The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary and radical pro-abortion activist Xavier Becerra shut down the National Institutes of Health (NIH) ethics board overseeing human fetal tissue research. Under President Donald Trump, the advisory board had the authority to block fetal research proposals on ethics grounds. In April, at President Joe Biden’s direction, HHS also reversed…Read More
The regents of the University of California have advanced a proposal that could end longtime partnerships with Catholic hospitals, as well as with other hospitals whose ethics bar participation in assisted suicide, abortion or transgender-affirmative care. Backers of Catholic health care, however, emphasized the benefits of the university-hospital partnerships, and the ability of Catholic health…Read More
More than a million students disappeared from public school rolls during the 2020-2021 school year according to a new report from Education Week that analyzed available state-collected data about schooling during the COVID-19 pandemic. “America’s public school system lost almost 1.3 million students this year, according to an Education Week analysis of state data,” the…Read More
Columnist Henry Olsen endorsed a new GOP-led legislation proposal called the Care for Her Act, which would bolster support for America’s pregnant mothers. The new law “would make caring for a pregnant woman and meeting her needs the centerpiece of public policy,” Olsen wrote at the Washington Post. The bill, introduced by Rep. Jeff Fortenberry,…Read More
/ The Department of Education announced Wednesday that all public educational institutions nationwide must recognize the “gender identities” of “trans” people, including by allowing biological males to use female facilities such as restrooms and compete in female sports. “Today marks 49 years since the passage of Title IX, the strongest tool we have to protect…Read More
Iowa may not enforce a law approved last year that required women seeking an abortion to receive an ultrasound and then wait at least 24 hours before undergoing the procedure, a judge ordered on Monday. Iowa District Judge Mitchell Turner ruled in favor of Planned Parenthood of the Heartland and said the law, which was…Read More
Senate Republicans blocked a measure authored by Democrats that would overhaul election and voting laws, calling the legislation a partisan power grab. Democrats voted unanimously to begin debate on the For the People Act, a bill they framed as critical voting rights legislation. But the party only controls 50 votes in the Senate, and the…Read More
The governor of Texas signed two bills last week, to prevent the future closure of churches during disasters and to ban abortions if Roe v. Wade were to be overturned. Gov. Greg Abbott (R) signed the bills among a series of other measures last week. He signed the Human Life Protection Act of 2021, House…Read More
A Massachusetts mayor called out pro-abortion Catholic politicians last Thursday at a pro-life rally in Quincy. In his speech at a June 17 “Night 4 Life” rally in Quincy, Massachusetts, the city’s mayor Thomas Koch asked, “Where are the consciences today of our elected politicians – particularly the Catholic and Christian ones?” the New Boston…Read More
The Church must continue to push for immigration reform and to address the root causes that make people migrate to the United States, the head of the US bishops’ migration committee said Friday. Bishop Mario Dorsonville, an auxiliary bishop of the Archdiocese of Washington, was presenting at the Virtual Assembly of the USCCB, in the…Read More
The Supreme Court once again upheld the Affordable Care Act, in a 7-2 ruling against the latest challenge to the law on Thursday. In the majority opinion authored by Justice Stephen Breyer, the court ruled that the state of Texas, in leading the case against the Affordable Care Act, “failed to show a concrete, particularized…Read More
The Supreme Court just ruled in favor of “exemplary” foster mothers Sharonell Fulton and Toni Simms-Busch, allowing these foster care heroes to continue serving children in need in partnership with the Catholic foster ministry that has been serving Philadelphia for over 200 years. Catholic Social Services supports foster mothers like Sharonell and Toni and serves…Read More
A Colorado district court ruled that Jack Phillips, owner of Masterpiece Cakeshop, must create custom cakes celebrating gender transitions. The Wednesday ruling is the latest event in a long saga involving Phillips, a devout Christian, and customers seeking him out to demand he make custom cakes celebrating the LGBT movement, which he opposes on religious…Read More
The Justice Department recently asked the Supreme Court to reinstate a death sentence for Dzhokhar Tsarnaev for his role in the Boston Marathon bombings. Tsarnaev’s death sentence had been handed down by federal jury a lower court, and the Justice Department is asking the Supreme Court to reinstate it, the Boston Globe reported Tuesday. The…Read More
Those were the words of Carlos DeLuna, a young Latino man who Texas executed in 1989. At trial, DeLuna said that another man—Carlos Hernandez—murdered Wanda Lopez, a single mother stabbed to death while working at a convenience store in Corpus Christi. The prosecution told the jury that Carlos Hernandez was a “phantom” DeLuna made up.…Read More
After a federal court dismissed Planned Parenthood’s challenge to a Lubbock ordinance that declares the city a “Sanctuary for the Unborn,” a lawyer with the Chicago-based Thomas More Society said he believes these sanctuary cities have solid footing in Texas law. “Cities have the right to regulate businesses and practices within their bounds. A municipality…Read More
Sen. Joe Manchin, D-WV, has vowed to fight hard for the Hyde Amendment, a rule which prohibits taxpayer funding of abortions. “I’m going to support Hyde in every way possible,” Manchin told a Bloomberg reporter this week. Two other Democrats, Bob Casey, Jr. (PA) and Tim Kaine (VA) have also vowed to apply the Hyde…Read More
Pro-life leaders warn that an “egregious” bill introduced this week in Congress would override most state abortion regulations, require health care workers to perform abortions, and mandate federal funding of abortion. Sens. Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) and Tammy Baldwin (D-Wis.), along with Reps. Judy Chu (D-Calif.), Lois Frankel (D-Fla.), Ayanna Pressley (D-Mass.), and Veronica Escobar (D-Texas),…Read More
The Biden administration on Tuesday said it is required by law to uphold a Title IX exemption for religious colleges, in response to a lawsuit filed by students identifying as LGBT. Filing in an Oregon district court, the Justice Department said that religious post-secondary schools seeking to intervene in a case to defend their Title…Read More
A county court on Tuesday ruled that a Virginia teacher suspended for opposing a school transgender pronoun policy must be reinstated while his case continues. The Loudoun County Circuit Court ruled that Tanner Cross, a teacher at Leesburg Elementary School, had to be reinstated by Loudoun County Public Schools after he was suspended for speaking…Read More
A national pro-life group says that its new poll of likely voters demonstrates support for a 15-week abortion ban. The survey of likely voters, conducted by OnMessage Inc. and released on Monday by the Susan B. Anthony List, revealed that a majority voters were “more likely” to support restrictions on abortions after 15 weeks once…Read More
A June 7 U.S. Supreme Court decision ruled that hundreds of thousands of immigrants with a temporary immigration status cannot apply for a more permanent way to remain in the country if they first entered without authority to do so. The unanimous ruling applies to those with Temporary Permanent Status, popularly known as TPS —…Read More
A national pro-life group says that its new poll of likely voters demonstrates support for a 15-week abortion ban. The survey of likely voters, conducted by OnMessage Inc. and released on Monday by the Susan B. Anthony List, revealed that a majority voters were “more likely” to support restrictions on abortions after 15 weeks once…Read More
A June 7 U.S. Supreme Court decision ruled that hundreds of thousands of immigrants with a temporary immigration status cannot apply for a more permanent way to remain in the country if they first entered without authority to do so. The unanimous ruling applies to those with Temporary Permanent Status, popularly known as TPS —…Read More
On Tuesday, HB 214 was signed into Texas law, requiring consumers to purchase supplemental coverage from health insurers to cover abortions in the state. Abortions needed for medical emergencies will still be allowed to be covered by general insurance plans, however. According to US News, Texas has now joined 25 other states that have enacted…Read More
A federal judge on Tuesday dismissed a lawsuit brought by Planned Parenthood against a Texas city over new pro-life policies, saying Planned Parenthood does not have standing to sue the city. Citizens in Lubbock had voted in early May to declare the city a “Sanctuary City for the Unborn,” drawing praise from the Catholic diocese’s…Read More
Three female judges made the final cut Thursday for the Oklahoma Supreme Court vacancy, as the state Judicial Nominating Commission set up Gov. Kevin Stitt to pick his third justice for the nine-person court. The finalists announced by the commission are: Oklahoma Court of Criminal Appeals Judge Dana Kuehn; Oklahoma Court of Civil Appeals Judge…Read More
Three female judges made the final cut Thursday for the Oklahoma Supreme Court vacancy, as the state Judicial Nominating Commission set up Gov. Kevin Stitt to pick his third justice for the nine-person court. The finalists announced by the commission are: Oklahoma Court of Criminal Appeals Judge Dana Kuehn; Oklahoma Court of Civil Appeals Judge…Read More
On Tuesday, HB 214 was signed into Texas law, requiring consumers to purchase supplemental coverage from health insurers to cover abortions in the state. Abortions needed for medical emergencies will still be allowed to be covered by general insurance plans, however. According to US News, Texas has now joined 25 other states that have enacted…Read More
A federal judge on Tuesday dismissed a lawsuit brought by Planned Parenthood against a Texas city over new pro-life policies, saying Planned Parenthood does not have standing to sue the city. Citizens in Lubbock had voted in early May to declare the city a “Sanctuary City for the Unborn,” drawing praise from the Catholic diocese’s…Read More
Three female judges made the final cut Thursday for the Oklahoma Supreme Court vacancy, as the state Judicial Nominating Commission set up Gov. Kevin Stitt to pick his third justice for the nine-person court. The finalists announced by the commission are: Oklahoma Court of Criminal Appeals Judge Dana Kuehn; Oklahoma Court of Civil Appeals Judge…Read More
The U.S. Supreme Court finally announced May 17 that it would decide Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization, where a Mississippi law banned most abortions after the 15th week of pregnancy because, by then, the fetus is capable of perceiving pain. I say “finally” because the petition for review lingered in the high court for…Read More
The U.S. Court of Appeals for the 2nd Circuit ruled that officials in the State of Vermont violated the First Amendment by denying public tuition aid to students who attended private Catholic schools. The Wednesday ruling struck down a Vermont rule that prohibited students attending private religious schools from taking tuition aid through the State’s…Read More
Ahead of an anticipated ruling by the Supreme Court in a landmark foster care case, a Christian foster care agency in Kentucky says the state is forcing it to violate its religious mission. Sunrise Children’s Services, a Kentucky-based nonprofit ministry affiliated with Kentucky Baptists, says a clause in a new state contract would force it…Read More
The state Health Care Authority picked four companies to run the program that affects about a quarter of the state. The Oklahoma Supreme Court says that decision is not constitutional. The Oklahoma Supreme Court voted 6-3 against the state, saying it did not have the authority to outsource the program. “The idea was that the…Read More
Three female judges made the final cut Thursday for the Oklahoma Supreme Court vacancy, as the state Judicial Nominating Commission set up Gov. Kevin Stitt to pick his third justice for the nine-person court. The finalists announced by the commission are: Oklahoma Court of Criminal Appeals Judge Dana Kuehn; Oklahoma Court of Civil Appeals Judge…Read More
The state Health Care Authority picked four companies to run the program that affects about a quarter of the state. The Oklahoma Supreme Court says that decision is not constitutional. The Oklahoma Supreme Court voted 6-3 against the state, saying it did not have the authority to outsource the program. “The idea was that the…Read More
Julius Jones’ commutation hearing has been rescheduled to September 13, after originally being scheduled for June. “It’s a little bit longer. It’s three months away instead of next month,” Jimmy Lawson, Julius Jones’ best friend, told KFOR on Thursday. “The positive side is that we will still get our chance to have a hearing.” Jones…Read More
President Joe Biden on Friday did not include a 45 year-old pro-life policy in his final budget request to Congress for the 2022 fiscal year, thus allowing for funding of abortions. The Hyde Amendment, enacted into law since 1976, bars federal funding of most elective abortions in Medicaid. It is not permanent law, and is…Read More
A leading stem cell research organization has called for scientists to lift a long-held ethical rule against growing and experimenting on embryonic human beings beyond 14 days of gestation. The Illinois-based International Society for Stem Cell Research (ISSCR) made the suggestion in a new set of guidelines published this year for consideration by governments, research…Read More
Florida State University has agreed to a settlement with a Catholic student who sued the school last year over his removal from the student senate for private religious statements. Jack Denton, a Catholic member of the university’s class of 2021, was removed from his position as president of the student senate last June after comments…Read More
One pro-life leader is “confident” that Democratic Senator Joe Manchin (W.Va.) – a key swing vote in the U.S. Senate – will oppose efforts to fund abortions in the coming fiscal year. With President Joe Biden expected to release the details of his budget request for the 2022 fiscal year next week, one long-standing federal…Read More