by your sponsorship of S. 653, a bill to
establish a Special Envoy to Promote Religious Freedom of Religious Minorities
in the Near East and South Central Asia." On 9/18/13, Mike Fitzpatrick voted
favorably on the House version, HR 301 -
Bravo. Kudos to Pat Toomey for being one of the 22 co-sponsors of S.653; Casey is NOT a co-sponsor.
Please copy/paste the
following into a message for
Senator Casey, Senator Toomey, and Congressman Fitzpatrick (https://www.votervoice.net/NCHLA/Campaigns/30688/Respond):
"It is deeply troubling that
Senators Casey and Toomey voted for S 815, which the USCCB says "could be used to punish as discrimination what the Catholic
Church teaches." We need Mike Fitzpatrick to OPPOSE the
house version, HR 1755.
"In the interest of basic human dignity
- particularly the welfare of children - please CO-SPONSOR/ SUPPORT HR 3279/S1848 (the Abortion Insurance Full Disclosure Act), HR732/S32/S369 (the Child
Interstate Abortion Notification Act), HJRes51 (an amendment to the
Constitution of the United States relating to marriage), HR940/S1204 (the Health
Care Conscience Rights Act), HR3133/S1808 (the Marriage and Religious
Freedom Act), HR7/S946 (the No Taxpayer Funding for Abortion Act), HR1797/S1670/S 886 (the Pain
Capable Unborn Child Protection Act), HR 3829/S2024 (the State Marriage Defense Act), and HR301/S653 (To provide for the
establishment of the Special Envoy to Promote Religious Freedom of Religious
Minorities in the Near East and South Central Asia).
"Please work to de-fund Planned
Parenthood and to achieve what the USCCB has called 'compassionate immigration reform.'"
