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BCIt is hard to believe the National Right to Life Convention is only a week away!

As the Louisiana pro-life community, we have the chance to show the nation why Louisiana is the #1 pro-life state in America. Please register and attend the convention! Let's make it the most successful national pro-life convention ever!

Register online at www.NRLConvention.com. If you or someone you know wants to attend but cannot afford it, please contact our office at 1.866.463.5433.

For a Pro-Life Louisiana,   
Benjamin Clapper

P.S. Do not miss the photos below from our JLI camp happening now in Baton Rouge!  Pray for these students as they return home to spread the pro-life message!
Baton Rouge Right to Life
Way to go BR!
Congrats BRRTL

Congratulations to our friends at Baton Rouge Right to Life for a successful breakfast last weekend featuring Dorinda Bordlee and Dr. Kathy Allen! 

Admitting Privileges Law
Trial Over Admitting Privileges Law Over

Judge deGravelles
Judge John deGravelles

After six days of testimony, U.S. Middle District of Louisiana Court Judge John deGravelles brought the trial regarding Louisiana's 2014 HB 388 / Act 620 to a close on Monday. The six days included testimony from both the plaintiffs - abortion clinic owners and physicians - and the defendants from the Louisiana Department of Health and Hospitals. Witnesses included many doctors, academics, and even DHH Secretary Kathy Kliebert. 

 

The lawsuit was filed in the Baton Rouge court in an attempt to stop the law, which requires abortion physicians have admitting privileges at a hospital within 30 miles of the abortion facility. deGravelles said he hopes to release his decision on the constitutionality of the law by Sept. 30, 2015.

 

It was revealed during the trial that three of the state's abortion physicians currently have admitting privileges at hospitals near the abortion facilities where they work. deGravelles said he would continue to monitor the progress of pending admitting privilege applications.

 

Either way he decides, the case is likely to be appealed to the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in New Orleans, which already upheld a similar admitting privileges law in Texas, saying it found that access to abortion would not be impeded with the admitting privileges restriction. That law was set to take effect Wednesday, but it is now on hold as the U.S. Supreme Court stopped it pending an appeal of its legality to the high court.

 

Louisiana Right to Life, which garnered plenty of attention during the trial along with the Bioethics Defense Fund, was in attendance throughout the trial. Benjamin Clapper, Executive Director of Louisiana Right to Life, issued the following observations at the trial's conclusion:

 

"Louisiana Right to Life firmly believes that the admitting privileges requirement in HB 388 / Act 620 will increase the health and safety of women seeking an abortion in the state of Louisiana. The case presented by the State of Louisiana this week furthered this argument, and we look forward to Judge deGravelles' decision and a likely appeal in the 5th Circuit Court of Appeals that upheld a similar Texas provision in 2014. 

 

"Prior to passing HB 388, the Louisiana Legislature heard testimony regarding the various violations of health and safety that have plagued Louisiana abortion facilities over the years and heard from experts in the medical field regarding how admitting privileges would increase patient safety. Over the past week the state's attorneys have provided the court with even more expert testimony regarding how the admitting privileges rule would increase patient health and safety and would ensure that Louisiana women receive the highest possible standard of care."

 

"The common-sense law will also hold abortion providers to the same standard as other physicians performing outpatient surgeries across the state," he said. "This was made clear by the testimony provided by both Secretary Kliebert and expert witness Dr. Robert Marier, former director of the Louisiana State Board of Medical Examiners.

 

"In upholding a similar admitting privilege requirement passed by the Texas Legislature, the 5th Circuit Court of Appeals in 2014 found a clear connection between the admitting privileges rule and the desirable protection of abortion patients' health. This ruling echoed decisions by the 4th and 8th Circuit Courts, which stated that admitting privilege requirements 'are obviously beneficial to patients' and 'further important state health objectives.' Since there are significant similarities between the relevant portions of the Texas and Louisiana laws, and the fact that both states have abortion physicians with admitting privileges, we believe considerable attention must be paid to the previous decisions of the 5th Circuit upholding the Texas provisions."

***

In response to the Supreme Court's decision to grant an emergency appeal keeping certain Texas abortion facilities open, Clapper said: "It is important to remember that the Texas law includes requirements that abortion facilities meet ambulatory surgical center guidelines, a provision not found in the Louisiana law. In addition, the decision is a temporary one, giving the Supreme Court time to determine if they will grant a full hearing on the Texas law." 

Convention
YOU STILL HAVE TIME TO SIGN UP!
You Shouldn't Miss Convention Speaker Melissa Ohden

There will be many highlights during next week's National Right to Life Convention and many speakers you surely don't want to miss. One will be abortion survivor Melissa Ohden, who will speak during Friday night's Youth and College Night and again during a workshop Saturday morning. This is just part of her story, which was published on LifeNews.com in 2014 and is reprinted with permission. 

***

Nearly thirty-eight years ago, Melissa Ohden survived a saline infusion abortion. Now she is the founder of The Abortion Survivors Network, an organization that exists to educate the public on abortion survivors and to offer support to those who've survived failed abortions.

 

MELISSA OHDEN 

Ohden shares her testimony regularly. She begins many talks by explaining the abortion procedure that was intended to take her life.

 

During a saline infusion abortion, the abortionist inserts a needle through the mother's abdomen and withdraws amniotic fluid. Then the fluid is replaced with a salt solution, which typically causes the unborn child to die within three days. Ohden said that children who die from saline abortions are sometimes referred to as "red-skins" or "candy apple babies" because the salt solution turns their skin bright red and peels it away as it moves into the internal organs.

 

Ohden said she soaked in the poisonous solution two days longer than usual and was born alive on the fifth day, weighing almost 3 pounds.

 

Ohden said her biological mother was coerced into having the abortion by her mother. And since Ohden's grandmother was a prominent nurse and knew a local abortionist, she was able to bypass hospital procedures and facilitate a "secret abortion."

 

Ohden said, "My mother wasn't just coerced, she was forced to have an abortion that was meant to end my life and changed her forever."

 

When Ohden was born alive, someone at the hospital insisted that she should be left to die. Originally, she thought the abortionist was the one who gave the order. But Ohden has learned that it was actually her grandmother who demanded her death. Thankfully, despite her grandmother's persistence, two nurses provided medical care that ultimately saved her life.

 

She said her mother's forced abortion ruined relationships in her family. After the abortion her mother and father split up, and her mother severed contact with her grandparents. When Ohden finally found her mother and father, she wrote them each a letter extending forgiveness and love. She also said that if they ever wanted to reach out to her, she would be waiting.

 

Sadly, in 2008 Ohden's father passed away. He never did respond to her letter, but eventually she was able to connect with some members of his family. She has also established a relationship with her biological mother. To this day, she said, her mother is still healing from the pain of her forced abortion.

 

"Her greatest regret as a woman in her 50s is that she never ran away from her own family," Ohden said.

 

***

 

Want to hear more of Melissa Ohden's story? You can here it at the convention! Want to know who else is speaking?

 

CLICK HERE TO SEE LIST OF CONVENTION SPEAKERS! 

Convention to Feature Presidential Candidates Forum, Much More!

Learn Why These Candidates Are Pro-Life 

 

The National Right to Life Convention, July 9-11 at the Marriott Hotel in New Orleans, will feature a once-every-four-years event this year: a Presidential Candidates Forum.

 

This year's forum, Speaking Out and Winning for Life, will be held from 9-11:30 a.m. on Friday, July 10, and Sen. Marco Rubio, Gov. Rick Perry, Dr. Ben Carson, and Sen. Rick Santorum have confirmed they will attend.

 

Together their presence, their ability to articulately present their pro-life convictions, and their ability to fire up grassroots pro-lifers for the 2016 presidential election campaign will make this one of the convention highlights.

 

Other events you don't want to miss include:

Festival of Life: A Taste of New Orleans

 

Register for the convention and on Thursday evening, July 9,  you can attend the exciting Festival of Life Reception at no extra cost to you! The reception will be complete with culture, comedy by the Cajun Ambassador Jonathan Perry, inspiration from Gov. Bobby Jindal, music from the Soul Heirs Brass Band, food, and dancing as we toast the pro-life heritage of Louisiana!

 

Prayer Breakfast With Duck Dynasty Members

 

Attend the Prayer Breakfast on Saturday, July 11 to hear from Lisa, Alan, and "Miss Kay" Robertson from Duck Dynasty! Also, Sen. Vitter will join us, along with the musical talents of Kitty Cleveland!


Be The Voice: Pro-Life Youth & College Night

 

Hear from pro-life speaker and abortion survivor Melissa Ohden and enjoy the music of the Greg& Lizzy band. This is being held at the Convention hotel the evening of Friday, July 10, from 6:30-9 p.m.  Visit www.BeTheVoiceNight.com for more information. Tickets are only $10 and include pizza!

 

CLICK HERE TO REGISTER! 

JLI students







Joshua Leadership Institute 2015!
Student leaders from across Louisiana are attending this week's Joshua Leadership Institute in Baton Rouge, learning to be pro-life leaders in their schools and communities. Students arrived on Sunday, and on Tuesday they visited the LSU campus and talked with LSU students, putting some of what they are learning this week to the test.
Upcoming Events

July 9-11: National Right to Life Convention, NOLA 

Sept. 23: 40 Days for Life Fall Campaign Begins 

Oct. 13:  Chers Bebes: Acadiana's Soiree for Life  

Oct. 24: Louisiana Elections (Governor, Legislature, etc)

Nov. 1: 40 Days for Life Fall Campaign Closes 

Nov. 21: Louisiana Run-Off Elections 

Jan. 23, 2016: Louisiana Life March North & South 

 
Louisiana Right to Life | Lighting the Way to a Pro-Life Louisiana Since 1970

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