It’s THE topic of the moment.

Last week, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis spoke out about protecting young people who are struggling to embrace their God-given sex. He said: “The way to deal with that is to provide whatever counseling is needed – not to hack off their body parts… That is mutilation, and it is wrong.” Already under DeSantis, Florida’s medical board has updated its standards of care to protect children from these interventions.

Just hours later, former President Donald Trump chimed in with a list of executive actions he would take to protect children from the same dangerous procedures.

And last night President Biden got in on the action during his State of the Union address – albeit from the opposite perspective – when he called on Congress to pass the dangerous Equality Act for the sake of “LGBTQ Americans, especially transgender young people.”

What’s going on?

Americans are waking up en masse to the reality that the Left is teaching children – some of them extremely young – to consider “transitioning” to living as the opposite sex. Once this idea has been firmly planted in their minds, children are experimentally pushed onto a series of puberty blockers, cross-sex hormones, and eventually irreversible surgeries. The long-term result? A lifetime of heartache and physical hardship.

This politicized protocol is nothing short of a medical scandal. When a child is deeply struggling to embrace their God-given body, they need meaningful help and support – not the harm of experimental drugs and surgeries.

Here at Family Policy Alliance, we’ve long been working to protect children from these dangerous interventions, using legislation we call Help Not Harm.

My prediction? 2023 is the year of Help Not Harm.

It’s been a long time coming. We first started working on this legislation back in 2017. In 2021, Arkansas became the first state to adopt a version of it as law. That effort was led by an alumna of Family Policy Foundation’s Statesmen Academy, and heavily supported by our state ally, Arkansas Family Council.

Flash forward to today and lawmakers in at least ten states have introduced Help Not Harm bills – and we expect more to follow.

Here at Family Policy Alliance, we are busier than ever in the thick of this fight.

And we couldn’t do our work alone. Your partnership makes it possible for us to offer expert testimony at legislative hearings, host the nationwide alliance of policymakers working on this issue, alert you to opportunities to raise your voice, and so much more.

Would you consider a one-time or recurring donation to Family Policy Alliance? When you partner with us, you’re contributing to work that protects children from a lifetime of pain both physical and emotional – and you’re making a difference on one of the most pressing human rights issues of our day.

Together, we can make 2023 the year of protecting children. Will you join us in that fight?

Sincerely,

Meridian Baldacci
Director, Strategy

 

 

Dear Friends,

This afternoon, I had the privilege of attending an event with Vice President Mike Pence called Life Is Winning to celebrate all the accomplishments in the pro-life movement over the past four years.

And I assure you—none of these incredible accomplishments would have happened without you. Through your biblical citizenship, you have faithfully voted for pro-life leaders, advocated for pro-life laws through our Action Center, and supported mothers and babies in your own communities.

By God’s grace, and because of you, the list of accomplishments Vice President Pence and other leaders in the Trump Administration were able to share was a long one. Here are just a few examples:

These are amazing accomplishments, and I am rejoicing with you! But, most importantly, Vice President Pence reminded us today of why we work so hard together to advance the dignity and worth of every human life in culture, law, policy, and elections:

He who said before I formed you in the womb, I knew you. This is about life. We do well in this movement to always remind ourselves that when we make the cause for life our cause, we make His work on this earth our very own. So do not grow weary in doing well because in the last four years we’ve shown when men and women of faith and conviction come together to stand up for the unborn and to speak out for the voiceless, life can win in America, and with your help and God’s help life will keep on winning in the United States of America.

Indeed. We are in the pro-life movement not for political wins for their own sake—but because the value of every human life made in the image of God is at stake.

President Trump’s press secretary, Kayleigh McEnany, also joined us at the event. She shared how the cause for life has become even more near and dear to her heart as a new mom this year. It was a powerful moment when she said:  “This is not about a woman’s right to choose. It is about a human being’s right to live.” We are image-bearers of the living God, and that must mean something in America’s law and culture.

At the end of the event, Tom McClusky, the Vice President of Government Affairs for our friends at March for Life, presented a letter to Vice President Pence thanking him and President Trump for all their work advancing the right to life over the past four years. The letter was signed by over 70 organizations, including Family Policy Alliance.

I hope you’ll join us in “not growing weary in doing good,” because we have much work to do advancing the cause of life in 2021!

I will end this letter to you with the encouraging words Vice President Pence shared with me today:  “We will see the sanctity of life restored to the center of American law in our time.”

For all created in His image,

Craig DeRoche
President and CEO

 

 

 

It has been a couple of weeks since Election Day and though the Wyoming races have been declared, several federal races remain in question.

So, what are we still waiting for?

  1. Votes “Trump” projections. Although the media has projected former Vice President Joe Biden to be the winner of the 2020 election, President Donald Trump has not yet conceded, citing voting irregularities in several swing states. Recounts and legal challenges are likely and the federal deadline for resolving election disputes is not until December 8 – the point at which all recounts and/or court contests must be completed.
  2. “Georgia on my mind.” Aside from the outcome of the presidential election, eyes are now shifting to Georgia, where two runoff elections will likely determine the balance of power in the U.S. Senate. As of this email, Republicans appear poised to hold 50 seats to the Democrats 48. If one or both of the Georgia Republican incumbents – Senator David Perdue or Senator Kelly Loeffler – win the January runoff, Republicans will maintain their slim majority in the U.S. Senate. If they both lose, the U.S. Senate will be split 50-50, in which the Vice President would cast the tie breaking votes.

While we await the answers to these and other questions, I invite you to pray with me this week for the integrity of our election and the future of our state and nation. Every legal vote should be counted, and every illegal vote should be rejected. And whether the ultimate outcome is what we worked and prayed for, or not, I assure you that Family Policy Alliance of Wyoming will continue our fight to protect the unborn, strengthen the family, and preserve our First Amendment rights.

We cannot however do this alone, and your continued support will be critical as we prepare for 2021. So, as you consider you charitable year-end giving, I would respectfully ask you to keep us in mind. We have a goal of raising $50,000 by year-end to support our upcoming work during the Legislative Session in January. To help us reach that goal, would you consider sending a tax-deductible gift of $50, $100, or $250 today by clicking here?

Thank you in advance for your support, and as I mentioned last week –though the election is coming to an end, we are just getting started!

Blessings,

Nathan Winter
Executive Director

Today on Capitol Hill, the Supreme Court confirmation hearing for Judge Amy Coney Barrett got underway. The big takeaway is that Democrat committee members are turning this nomination into a referendum on President Trump.

As a result of Amy Coney Barrett’s nomination, voters across America are now considering judicial philosophy, “court packing,” and the balance of the Supreme Court as they head to the polls and complete mail-in ballots for the presidential election.  On that topic and several others, Family Policy Alliance has a new resource to assist voters: FPA’s 2020 Presidential Voter Guide. 

In addition to outlining President Trump’s and Joe Biden’s positions on appointing Supreme Court justices, the voter guide explains – in simple terms – what the two candidates believe about taxpayer funding of abortion, late-term abortions, protecting religious freedom, preserving girls’ sports, and parental choice in education.  Each subject area clearly spells out the candidates’ record on the issue at hand and provides references for statements made.

Please review the guide.  But don’t stop there!  It is equally – if not more – important to share the guide with your friends, family members, church congregation and neighbors:

We believe that when voters see the clear and factual information contained in this voter guide, they will be inspired to vote and emboldened to share their decision with others.  Please pray with us for the outcome, and please share the voter guide!

For truth,

Amanda Banks
Director, External Relations

 

 

 

Advancing public policy to protect children and strengthen families is among our top priorities at Family Policy Alliance.® In today’s culture, one of the most pervasive forms of harm to children and families is pornography – which is why we are focused on curbing the pornography industry.

Unfortunately, 2020 has created a “perfect storm” for the proliferation of pornography in America. During the COVID-19 pandemic when Americans were quarantined at home, many lost their jobs or had to work less and school children were required to learn online, pornography viewing and distribution increased at an alarming rate…taking children and families as victims.

That is why throughout this year, we’ve asked you to take action against the burgeoning pornography industry.  Specifically, we asked you to sign a petition to Attorney General William Barr calling on the Department of Justice to enforce federal obscenity laws that have been largely ignored for far too long.  Despite a first-of-its-kind pledge made by then-candidate Donald Trump in 2016 to aggressively enforce these laws, the Department of Justice has so far failed to make obscenity prosecution a national priority.

Over the course of many months, more than 17,500 of you have made your voices heard and signed the petition to Attorney General Barr. I’m pleased to report that yesterday, we delivered your petition to the Attorney General’s office. 

You may be asking “so what do we do now?”

Well, our work is certainly not done.  Most importantly at this time, we invite you to pray with us that our petition and the calls of thousands of Americans concerned for the welfare of children and families will be heard and heeded at the Department of Justice.  We can pray specifically for Attorney General Barr who leads the 94 U.S. Attorney’s Offices that are responsible for enforcing federal law.  And as we look forward to the 2021 state legislative sessions, we will continue to educate you on public policy to strengthen existing anti-pornography laws and create new laws to curb the growth and negative effects of pornography in our country.  Stay tuned!

For families,

Amanda Banks
Director, External Relations

Congratulations to the new Office of Management and Budget Director Russell Vought!

Mr. Vought’s confirmation is a win for all people of faith, and especially those who supported his nomination and asked their senators to support it.

Thanks to each of you who responded to our call to action last month urging senators to confirm Russ Vought!

The Family Policy Alliance Team

Cancel culture have you down? Whether it’s a cancelled event due to COVID-19 or a “cancelled” public figure, 2020 has certainly been the year of the cancellation. But here’s one thing that hasn’t been cancelled: the fight to protect families and freedom across our nation. In spite of the difficulties of COVID-19, we praise God for some amazing victories for religious freedom and the family.

Today, here are 7 victories people of faith can celebrate during COVID-19:

1. The Trump Administration included non-profit and faith-based entities in COVID relief.

In the thick of the pandemic’s economic fallout, it would have been easy for leaders to forget about – or intentionally ignore – non-profit and faith-based entities in their financial relief response. Thankfully, leaders made sure to include them, with even President Trump himself tweeting out, “The Paycheck Protection Program is up and running! The program is open to nonprofits as well, so banks be sure to sign up our Great Religious and Veteran Organizations that need help!”

2. Family Policy Alliance of New Jersey led a coalition of pastors to get churches on the Governor’s reopening plan.

As states began to reopen after initial closures, many included provisions for houses of worship. But not New Jersey! Family Policy Alliance of New Jersey joined with other local leaders and pastors to persistently ask Governor Murphy to allow churches to reopen. It’s a stunning story – but the good news is that thanks to the work of citizens, the Governor ultimately allowed  churches to open on a limited basis.

3. The Supreme Court handed down three wins for religious freedom in recent decisions.

Espinoza v. Montana Department of Revenue: The Supreme Court affirmed that families in Montana should be free to choose the education that best suits their children—including in faith-based schools, that the old Blaine Amendment used to invalidate the scholarship program is bigoted and discriminatory, and that faith-based schools can’t be disqualified from a school choice program just because they are faith-based. Thanks to our friends at Montana Family Institute for their great work in making this win possible!

Our Lady of Guadalupe v. Morrissey-Berru:  Our Lady of Guadalupe centered around a Catholic school that simply made an employment decision about one of its teachers – and got sued for it. The case asked whether the First Amendment prevents courts from interfering in situations like the one faced by the Catholic school. Ultimately, the Supreme Court took a stand on the side of freedom for religious institutions.

Little Sisters of the Poor vs. Pennsylvania: The Little Sisters of the Poor are a group of nuns who take a vow of chastity and provide care to the elderly poor. When Obamacare regulations would have forced them to pay for contraception (to which they objected on religious grounds), the nuns were faced with a choice to pay a large fine or violate their consciences. They chose the third option: go to court. After an extended series of lawsuits, the Supreme Court’s recent decision hopefully settled the nun’s case for good. And it’s good news: they don’t have to pay for contraception to which they have a religious, or moral, objection!

4. COVID ChurchAid proved a fantastic resource for pastors and churches navigating COVID’s uncharted waters.

Thanks to our friends at Florida Family Action for creating COVID Church Aid, a website filled with COVID-19 resources for church leaders, including resources on the Paycheck Protection Program. It was invaluable as pastors and churches made decisions about finances, reopening, and pastoring during a pandemic.

5. A federal judge recently ruled in favor of churches in New York

When houses of worship were targeted with capacity restrictions in New York, a federal judge disagreed – and prevented the targeting from being enforced. He noted that while New York Governor Cuomo and NYC Mayor de Blasio have both supported protest gatherings, they continued to restrict religious gatherings. We’re glad the judge saw the irony!

6. Family Policy Alliance of Kansas played a key role in three major wins for religious freedom in the state.

In the words of Advocacy Director Brittany Jones, “During height of the impact of COVID-19, Family Policy Alliance of Kansas never stopped working to protect the God-given freedoms of Kansans. We worked with legislative, grassroots, and policy leaders to push back when Governor Kelly targeted churches for unfair treatment. Her actions were eventually strongly rebuked by a federal judge. We were a key part to standing alongside legislators as they worked through an all-night session to correct Governor Kelly’s overreach into schools, businesses and churches and rein in her power as we continue to deal with COVID-19. Further, we worked with legislators and grassroots leaders to defeat multiple Medicaid expansion attempts that did not include important pro-life protections.”

7. In Wyoming, the Governor changed his public health order to allow churches to fully open despite COVID.

For freedom-loving people, this is a big win: churches are fully open in Wyoming! Of course, no one’s being forced to go to church or encouraged to not take important precautions. But we are glad that the state’s governor recognizes the importance of religious freedom, and your support of Family Policy Alliance of Wyoming helped make this possible!

We were encouraged by these wins, and hope that you are, too. Most importantly, we hope that you’re encouraged to keep up the fight. Many of these wins were not easy – for instance, getting the New Jersey Governor to put churches in the reopening plan at all. And we know that we have future battles to fight: The ACLU, Planned Parenthood, and their political allies continue to push their radical abortion and transgender agendas with no regard for people of faith. We’ve seen it even in places like North Dakota, where the legislature has defeated three religious freedom-threatening bills in two legislative sessions!

But when that happens again – as we know it will — we’ll keep fighting so religious freedom never gets cancelled.

Sincerely,

Meridian Baldacci
Policy and Communications Strategist

Earlier this month, a successful entrepreneur with an incredible personal story and a likeable persona announced his intentions to devote his company’s resources to aiding in the current crisis facing our nation…

And, he was hated for it.

The talking heads and the liberal media vilified this patriotic American, Mike Lindell (aka “the My Pillow guy”), because he dared to use his platform to talk about his faith, to thank the Lord for President Trump, and to call for spiritual renewal. Quickly, he became the target of the never-ending supply of venom from the Left.

We see it all the time, though, right?

President Trump himself was quite popular with the media while he was a playboy, entertainer, and mogul. Then, he became a pro-life, pro-freedom candidate and leader. And, now they hate him – despite his stellar leadership of our nation to new heights and then through this horrible crisis.

We see it time and again. Those – even those doing great things from a secular perspective – become hated for standing for Christ.

So, how should we view this?

First, we shouldn’t be surprised. Matthew 10:22 promises that we will be hated for Christ’s sake, knowing that persecution comes from being different than the world. Second, we should live with love, knowing that our persecution isn’t being directed because of something inherent about us – instead it comes because of He who is being shown through us. And third, we should be comforted to know that going out-of-our-way to avoid the hatred will only result in denying what makes us worth hating: Christ.

If even a man providing aid during a time of crisis is hated because he wears his love for Jesus on his sleeve, we should feel emboldened to let our light shine. If you live out your faith, there is nothing you can do to make the world not hate you. So, embrace that fact. Live in love, kindness, and compassion, but let your light shine in the knowledge that the promised persecution is a sign of your faithfulness.

As we enter this election season, we are looking for candidates willing to be hated for the right reasons – willing to be hated for His name’s sake.

Please keep our state and national leaders in your prayers. Our President and Vice President, Representative Cheney and Senators Enzi and Barrasso as well as many of our state leaders are leading us incredibly well despite the venom being thrown their way. Please keep our organization in your prayers as our stand for Life, Religious Freedom and Families will bring forth hostility from those opposed to these core American values. And, please keep great Americans like Mike Lindell in your prayers as these leaders form the backbone of our society while also bringing glory to Him.

Sincerely,

Nathan Winters
Executive Director

Dear Friends:

Earlier this week, President Donald Trump launched a 15-day national effort to slow the spread of the COVID-19. (The details can be found at the bottom of this email.) Locally, Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham and state leaders have also taken steps to curb the spread and assist those directly impacted by the virus.

This is what you need to know:

HEALTH & SENIOR SERVICES

The New Mexico Department of Health is encouraging all New Mexicans to practice social distancing and to stay home, especially if you are sick. If you exhibit the symptoms of COVID-19—such as fever, cough, or shortness of breath—please call your healthcare provider or the COVID-19 hotline immediately at 1-855-600-3453.

Seniors in need of healthcare, meals, or medical transportation should call 1-800-432-2080.

EDUCATION & CHILDCARE

Last week, Governor Lujan Grisham announced that K-12 public schools would close for three weeks to mitigate the spread of COVID-19. Schools and USDA-approved meal sponsors are now employing efforts to continue feeding children. Many school cafeterias will remain open and workers will prepare meals that parents or students can grab and go at specified times. Other districts are arranging delivery by school bus or National Guard to students in remote areas. The newmexico.gov website is being updated in real time. Families can click on the “Information About Education” tab for a list of sites that will provide breakfast and lunch to students between March 16 and April 6.

To help families find child care, the state has established a Child Care Resource and Referral line at 1-800-691-9067. Families can also contact the New Mexico Children, Youth, and Families Department to let them know they need full-time care. In addition, all parents receiving child care assistance will have their copays waived during the public health emergency.

JOBS & THE ECONOMY

This week, the state extended eligibility for unemployment insurance benefits to workers affected by COVID-19. To file a claim, impacted workers can visit jobs.state.nm.us or call 1-877-664-6984.

The state of New Mexico has also adjusted its business loan guarantee programs in order to make capital available to business owners whose operations are severely impacted by COVID-19. Information on the programs is available on the COVID Business Assistance page on the EDD website.

We hope this information helps!

If there is one thing we can be certain of—it is that our God is still on the throne. We all know “this too shall pass” and to that end, we will continue to pray and trust in Him as we anxiously await the brighter days which lie ahead.

At Family Policy Alliance of New Mexico, our vision is a state and nation where religious freedom flourishes, families thrive, and life is cherished. And though we find ourselves in challenging times such as these, we will never waiver in our efforts to turn that vision into reality.

On that note, and on behalf of my family, thank you for your continued prayers and financial support. They mean more to us than words can express.

God bless you,

Vince Torres
President and Executive Director

There are moments in life when you know you are witnessing history unfold.  My first such recollection was 34 years ago today.  I recall vividly when my elementary school principal came over the intercom and told us the Space Shuttle Challenger had exploded just after takeoff.  A few years later, I watched Operation Desert Storm unfold from the T.V. in my living room.  And, of course, none of us will forget watching the twin towers fall on 9-11.

It’s more difficult to recall positive history-making moments of my lifetime, but as of last Friday, there is one such event I am certain never to forget: when President Donald J. Trump addressed the national March for Life rally in Washington, D.C.

On Jan. 24, 2020, President Trump became the first sitting U.S. president ever to deliver a speech at the March for Life.  And to my amazement, I stood beside him.  More specifically, I was one of 19 women asked to stand with the president as he delivered his historic speech to the 47th annual March for Life.

This year’s march honored the 19th Amendment, which gave women the right to vote in 1920.  Many suffragist leaders were pro-life; they did not believe abortion to be beneficial to women.  These women included Susan B. Anthony and Alice Paul, who considered abortion the “ultimate exploitation of women.” It was humbling to remember these courageous female pioneers as I stood there — women who would no doubt smile and cheer at the sight of their sisters standing on that stage.

As I stood feet from the president, overlooking tens of thousands of pro-life men, women and children (estimates are 60,000 to 70,000 attended the rally, and a total of 350,000 joined the march itself), I was overwhelmed.  I couldn’t see the end of the crowd, nor could I imagine the end to what this would mean to pro-life Americans.  To say the president’s speech galvanized the pro-life community would be an understatement.  It electrified us, gave us a shot in the arm unlike any other pro-life address could.

President Trump encouraged us with statements including “Young people are the heart of the March for Life — and it is your generation that is making America a pro-family, pro-life nation,” and made powerful declarations like “Unborn children have never had a stronger defender in the White House.”  I personally appreciated his words to women and mothers: “Today, millions of extraordinary women across America are using the power of their votes to fight for the first right in the Declaration of Independence — the Right to Life,” and “To all of the moms here today: we celebrate you and we declare that mothers are heroes.”

Undergirding his strong rhetoric were many examples of his commitment to pro-life policies.  President Trump recounted his Executive Order to reinstate and expand the Mexico City Policy, his support of the Born Alive Abortion Survivors Protection Act, his commitment to veto anti-life legislation, to protect faith-based adoption agencies and the rights of pro-life college students to speak freely.  One of the loudest applause lines came when he recalled his appointment of 187 federal judges, including two Supreme Court justices.

The president did not simply “give a pro-life speech.”  He delivered one of — if not the — strongest pro-life speeches I’ve ever heard.  Moreover, his speech was God-honoring, including lines like “When we see the image of a baby in the womb, we glimpse the majesty of God’s creation,” and reminding us of Psalm 139, that “each person is wonderfully made.”  Perhaps strongest of all was his concluding remark: “Every human soul is divine, and every human life — born and unborn — is made in the holy image of Almighty God.”

On the slight chance that this article makes it to the president, I would like him to know how profoundly grateful I was, and will always be, to have stood with him as he boldly and unashamedly proclaimed the unalienable right to life and the inherent dignity and value of every human life.  It was an honor I will never forget, and a historic moment for which millions of Americans will forever be thankful.

Standing for life,

Amanda Banks
Director of External Relations