John the Baptist prepared the way for the public ministry of Jesus Christ, telling hardened Jews that they needed to “repent and believe, for the kingdom of God is at hand.”

The two men had known each other for decades. Their mothers, Elizabeth and Mary, were cousins.

After Mary was visited by the angel Gabriel and told that she would bear “the Son of God,” she set out to visit Elizabeth, who at the time was six months pregnant with John the Baptist:

“And when Elizabeth heard the greeting of Mary, the baby leaped in her womb. And Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit, and she exclaimed with a loud cry… ‘Behold, when the sound of your greeting came to my ears, the baby in my womb leaped with joy’” (Luke 1:41, 44).
 .

What a beautiful picture of preborn life in the womb! The baby “leaps with joy” at the sound of Mary coming to visit, making clear that he is fully human. Amazingly, science reveals that developing babies feel pain in the womb, recognize the voice of their mother, and learn the sounds of what will become their native language.

Even the Greek word that Elizabeth uses to describe her preborn baby (“brephos”) is the same word used for newborns and infants. It is worth noting that she used this word while under the influence of the Holy Spirit, offering divine revelation that the preborn child is considered equal with a newborn or infant.

Sadly, more than 62 million babies have been slaughtered in this nation since the Roe v. Wade decision in 1973, including upwards of 1,500 babies annually in Idaho. The testimony of the blood of the innocent cries from the ground. Let us recommit to the quest for justice for these precious babies.

Please join me in prayer:

Heavenly Father, we praise you for your wonderful works. We know that you knit together life in the womb, creating unique and irreplaceable human beings from the moment of conception. May our nation and our state repent of the generations of children who have been lost to abortion, and may you mercifully establish the work of our hands as we labor to provide equal protection of the laws for all preborn life. Amen.

Standing for preborn life,

Blaine Conzatti
Executive Director

The 2021 New Mexico legislative session may be virtual, but the threat to unborn babies in our state is very real! Our allies at the Roundhouse are now telling us that votes on the radical abortion bills are likely to happen in the full House and Senate on Thursday.

Your voice is needed now more than ever! We have updated our Action Center message to legislators with fresh wording, so even if you have contacted them before, please take 30 seconds to send a new message to your legislators.

After you’ve sent the message, watch for a confirmation that includes the name and phone number of your senator and your representative. Please take a few moments to call and leave a message for them. Let them know you are a voter in their district, and politely ask them to oppose the radical abortion bill.

As we’ve been sharing in updates throughout this process, House Bill 7 and Senate Bill 10 are identical bills that wipe away critical protections. Doctors could lose their right of conscience to decline to do abortions; abortions could be committed without the woman’s consent; and any semblance of limitations on abortion – up to birth and including infanticide – would be wiped from our state’s law books.

Finally, please pray for our legislators on Thursday. And please share this email or the Action Center link with other New Mexicans who care about life.

Thank you for defending the least of these.

The Family Policy Alliance of New Mexico Team

“So He said to them, ‘This kind can come out by nothing but prayer and fasting’” (Mark 9:29, NKJV).

Dear Friends,

40 Days for Life Meridian begins this month—and you have the opportunity to get involved as a pro-life prayer warrior!

The movement began in 2004 when concerned residents of Bryan, Texas, came together to pray and fast for an end to abortion after seeing an abortion clinic open in their community. Soon after, other communities began imitating the prayerful and peaceful approach modeled by those faithful witnesses standing for life outside the Bryan abortion clinic.

The first nationwide 40 Days for Life campaign began in 2007, and its annual campaigns have been remarkably successful. As a result of campaign efforts, over 18,000 women have decided not to get an abortion and more than 100 abortion centers have closed.

Nearly 200 abortion workers have quit their jobs, too—most notably, Abby Johnson, the director of the Planned Parenthood clinic in Bryan, Texas, who now prays with other 40 DFL volunteers outside of the clinic she left. Abby Johnson is the subject of the blockbuster movie, Unplanned, which has touched the hearts of millions of Americans and changed the minds of untold numbers of people who were formerly pro-abortion.

Last year I spoke with Emily Naugle, who shares the coordinator role for the Meridian campaign with her husband, Scott. Emily recalled a heartwarming encounter she had a few years back while participating in the 40 DFL vigil outside the Meridian Planned Parenthood clinic.

As Emily tells it, a woman driving down the adjacent road pulled over and approached Emily. The woman shared that when she was in high school, she had made an appointment to receive an abortion at a Planned Parenthood clinic in California. She arrived at the clinic, only to see 40 DFL volunteers praying outside. The woman couldn’t bring herself to go ahead with procedure. Now, years later, she was showing pictures of her six-year-old son to Emily—a reminder that all the praying and fasting was not in vain.

How Can I Get Involved?

Participate in the prayer vigil. The 40-day prayer vigil runs from February 17th through March 28th on the public right-of-way outside the Planned Parenthood clinic on Franklin Road in Meridian. Sign up for hour-long shifts (between 7am and 7pm) on the 40 DFL Meridian page.

The 40 DFL Meridian coordinators are praying for full coverage during all hours this campaign, so please consider participating! For those who haven’t done something like this in past, feel free to contact the campaign coordinators. They can set you up with experienced prayer warriors if schedules allow.

Pray and fast wherever you are. For those unable to attend the prayer vigil, don’t worry—your prayers and fasting will be used of God wherever you are! 40 DFL publishes daily devotionals to help guide your prayer time. And consider committing to some type of fast during the duration of the campaign. “The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much” (James 5:17).

40 DFL Meridian Contact Information:
Meridian coordinator: Scott Naugle
sjnaugle@yahoo.com
https://www.40daysforlife.com/meridian

Please consider participating in this ecumenical effort to pray and fast for the end of abortion!

Standing with you for life,

Blaine Conzatti
Executive Director

“Do you want the good news or the bad news first?” I usually say “the bad news” when this question is asked of me. So, we’ll start there today – but remember, the good news follows!

The Biden Administration has enacted a jaw-dropping 39 executive orders since assuming office less than two weeks ago. Unfortunately, many of these orders are contrary to our most deeply held values, including the sanctity of human life—showing how out-of-step President Biden and his Administration are with how Americans view babies in the womb and their mothers.

Most notably, President Biden signed an executive order to rescind the Mexico City Policy and the Promoting Life in Global Health Policy, both of which prevented taxpayer dollars from funding international groups that provide or advocate for abortion.

Biden has also said he intends to reinstate Title X family planning dollars to abortion providers and scrap the decades-old Hyde Amendment which bars taxpayer dollars from funding domestic abortions. (This is especially disappointing after Biden supported the Hyde Amendment for his entire career, only reversing course in 2019 while campaigning for president.)

He has nominated a well-known pro-abortion advocate – who many say lacks administrative and health credentials – to head the Department of Health and Human Services.

And perhaps most concerning of all, on the 48th anniversary of Roe v. Wade last Friday, President Biden stated his unequivocal commitment to codifying the so-called right to abortion in federal law.

As concerning as this declaration is (and his other pro-abortion actions are), President Biden’s statement ties to the good news of the current pro-life landscape – and that is, most notably – the states. With the Biden Administration moving quickly to promote pro-abortion policies, state legislatures appear energized to pass laws to protect preborn babies and their mothers. Here are just a few examples:

After significant pro-life gains in the Kansas elections last November, both chambers passed a constitutional amendment in January to affirm there is no right to abortion and the legislature can regulate the abortion industry. This is vitally important in Kansas where the state Supreme Court is poised to force unlimited abortion statewide. Now, the “Value Them Both” amendment will go before the people in Kansas as a ballot initiative in 2022.

The Kentucky legislature sent seven pro-life bills to Democrat Governor Andy Beshear this month. He vetoed six of them, but allowed one – a bill to protect infants born alive during abortions – to become law. This pro-life victory was a very welcome surprise to Kentuckians and all pro-life advocates.

In South Carolina, the Senate passed – and the House is expected to soon follow suit – a “heartbeat bill” to prohibit abortion after a fetal heartbeat is detected, at about six weeks gestation. If and when the bill becomes law, South Carolina will become the eleventh state with this pro-life protection.

Family Policy Alliance® is proud to be part of a national coalition to promote model state legislation to codify FDA safety regulations on the chemical abortion industry. Unfortunately, these important safeguards are now at risk of repeal by the Biden Administration. With chemical abortions on the rise – now comprising more than 40% of all U.S. abortions – and abortion-inducing drugs being four times more dangerous to women than surgical abortions, it is vital that states act quickly. Currently, four states – Arizona, Montana, Oklahoma and Texas – have introduced our coalition’s model legislation to help protect women and save innocent lives.

There are dozens of other pro-life bills moving in state legislatures around the country, as well as in the U.S. Congress.

At the federal level, bills include the Born Alive Infant Protection Act authored by Sen. Ben Sasse (R-Neb.) to protect babies born alive during abortions, the Pain Capable Unborn Child Act introduced by Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) to ban abortions after 20 weeks, the Second Chance at Life Act introduced by Rep. Doug Lamborn (R-Colo.) to require abortion businesses provide information on the risks of – and reversibility of – chemical abortions, and the SAVE Moms and Babies Act authored by Rep. Bob Latta (R-Ohio) to safeguard FDA regulations on chemical abortion and prohibit dispensing abortion-inducing drugs remotely.

Pro-life members of Congress are also going on the defensive. Statesmen Academy alumnus Rep. Jim Banks (R-Ind.) sent a letter signed by 200 representatives to House leadership last week pledging “to vote against any government funding bill that eliminates or weakens the Hyde Amendment or other current-law, pro-life appropriations provisions.” Even as Democrat leadership in Congress and the White House intend to reverse Hyde, this letter could have real consequences as a majority vote in Congress requires just 218 votes.

The members’ pledge also aligns with the current public opinion in America. The Knights of Columbus released a report last week that shows 58% of Americans oppose taxpayer funding of domestic abortions and even more (77%) are against paying for international abortions. At the same time, Students for Life of America published findings that more than 7 out of 10 Millennials and Gen Z support limits on abortion and nearly half support banning abortion after a fetal heartbeat is detected.

As action in state legislatures, bills introduced by pro-life members of Congress, and public opinion bear out, the pro-life movement in America is alive and well! There is reason for encouragement even as we acknowledge the pro-abortion forces now at work in our nation. As we journey with you through the political and cultural realities of our time, Family Policy Alliance will keep you informed and equipped to make a difference in the fight for life, decency, faith, and truth. Stay tuned to our email updates and engage with us on Facebook and Twitter as we advocate for our shared values and seek to honor God in public policy and discourse.

For Life,

Autumn Leva
Vice President for Strategy

Last week hundreds of you urged your Senators to Vote No on Senate Bill 10, where Family Policy Alliance had the opportunity to provide testimony.

Tomorrow at 1:30 p.m. the
House Judiciary will have its
second hearing on

House Bill 7
The hearing  will be held virtually over zoom and live-cast on the New Mexico legislature’s website.Click on the zoom link at 1:30, January 29.

Then click on “Leave Public Comment” in the upper left hand corner of the page to enter the meeting.

We need your help!

Please click here to send a message to members of this committee and urge them to vote no on House Bill 7, the radical abortion up to birth bill! This bill is being is being rammed through, so act now!

House Bill 7 would repeal New Mexico state law (§ 30-5-1 to § 30-5-3), having the effect of:

  1. codifying abortion-up-to-birth in our state;
  2. removing conscience protections for medical providers; and
  3. putting women’s health at risk by lowering the medical standards of care for women seeking an abortion.

Two of these are easy to understand why we are opposed. But we often get asked:

Why do we need state law conscience protections if federal law already protects doctors’ rights of conscience?

Federal conscience protections are not enough to protect doctors and health care providers if they respectfully decline to participate in an abortion. Currently, NM law (§ 30-5-2) prohibits health care providers from being punished if they are persecuted for their religious beliefs and allows them to take court action to protect their right to freedom of conscience and belief.

  1. State law (§ 30-5-2) protects every medical health care provider (hospitals, doctors, nurses, and other employees) from being punished for exercising their rights to conscience and belief. Federal law only offers some protection for some hospitals (those that receive federal funding) and some healthcare providers (those participating in a federally funded program).
  2. State law (§ 30-5-2) protects all hospitals and all health care providers and their employees from being sued for declining to perform an abortion. Federal law does not.
  3. State law (§ 30-5-2) prohibits a doctor or nurse from being disciplined or fired for declining to participate in an abortion. Federal law does not. (Federal law may fine a health care provider for violating the law, but it does not protect a doctor’s job.)
  4. State law (§ 30-5-2) allows doctors and health care providers to sue if their religious beliefs and rights to conscience are violated. Federal law does not.

Please send a message to your Representatives now and tell them our doctors deserve better. New Mexicans deserve better. Urge them to Vote No on House Bill 7.

The Family Policy Alliance of New Mexico Team

New Action Alert: Radical Abortion Bills Head to the Floor

Senate Bill 10 – Senate Bill 10, the radical abortion bill, received its hearing in the Senate Health & Public Affairs Committee (which was held virtually over Zoom and live-cast on the New Mexico legislature’s website).  Family Policy Alliance of New Mexico® gave legislative testimony, and hundreds of you responded to our action alert, urging senators on the committee to vote no on Senate Bill 10. This radical abortion bill would remove state conscience protections for doctors and health care providers and get rid of essential protections for women seeking an abortion.

Unfortunately, SB 10 has been passed out of committee by a 5-3 vote, and it will be voted on in the full Senate next week – likely on Thursday.

House Bill 7 – This week, House Bill 7 (the identical abortion bill moving through the House of Representatives) was passed by the House Health and Human Services Committee in an 8-4 vote and will be heard on the House floor next week. Much like SB 10, proponents of HB 7 claim they’re removing archaic laws from the books. HB 7 removes perfectly sound laws that protect the conscience rights of doctors and laws that currently require excellent medical standards of care to protect women seeking abortions. Without these laws, doctors could be forced to perform abortions against their will, unlicensed doctors could practice abortions with no additional penalties and consent of a woman to get an abortion would no longer be required.

Take Action! We have a new action alert on our Action Center. You can quickly and easily send a message to both your state senator and state representative, asking them to oppose these radical bills. Even if you’ve already taken action on earlier alerts that targeted the committee, it’s very important that you send this message that will now go to your own senator and representative.

Thank you for speaking up and spreading the word!

House Bill 47 – Anti-Life Legislation that Would Legalize Assisted Suicide in New Mexico

House Bill 47 was passed out of the Health and Human Services Committee last Friday. This radical, anti-life legislation would let medical professionals provide lethal drugs to those with a terminal illness. This legislation does not contain adequate conscience protections for healthcare professionals and lacks safeguards to protect vulnerable patients from abuse and coercion.

We will let you know more about the next steps on this bill as we expect it to be taken up by the House of Representatives in the coming days.

House Bill 160 – Pro-Life Legislation Holding Abortion Clinics Accountable

House Bill 160 is sponsored by Rep. James Strickler (San Juan), Rep. Luis Terrazas (Doña Ana, Grant & Sierra), and two of our Statesmen: Rep. Rebecca Dow (Grant, Hidalgo & Sierra) and Rep. Rod Montoya (San Juan). This legislation would require the Department of Health to establish more stringent safety protocols at abortion clinics. It is currently in the House Health & Human Services Committee awaiting a hearing.

Over the past several sessions, we’ve been able to be a part of a large alliance of pro-family, pro-life groups who have seen miraculous victories in stopping radical bills, but only through your support. Your gift to Family Policy Alliance of New Mexico will help us continue to carry out our mission of representing your values at the Roundhouse.

Thank you for considering us as we serve the people of this great state.

The Family Policy Alliance of New Mexico Team

 

New Mexico’s 55th legislative session will be novel in some ways and familiar in others. The legislature has limited in-person public testimony at the Capitol due to ongoing health concerns, planning to conduct hearings via video conferencing. Though, many of our legislative priorities will be very familiar.

Assisted Suicide
Once again, physician-assisted suicide is on the table, filed as HB 47—The Elizabeth Whitfield End-of-Life-Options Act. It is currently in the House Committee on Health, & Human Services and is expected to have a hearing soon.

HB 47 would legalize assisted suicide in New Mexico by allowing patients to obtain lethal drugs from medical professionals who do not even have to be doctors – this is essentially Non-Physician assisted suicide. This legislation would also enable the same non-physicians to determine the mental capacity of patients requesting lethal drugs. It would take the extra step of forcing doctors and medical professionals to violate their conscience by mandating that they refer patients for assisted suicide when requested, regardless of the patient’s mental or medical condition.

HB 47 lacks many safeguards found in other states that protect patients from dangerous abuse and coercion from predatory family members and profit-driven insurance companies, putting the disabled and the elderly at particular risk.

Abortion
Although it has not yet been introduced, we expect another substantial effort to repeal abortion statute protections for women and doctors. Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham has reiterated her commitment to supporting legislative efforts to remove all abortion-related laws from New Mexico statutes, including those that provide doctors’ conscience protections and require a woman’s consent before having an abortion.

Marijuana
Lawmakers will likely introduce legislation to legalize recreational marijuana, again with support from the Governor’s office (a proposal 63% of New Mexicans opposed just a year ago). Supporters claim legalization will bring in tax revenue but dismiss the heavy cost legalization would have on our communities, particularly our children and communities of color, not to mention the health and safety risks that have become realities in other states which have legalized recreational marijuana.

Despite these radical efforts, we are proud we have strong allies in our state capitol we can stand alongside and support—Elected officials who are committed to representing your values.

Please join us in supporting these legislators by praying that God may bless their efforts and ensure our voices are heard.

With your support we will remain vigilant in standing for life, family and religious freedom and keep you updated on the movement of legislation and how you can get involved.

Sincerely,

Stephanie Curry
Policy Manager

 

This past Tuesday, Governor Murphy gave his State of the State address. Once again, he referenced his strong commitment to passing the most unsafe and radical abortion bill ever proposed in our state – or possibly anywhere.

“After years of willful neglect, we are funding women’s health care and family-planning services [Planned Parenthood] — and, no matter what happens in Washington, we are working to protect a woman’s full reproductive rights as a matter of state law [New Jersey License to Kill Act].”
– Governor Phil Murphy, State of the State address, Jan 12, 2021, brackets added for clarity.

The New Jersey License to Kill Act (so-called Reproductive Freedom Act) rejects the pro-life beliefs of voters, to instead satisfy and subsidize the Big Abortion Industry. Did you know that this bill would codify into law that certified midwives and nurses can perform suction and surgical abortions? Why? Because the Big Abortion Industry can pay them less money than a licensed physician.  Planned Parenthood and politicians are jeopardizing women’s health by putting profits above people. It’s shameful, unethical, and it must stop!

Yet, Murphy’s administration is so committed to this agenda that he won’t wait for the law to be passed to implement these dangerous ideas! He has instructed the Board of Medical Examiners to change the rules regarding abortion care to allow non-physicians to perform abortions. This bureaucratic department is currently taking comments from the public regarding this rule change.

In response, I am excited to share with you that we have a webpage dedicated to opposing this abortion up-to-birth bill! You can go to www.JerseyVotesNo.com to learn more about this dangerous bill – including its sponsors and how you can contact them. Also on the webpage, you’ll find news stories, videos, and a resource you can share with others.

Additionally, billboards featuring the website are being erected near the offices of key senate sponsors across the state, including one (pictured above) at the entrance to Trenton, only 2 miles from the statehouse.

Wondering how you can speak up? Here are two ways to help:

  1. Text or email JerseyVotesNo.com to your friends today!
  2. Join us in speaking up like lives depend on it! Please join us for:

The New Jersey Rally for Life
(led by New Jersey Right to Life)

Friday, Jan 22 at 11 AM
Statehouse Annex, 145 West State Street, Trenton, NJ

Join thousands of New Jerseyeans speaking up for babies in the womb.
Click here for detailed information.

New Jersey Walk for Life led by Rev. Clenard Childress of Blackgenocide.org will immediately follow the Rally for Life.

I hope to see you Friday, Jan 22 in Trenton!

Shawn Hyland
Director of Advocacy

 

Thank you for registering for last night’s online event to oppose the so-called Reproductive Freedom Act hosted by Senator Mike Testa and the Legislative District 1 team.

If you missed the live webinar or would like to view it again and share it with others, please click here.

For a Pro-Life New Jersey,

Shawn Hyland
Director of Advocacy

The NJ License to Kill Act (so-called Reproductive Freedom Act) is the most radical abortion bill ever proposed in this state. Senator Mike Testa has organized an online rally against this dangerous bill on Thursday, January 7 at 7p.m.

Click here to register to be part of this live event from your home.

As the pro-life movement continues to win the public debate regarding protections for babies in the womb, Governor Murphy, Senators Weinberg, Greenstein, Gopal, Ruiz, Singleton, and Smith have put forth a law that would seal the fate of the unborn for decades to come in our state.

This includes:

Senator Mike Testa will have a panel of guests joining him on Thursday, Jan 7 at 7pm to discuss the dangers of this bill. This is a great opportunity to hear from experts and legislators on why this proposed legislation threatens women’s health, jeopardizes children’s safety, and criminalizes medical health professionals.

I hope you can be part of this online statewide event!


Shawn Hyland
Director of Advocacy