Phil Moran from SCOTUS #2

Phil just called.  He is jazzed!  Mark Rienzi did a brilliant job.  Justices Ginsberg and Breyer tried to give Mark a hard time and seem to be against us.  Justices Roberts, Scalia, Alito, and Kennedy seem to be with us.  Justice Thomas famously says nothing but was involved in the dissent in the Colorado case, so would vote with us.  Justices Kagan and Sotomeyer seem unknown except that Kagan said the law "troubles" her. Phil saw Bob Joyce, Rod and Jean Murphy, and Bridget Fay, who just emailed to say that Scalia kept correcting when they used word "protest" to say "counseling."  Outside the building afterwards sounded like a state fair.  Phil said everyone in the world wanted to talk to Eleanor. Phil says the transcript should be ready about 2:00pm this afternoon at http://www.supremecourt.gov/default.aspx. Click on "Oral Arguments," followed by "Argument Transcript" for McCullen v Coakley with today's date. We'll be hearing more as the day goes on.  You might enjoy this analysis from SCOTUSBLOG which provides some encouragement, http://www.scotusblog.com/2014/01/argument-preview-buffer-zones-and-free-speech/ Our thanks to Phil and Bridget! Anne

Phil Moran from SCOTUS, #1

Phil is the local lawyer on McCullen v. Coakley.  He just called from the Supreme Court.  He says it is very quiet.  At the moment (8:00am) there are a few cameras outside and not that many people inside.  That will change.  Each side has nine tickets.  The rest are first come, first served.  Bob Joyce and law students from BC drove down through the night to be first in line and will join the crowd trying to get in.  The arguments are from 10 - 11.  Then another case will be heard from 11 - 12.  No one is allowed to leave or make a call until 12, so Phil will call us then. Our side is argued by Prof. Mark Rienzi.  Many of you have heard him at MCFL Conventions and know that he is brilliant and also explains things very clearly.  We are in good hands. We'll be back shortly after noon.  Anne

EMERGENCY CALLS NOW!

Linda Thayer, MCFL Vice-President of Educational Affairs, sends this urgent message: "We have just learned that House Bill 3793 will be voted on today. This bill would make the Health Curriculum Framework the standard for all public schools.  The portions of the Framework dealing with sexuality are deeply troubling for parents. They would teach students as young as 14 how to obtain reproductive health services – contraception and abortion – without parental knowledge and may pave the way for eliminating parents' rights. We must flood our State Reps with calls!  They will vote any time after 11:00 AM, today, Jan. 15th. Tell your Representative to vote "no" on House Bill 3793. For more information and for the phone number of your State Rep. visit our website, masscitizensforlife.org.  Or call the State House, 617-722-2000 and ask for your Rep. Your call is vital to protect our children!" This is going to be one of those government tools to undo the good work of parents.  Please call ASAP!  Thanks to Linda and thanks to you!  Anne

Do You Want to do Something Nice for Valentine’s Day?

Valentine's Day is just a month away.  Won't you consider holding a Rose Drive at your church or another venue the weekend before?  The Rose Drive fundraiser is a key component of our yearly budget and it's easy!   We can walk you through the process if you've never done it before. The Rose Drive not only raises much-needed funds, it is also an easy way to witness to the sanctity of all human life from conception to natural death. If you belong to an MCFL Chapter and you already do a Rose Drive at your church for Mother's Day, please consider doing a neighboring church for Valentine's Day with your chapter members. Please contact Janet Callahan at jcallahan@masscitizensforlife.org or 617-242-4199 ext. 230 with any questions or to order the silk roses. Remember: Rose Drives save lives!

Almost 3/4 of Abortions Performed on Women Who Had Sex at Age 16 or Younger.

According to the Washington Enquirer, this Wednesday (the 15th), Cong. Chris Smith and Patrick Fagan of the Marriage and Religion Research Institute (which I think is affiliated with the Family Research Council) will present a new study on who has abortions. – Rather than the one-third of women commonly cited by abortion supporters as having obtained an abortion, the number is actually one-sixth. – Almost three-quarters of abortions are performed on women who had sex at age 16 or younger. – 40 percent of women who begin sexual intercourse very early (ages 12 to 14) have abortions. – There is no great difference by income status in the percentage of women who have abortions. The implications for "sex-ed" programs and the "they are going to do it anyway" mentality are truly earth shaking!  Leaders like the Clintons talk about making abortion rare.  Pro-abs talk about the difficult decision. We have always known it was best for people to wait for marriage, but here is whole new proof that, again, mother knows best. Thanks to the MRRI. Anne

Baruch HaShem (Thank God) and Other Excellent News

The Maimonides School in Brookline posted "Baruch HaShem (Thank God)" last night announcing that Caleb Jacoby, a junior at the school, had been found safe.  I know we all agree 100%!  Wouldn't hurt to keep the family in prayer a while longer. Last night we also received a ton of good news about the MCFL Caucus in DC before the March on the 22nd.   In his column on the Buffer Zone appeal, Jeff Jacoby wrote, "Stifling that freedom near abortion clinics can mean — as 12 women argue, from personal experience, in a compelling friend-of-the-court brief prepared by Carrie Severino of the Judicial Education Project — that individuals in a crisis pregnancy are denied essential information at the moment they may need it most."  This is one of the most powerful briefs in the case.  Carrie Severino has agreed to speak at our Caucus !  She'll bring us up-to-date on the SCOTUS hearings and their implications. Our dear friend, Prof. Hadley Arkes has a lot of other commitments on the 22nd but he let me know that he will definitely be at the Caucus. AND, Mallory Quigley and Billy Valentine from the Susan B. Anthony List will be there.  Mallory is an expert on practices, abuses, etc at abortion "clinics."  Her presentation will be very helpful for us on the Gosnell project. These wonderful speakers join Prof. Dwight Duncan, Prof. Michael New and Attorney Mary Spaulding Balch from the National Right to Life Committee.. I'll be sending you the full program shortly. The 22nd will be very exciting!  Anne

MCFL Assembly for Life - would you please...?

The Assembly this year is going to be awesome!

Fran Fox will tell us about the case he won for us at the Supreme Court, FEC v MCFL.  If we had lost that case, no pro-life groups could distribute information on the positions and voting records of candidates.  Just think how different election results would have been over the years if people voted not knowing about pro-life positions.  This is considered the most important election law case in the last half of the 20th Century.  And, possibly, Citizens United would not have come down if FEC v MCFL hadn't been there.

Phil Moran, one of the lawyers in the Buffer Zone Appeal (McCullen v Coakley) will be at the Supreme Court next Wednesday, the 15th, for the hearings.  We'll be forwarding to you his emails live from the Supreme Court.  After that day we will hear nothing until the case comes down at the end of May or June.  At the Assembly, Phil will be sharing with us the significant things that happen at the hearings, the nuances, and the little things that might mean a lot.

We are delighted to have Jaymie Stuart Wolfe, Emcee Extraordinaire, return to do her thing. The darling girls from The Montrose  Treblemakers will provide the music.

John has designed a great flier, http://masscitizensforlife.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/01/Assembly-Flyer3.pdf

Please print out copies of the flier.  Post or leave them at church, your local library, supermarket, etc.  And have some with you to give your friends.  This is going to be one of those Assemblies that, afterwards, people will really mind having missed.

Thanks so much!

Anne

Jeff Jacoby's Son Missing - Prayers Needed

	We just heard from Red Mass Group that Jeff Jacoby's son, Caleb, who is 16, has been missing since Monday, http://www.redmassgroup.com/showDiary.do?diaryId=17603 Let's pray for Caleb and the Jacoby family. Anne

Jahi McMath is actually dead...

We have all heard about poor Jahi McMath, the 13 year old who has been on life support in a hospital in California.

 http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2014/jan/5/orsi-when-a-life-cant-be-saved/

This article by Rev Michael Orsi, a research fellow in law and religion at Ave Maria School of Law appeared in the Sunday Washington Times.  I think it is very helpful for pro-lifers. 

Anne
----------------

The Washington Times
ORSI: When a 13-year-old's life can't be saved
Heartbreaking as this is, Jahi McMath shouldn't be viewed as a pro-life poster child

By Michael P. Orsi

Sunday, January 5, 2014

Whole brain death is defined as irreversible cessation of all functions of the entire brain, including the brain stem. Six doctors concur that Jahi's condition fits the criteria set forth by a nationally accepted 1968 Harvard Medical School committee that defined legal death to be "whole brain death." The hospital now wishes to disconnect the ventilator. Her parents' object, holding that Jahi shows signs of consciousness and that they are hoping for a miracle. A court order was issued preventing the hospital from removing the ventilator until Jan. 7, allowing the family time to arrange to move their daughter to a facility in New York.

A respirator is all that keeps alive 13-year-old Jahi McMath at Children's Hospital in Oakland, Calif. Jahi suffered heavy bleeding, cardiac arrest and "whole brain death" on Dec. 12 after complications from a tonsillectomy.

In cases involving children, "end-of-life decisions" are always difficult. Many years ago, I would annually speak to the medical staff at Children's Hospital in Philadelphia. I would always encourage them to go the extra mile to save the life of a child. However, this does not mean that we should be foolhardy, hoping against hope.

Ethicists use the terms "proportionate" and "disproportionate" means in determining required lifesaving measures. In the former category, this would mean ordinary medical care, including feeding, hydration and hygiene. In the latter case, it would bar as unnecessary any procedure that is too costly, painful, exotic or repulsive to the patient.

Two high-profile cases can further explain proportionate and disproportionate health care in difficult cases.

Karen Ann Quinlan, a 22-year-old New Jersey woman, suffered cardiac arrest owing to drug and alcohol abuse in 1976. She lapsed into a "persistent vegetative state," which means a state of deep unconsciousness. Her lower brain continued to function. She was immediately put on a ventilator and a feeding tube. After some months, her parents requested that the ventilator be removed, after which she continued to breathe on her own. However, the feeding tube had to remain, since to remove it would have been the equivalent of starving her to death. What followed was proportionate care — feeding, hydration and hygiene. She died of pneumonia in a nursing home nine years later.

The second case is that of Terri Schiavo, a 26-year-old Florida woman, who suffered cardiac arrest in 1990 and was declared to be in a persistent vegetative state. She was put on life-support. Like Quinlan, she continued to breathe on her own once the ventilator was removed. She also remained connected to a feeding tube.

After eight years, her husband petitioned to have the tube removed. A court battle ensued between him and her parents and the state of New Jersey, opposing his decision. Since a spouse is legally recognized as next of kin, his wish prevailed. His contention was that "she would not want life-prolonging measures" had to be taken at face value. Ethically, had she in some way expressed this publicly prior to falling into a persistent vegetative state, the tube could have been removed without the court and ethics battle that ensued. Schiavo lingered on for a few weeks and died from a lack of sustenance, which is deemed to be proportionate care.

The McMath case, however, even goes beyond "disproportionate" means, since Jahi is currently being kept alive artificially with no hope for recovery. Since the brain stem, which controls the involuntary muscle system, is dead, her heart will stop once she is removed from the ventilator. This being the case, the hospital has no further obligation to keep her circulatory system going, since medical intervention is now futile.

To keep a body alive is to deny the natural dying process and to delay the inevitable. This in no way can be construed as a "right-to-life case" since the medical and legal community both accept Jahi's condition as irreversible — not comatose, but dead. Nor can it be put forward that halting care would constitute a violation of her religious freedom. Since religious morality is reasonable, it accepts the proportionate-disproportionate delineation. To hold out for a miracle is to tempt God. It will also lead to expending, unnecessarily, scarce health care dollars, which in itself would be immoral.

With the above considerations in mind, disconnecting Jahi from the ventilator is the best solution to this tragic case.

The Rev. Michael P. Orsi is a research fellow in law and religion at Ave Maria School of Law in Naples, Fla.

Starts Today, Jan 7: Novena for Supreme Court Buffer Zone Hearing

Eric Scheidler, son of Joe Scheidler of the Pro-Life Action League, has requested that we join in a nation-wide Novena leading up to the Buffer Zone hearings next week.  I certainly plan to participate.  Hope you will join me.   Anne Eric says: Next Wednesday, the U.S. Supreme Court will hear oral arguments in an extremely important case on pro-life sidewalk counselors and the "Bubble Zone" laws designed to silence them. I'm calling on my all Christian brothers and sisters to join me in an "Our Father Novena" (a nine-day prayer effort) in the days leading up to the oral arguments. Specifically, I'm asking you to pray the Lord's Prayer for the intentions that the justices will hear the plaintiff's arguments with an open heart and rule in their favor. Please join the "Our Father Novena" January 7-15 for victory in McCullen v. Coakley so that sidewalk counselors will be free to save babies and their mothers from abortion without restriction.

Jeff Jacoby - A Must Read

With the Supreme Court hearing the Buffer Zone arguments next week, the media is full of insinuations that the line painted around abortion clinics is the only thing saving the country from mass mayhem.  Thank goodness there are people like Jeff Jacoby in the media who think and write cogently.  You will enjoy this piece, I'm sure,  http://www.jeffjacoby.com/14244/buffering-out-the-right-to-hear. Anne

We Are Almost There - YOU Can Make the Difference!

It is 8:00am on New Year's Eve Day as I write this.  We have 16 hours to meet our goal of $8,000 in matching funds.  We still need $915.  Please help us to make the goal.  I have been saving this darling video of little Zachary teaching about abortion, and this article, "But doctor, I want to live," to share with you.  T hey remind us of our responsibility to carry out our mission of working to protect all life from conception to natural death. I urge you to consider a year-end gift to Mass. Citizens for Life by tonight! Thank you for your support. Click here to make your gift today, securely online. You may also send a check (marked for matching funds) to: Mass. Citizens for Life The Schrafft Center 529 Main Street, Ste. 1M9 Charlestown, MA 02129 P.S. The babies - and all those on the edges of life - are counting on you. Thanks again, Anne

THANK YOU and a JOYOUS NEW YEAR!

Thank you all!  As of 11:34 New Year's Eve, we had exceeded our goal by $237.00!  I am so excited that I will personally match the extra amount and anything that comes in today and tomorrow (Jan 2), http://masscitizensforlife.org/give/ We have a really amazing pro-life  January coming up: Jan 15, Buffer Zone heard at SCOTUS, Phil Moran will be reporting to you LIVE Jan  20 - 21, dozens of buses from Massachusetts head for the March for Life Jan 22, MCFL Caucus in DC Jan 26, MCFL Assembly for Life at Faneuil Hall NB.  Remember I am matching for the next 36 hours!  http://masscitizensforlife.org/give/ Bless you! Anne

Good News on our Matching Funds Progress!

Thanks to every one of you who have been so generous to our year-end matching funds program!  Because of your generosity, we have only  $2,215 left to raise. I need you to know that there are more than 20,000 of you who receive MCFL emails.  Of those, about 1,100 have donated this year.  I know many others have meant to donate but just not gotten around to it.  Please click on http://masscitizensforlife.org/give/.  Any amount is so helpful!   We work really hard to stretch our donations to cover the most life-saving work possible, but there are some necessary expenses.  For instance, I am a volunteer.  I really enjoy sending you these emails which, I hope, help you to be part of the effort.  I really enjoy having people come up to me all over the state to say how much they get out of the emails. But the service we use to send these emails to you (have you ever tried to send 50 emails, let alone more than 20,000?) costs more than $2,500 a year! We count on you to help continue the work!  Please give as generously as you can. Bless you, Anne PS.  You will notice that you may also pledge, http://masscitizensforlife.org/give/  When people pledge, then we know what resources we will have during the year and can plan things like continuing to send out emails.  Thanks again!  A

We Have $3,100 Left to Match by Year-End!

Dear Friend of Life, Your Mass Citizens for Life needs your help now! We must raise another $3,100 by the end of the year in order to have the funds matched. Please help us make the most of this generous matching offer. Please support Mass Citizens today, http://masscitizensforlife.org/give/ You and I all work to protect life.  We can do it so much more effectively when we work together.  Mass. Citizens makes that possible. Right now you can double your support: Your $10 gift becomes $20, your $50 gift becomes $100, your $100 gift becomes $200, your $1000 gift becomes $2,000 Your donation to Mass. Citizens Charitable Trust is fully tax-deductible, http://masscitizensforlife.org/give/ If you prefer, you may send your check to: Mass. Citizens for Life The Schrafft Center 529 Main St, Suite 1M9 Charlestown, MA 02129 Thank you, Anne PS  Tomorrow is the Feast of the Holy Innocents.  Every year that is my day to recommit to working to protect all life.  I hope you will join me, http://masscitizensforlife.org/give/

On Christmas Carols by G. K. Chesterton

What can I add to Chesterton except best wishes for a wonderful Christmas season to you and your loved ones from the Board of Directors and Staff of Mass. Citizens! It is in the old Christmas carols, the carols which date from the Middle Ages, that we find not only what makes Christmas poetic and soothing and stately, but first and foremost what makes Christmas exciting. The exciting quality of Christmas rests, as do all the other examples I have mentioned, on an ancient and admitted paradox. It rests upon the great paradox that the power and centre of the whole universe may be found in some seemingly small matter that the stars in their courses may move like a moving wheel round the neglected outhouse of an inn. And it is extraordinary to notice how completely this feeling of the paradox of the manger was lost by the brilliant and ingenious theologians, and how completely it was kept in the Christmas carols. They, at least, never forgot that the main business of the story they had to tell was that the absolute once ruled the universe from a cattle stall.

Something We Are NOT Doing and Why

Eleanor McCullen is the main person challenging the Massachusetts Buffer Zone Law.  As you know, the Supreme Court will hear arguments on the case on January 15th and the decision will come down late May or June.  Eleanor is a former MCFL Chapter Chair and winner of one of our Banquet Awards.  She does marvelous work counseling women, mainly outside Planned Parenthood in Boston. I wanted to let you know.  Last week, we received a call at the MCFL office from CBS in DC.  One of their reporters is coming to Boston before the 15th to gather background material.  They wanted me to arrange interviews with Eleanor and me and to have him attend a "demonstration." When I checked with Eleanor, she told me her lawyers have suggested that she not talk to the press before the 15th.  Since MCFL cannot afford to buy much media, I always try to cooperate with any free media - indeed, during the presidential race in 2012, MCFL had more than 100,000,000 hits on Google. This is Eleanor's case, however.  I feel that, if she is not talking to the press until after the 15th, neither should we.  I wanted to let you know why you won't be seeing MCFL quoted.  This upcoming year is going to be very significant for all of us who work to protect life!  Thanks for all you do.  Anne NB: We need to raise $4,250 by the end of the year.  Any help you can give will be doubled.  Please help us be twice as effective.  Thanks, A.

New and News about MCFL Caucus,1/22 in DC

MCFL Caucus before the March for Life Jan 22, 2014 from 9:15 to 11:15 Kennedy Caucus Room, Russell Senate Office Building Good food and great speakers: Prof Michael New (see excellent New article from yesterday in NRO**); Prof. Dwight Duncan; Mary Spaulding Balch, JD, NRLC; probably Prof Hadley Arkes, and Prof Michael Pakaluk.  We are waiting to hear back from some other top speakers. NB:  Many bus captains must have their reservations in by the end of the year.  Check the MCFL website for bus info. --------- **Article by Michael New: Last month, the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) released abortion figures for the year 2010. The data indicates that the national abortion rate continues its 20 year decline. The number of abortions performed declined by 3 percent between 2009 and 2010. This decline is fairly consistent across the country. The number of abortions went down in 36 of the 44 states that reported data to the CDC. Furthermore, there was no strong regional variation in the decline. The decline in southern states was actually slightly less than the national average. The abortion decline was nearly equal in red states and blue states. The mainstream media often fails to cover abortion trends, and whatever coverage they do provide tends to be either misleading or superficial. This year's coverage is no different. The only high-circulation newspaper to cover the 2010 abortion figures was the New York Times. They ran a brief article on November 27 contrasting the 3 percent decline in 2010 with the 5 percent decline in 2009. Unsurprisingly, the Times failed to mention that abortion numbers have fallen 18 out of the past 20 years or that the total number of abortions has declined by approximately 25 percent since 1990. Whenever the media covers abortion trends, they often cite increased contraception use as the reason for the abortion drop. The Associated Press mentioned this in their coverage of the 2010 abortion figures. However, this assertion is not supported by the data. Contraception use began to increase well before abortions started to decline. And the unintended pregnancy rate has actually increased since the mid-1990s. Interestingly, since 1990 there has been a substantial increase in both pro-life public sentiment and state level pro-life laws. However, the mainstream media has scant interest in giving the pro-life movement any credit for declining abortion rates. — Michael J. New is an assistant professor of political science at the University of Michigan – Dearborn and an Associate Scholar at the Charlotte Lozier Institute. Follow him on Twitter @Michael_J_New. MCFL YEAR-END MATCHING FUNDS DRIVE

You Can Help Save Twice as Many Lives!

Generous benefactors for life have offered to double year-end contributions to the MCFL Charitable Trust up to the amount of $8,000!  If we can raise $8,000 between now and the end of the year, we can double it to accomplish twice as much life-saving work.  Times are tough.  We approach the end of 2013 with a shortfall.  We have so many important jobs - continuing and new - that we must have the resources.  http://masscitizensforlife.org/give/ We get so many rave reviews about our emails.  I have to tell you honestly: I was amazed to find that only 5% of you email readers have actually donated to Mass Citizens for Life.   If another 5% of you would support us, we could double your donations! Today, Eva, Pat and I and many of you are at the State House to fight against the latest attempt to legalize doctor-prescribed suicide.  We are there knowing we have your support behind all our efforts.  In order to continue this fight and so many others, we need you to send your gift today to be matched, http://masscitizensforlife.org/give/ Please reply now.   Gratefully, Anne PS.  We know our web presence is increasingly important.  We now have this video to help introduce people to Mass Citizens, http://masscitizensforlife.org/why-should-i-join-mcfl/

Update on DPS hearings

MCFL 2013 Year-End Matching Funds Drive:

When we arrived at the State House, the other side was ushering in their busloads.  The Acting Governor closed the State House early afternoon for snow.  When they read off the people left to testify, we actually had more. The disability community did an amazing job.  Many of them had problems with icy sidewalks but many, many impressive people spoke.  The difference was really noticeable between the group saying "MY life, MY death, MY choice" and people who are overcoming huge challenges and are "big people" As you know the other side lies worse - much - than the pro-abs.  The government not telling them what to do, all the wonderful safeguards, people are dying anyway so it is not suicide but just choice in how to die, Oregontopia.  The new bill is much worse, but they used the same old arguments. At least one national Compassion and Choices person testified.  They had many people from out of state. I just heard from a member of the committee who says they have not decided when to vote. Thanks to each of you who testified in person or writing, who called, and who prayed.  All I can say at the moment is to keep your dialing finger limbered. Anne

Your One-Two Punch to Defeat Doctor-Prescribed Suicide Bill

Dana tells us that Tuesday, 12/17, the day of the hearings on doctor-prescribed suicide, is the feast of St Lazarus.  How appropriate! There are two distinct avenues to keeping this bill from coming out of committee: 1) Anyone can testify or submit testimony.  If you have not already asked Eva to register you on Monday or submitted written testimony, please do that right now, emurphy@masscitizensforlife.org or press "reply" 2) Constituents (only) must call legislators (list below) on Monday to say that H-1998 is dangerous and poor public policy**.  Tell your legislator not to report out H -1998.  When you call, be sure the person taking the message knows you are a constituent and gets your address.  If the aide tries to assure you that your member is opposed to H - 1998, explain that you concern is that it not be voted out of committee. House members: Chair, Jeffrey Sanchez (617-722-2130),  Vice-Chair, Jason Lewis (617-722-2017),  Ruth Balser (617-722-2396),  Christine Canavan (617-722-2575),  Carolyn Dykema (617-722-2210),  Christopher Fallon (617-722-2430),  Denise Garlick (617-722-2070),  James Lyons (617-722-2014),  Keiki Orrall (617-722-2090),  Carl Sciortino (617-722-2013),  Cleon Turner (617-722-2090) Senate members:  Chair, John Keenan (617-722-1494),  Vice-Chair, Marc Pacheco (617-722-1551),  Donald Humason (617-722-1415),  Joan Lovely (617-722-1410),  James Timilty (617-722-1222) ** background information http://masscitizensforlife.org/get-informed/legislation/2013-2014-legislative-agenda/doctor-prescribed-suicide-back-again/ http://masscitizensforlife.org/beginning-end-of-life/euthanasia-and-doctor-prescribed-suicide/

FLASH: Pro-Death Forces Swamping the Statehouse

Anne just called from the Statehouse.  The pro-suicide lobby is busing people to the Public Health Committee hearing on H.1998, the so-called '"aid in dying" bill.  This piece of legislation would legalize Doctor-Prescribed Suicide if it passes and the death lobby is trying to stack the deck to get the bill out of committee.  We need to stop them.

Listed below are the names and phone numbers of the Public Health Committee members.  If you are a constituent please call their office, RIGHT AWAY, and let them know that you do not want H.1998 to get out of committee.

House members: Chair, Jeffrey Sanchez (617-722-2130),  Vice-Chair, Jason Lewis (617-722-2017),  Ruth Balser (617-722-2396),  Christine Canavan (617-722-2575),  Carolyn Dykema (617-722-2210),  Christopher Fallon (617-722-2430),  Denise Garlick (617-722-2070),  James Lyons (617-722-2014),  Keiki Orrall (617-722-2090),  Carl Sciortino (617-722-2013),  Cleon Turner (617-722-2090)

Senate members:  Chair, John Keenan (617-722-1494),  Vice-Chair, Marc Pacheco (617-722-1551),  Donald Humason (617-722-1415),  Joan Lovely (617-722-1410),  James Timilty (617-722-1222)

It is so important that we stop this awful bill now while we have a chance.  We all worked extremely hard to prevent Question 2 from passing last year and we need to protect that victory by keeping Doctor-Prescribed Suicide from making it to a vote in the legislature.  Please, if you are a constituent, call the committee and let them no not to let Doctor-Prescribed Suicide (H.1998) out of committee.  Let the person you talk to know that you are a constituent and give them your information.

Please, call now.

Yours truly,
John Triolo
Director of Communications

Hearing on H - 1998, Doctor-Prescribed Suicide. Good News and, Potentially, Very Bad News...

The hearings of the Health Care Committee on H-1998, Doctor-Prescribed Suicide are Tuesday, Dec 17th from 10am to 1pm in Room A-1 at the State House.  This Committee functions differently from the one with which we usually deal.  You can actually get in, present your testimony, and be through in a timely fashion (see below). Also, Pro-Life Senator Hedlund has left the Committee.  He is replaced by Pro-Life, newly-elected Senator Humason, so that is good news. The bad news is that the Committee is seriously considering letting H - 1998 go to the floor even though not all the members favor the bill.  That means we have to work twice as hard!!! You need to know that H - 1998 is much worse than Question 2.  There is no waiting period.  If a doctor or facility will not write a prescription, they must find another doctor or facility to write the prescription. These people lost the ballot question but will never go away. Please 1)  Read http://masscitizensforlife.org/get-informed/legislation/2013-2014-legislative-agenda/doctor-prescribed-suicide-back-again/ http://masscitizensforlife.org/beginning-end-of-life/euthanasia-and-doctor-prescribed-suicide/ 2)  Plan to testify on the 17th or to submit written testimony.  Stress that this is dangerous and poor public policy.  Pick one or two of the things that strike you as really dangerous and write your testimony around them If you are able to testify, Eva can register you the day before.  You can be on a panel, and present your testimony with no hassle.  Email Eva Murphy at emurphy@masscitizensforlife.org by Monday, the 16th to have her register you.  If you are not able to testify in person, please submit your testimony, before Tuesday, to jeffrey.sanchez@mahouse.gov and john.keenan@masenate.gov.  If you prefer, you may send it to Eva and she can submit it for you. I know next week is the week before Christmas - just the time for the death lobby to get H - 1998 out of Committee.  We cannot let that happen! Anne

A Pro-Life Congressman from MA? Vote on Dec 10th!

The following message is from John Rowe, PAC Chair: "The election to replace Ed Markey in the 5th Congressional District is next Tuesday, Dec. 10th.  Frank Addivinola (R) is a 100% pro-lifer with potential to be a pro-life leader in Congress.  You can help to elect Frank whether or not you live in the district! Of course, if you live in the district, you must vote for Frank and get everyone you know to vote for him. If you do not live in the district, please check the towns listed below.  Contact at least one person you know in the district and get them to vote. The 5th has a high percentage of pro-lifers.  Wouldn't it be wonderful to be represented by someone who is committed to life! VOTE FRANK ADDIVINOLA, DEC 10TH" 5th District Malden, Melrose, Medford, Arlington, Ashland, Belmont Cambridge, Ward 3, precinct 2A W4, p2,3 W6,7,8,9, W10 p1,2 Framingham, Holliston, Lexington, Lincoln, Natick, Sherborn, Stoneham Southborough, Sudbury p 1a, 2,3,4 Waltham, Watertown, Wayland, Winchester, Woburn, Revere, Winthrop

Hearings on H - 1998, Doctor-Prescribed Suicide

The hearings of the Health Care Committee on H-1998, Doctor-Prescribed Suicide are definitely on for Tuesday, Dec 17th from 10am to 1pm in Room A-1 at the State House.  If there are a lot of people, they may extend the time. There are 18 committee members.  Three of them are definitely with us and another is a possibility.  The rest take pro-abortion positions but are unknown on DPS.  This is a finger-in-the-dike operation.  The dike will not break this week, but... This session the bill did not get out of committee in Maine and Connecticut.  In NJ it is out of committee but will not be voted on. Vermont passed DPS in May.  It is a complete mess up there with the hospitals all opted out.  Almost every doctor practices at a hospital and is paid by the hospital, no pharmacists will participate.  So far, no one has used DPS and our people are hoping to repeal.  The situation is so bad that the lobbyist working on our side in Vermont has asked to address the MA committee on the 17th. You need to know that H - 1998 is much worse than Question 2.  There is now no waiting period.  If a doctor or facility will not write a prescription, they must find another doctor or facility to write the prescription.  These people lost the ballot question but will never go away. What can you do? Please 1)  Read http://masscitizensforlife.org/get-informed/legislation/2013-2014-legislative-agenda/doctor-prescribed-suicide-back-again/ http://masscitizensforlife.org/beginning-end-of-life/euthanasia-and-doctor-prescribed-suicide/ 2)  Plan to testify on the 17th or to submit written testimony. Stress that this is dangerous and poor public policy.  Pick one or two of the things that strike you as really dangerous and write your testimony around them If you cannot get to the State House by 10am, we can sign you in.  Just reply to this email telling us to sign you in. Advent is a wonderful season.  I hate to break in on it, but what better way to prepare for the Christ Child than to work to protect His vulnerable brothers and sisters. Thank you, Anne