U.S. Senate Considers Abortion Extremism, Senator Tina Smith Praises Planned Parenthood

On Monday of this week, the U.S. Senate voted on the most radical abortion bill in history. The “Women’s Health Protection Act” would have established a “right” to abortion in federal law and removed state-level protections for the unborn, allowing abortion up until birth in all 50 states. The bill would also have prevented the government from holding abortion facilities to certain medical standards and would have removed limits on mail-order abortions. In a vote that fell almost entirely along party lines, it did not receive the 60 votes it needed to pass. Both of Minnesota’s Senators, Amy Klobuchar and Tina Smith, voting in favor of abortion extremism.

Former Planned Parenthood executive Tina Smith used the vote as an opportunity to praise Planned Parenthood and push the abortion lobby’s agenda. As she insisted on how “necessary” the so-called “right” to abortion is, she repeatedly referred to the victims of abortions as babies. As a former Planned Parenthood executive, she understands exactly what abortion does — it violently ends the life of a preborn baby.

In her remarks, Senator Smith openly acknowledged that Roe is on its way out. “It is 2022, and that moment is here,” she said. “The Supreme Court seems poised to overturn Roe. If this happens, half the states in the country will ban abortion entirely.”

What a victory that would be for the unborn! As Smith recognized in her remarks, this is the result of decades of work from the pro-life movement. Let’s continue to fight for the rights of the unborn until abortion is illegal and unthinkable!

Counseling Ban Considered by Minnesota House Panel

On Wednesday, the House Preventive Health Policy Division held a hearing on HF 2156. This so-called “conversion therapy ban” would threaten First Amendment rights and would infringe on the client-counselor relationship by limiting what licensed therapists and counselors can say to clients who are struggling with unwanted same-sex attraction or gender dysphoria. One testifier shared how she struggled with gender dysphoria for 34 years and that this bill would have prevented her from getting help. “The most loving thing you can do is allow people that right,” she said.

The House panel voted along party lines in favor of the bill, and it was re-referred to the Health and Finance Policy Committee. At this moment, no hearings are scheduled for the companion bill in the Senate. We will continue to keep you updated on this legislation throughout the session! Click here to read testimony from True North Legal and here to read testimony from Minnesota Family Council!

"Equal Rights Amendment" Would Hurt Women

This week a House committee considered a group of bills known as the “Equal Rights Amendment.” Far from upholding rights as the name suggests, these bills would discriminate against women. In a statement to the State Government Finance and Elections Committee, Minnesota Family Council’s Rebecca Delahunt wrote, “The bills’ discrimination of women is one among many concerns regarding the ERA. These bills seek to create a gender-neutral culture and erase women from participation in society.” Earlier in the session, our Policy Director, Veronica Missling, submitted written testimony on these bills. Click here to read what she had to say!

At Minnesota Family Council, we are committed to keeping you informed about the fight for life, family, and religious freedom! Make sure you get our weekly updates by heading over to mfc.org/subscribe