House Health Committee Investigates Down Syndrome, Abortion Industry "There has never been a greater time to be born with Down syndrome and yet, there has never been a time with greater threat to being born with Down syndrome." That was Jessica Capitani, a stay-at-home mom to a 15-year-old with Down syndrome in her testimony to the PA House Health Committee at this Thursday’s third hearing on abortion-related topics. This hearing focused on Down syndrome, in particular due to legislation being proposed called the Down Syndrome Protection Act, which would help stop the targeting of people with Down syndrome in the womb. With noninvasive prenatal testing, the majority of babies who receive a prenatal diagnosis of Down syndrome are aborted, making it a practical death sentence for thousands of unborn babies each year. Too often doctors pressure women into an abortion upon a diagnosis. Mothers are usually given the worst-case scenario - focusing on all the things her baby won’t be able to do. However, this ignores the reality and stories lived by countless families blessed with children who have Down syndrome. Many women have spoken out about the intense pressure they felt - from hospital staff - to abort. Jessica Capitani and Kurt Kondrich, both proud parents of teen-age children with Down syndrome and now advocates for those with special needs testified at the hearing, shared their experiences. They each highlighted the way that unborn children with Down syndrome are often discriminated against and that the pressure to abort them simply due to a disability is nothing other than pure eugenics. Another highlight came from disability rights champion Dr. Karen Gaffney. Not only does she operate her own non-profit foundation but she also currently works at a law firm and travels the world speaking up for those that have Down syndrome like herself. On top of this, she is also an accomplished swimmer who has swam the English channel (among other open-water swims). Dr. Gaffney is a tireless advocate for those with disabilities. This week she testified that a life with Down syndrome is emphatically a life worth living. This was also the much-needed message at our past rally in support of the Down Syndrome Protection Act in previous years (Gov. Wolf vetoed this common-sense bill last session.) In Pennsylvania, children can still be (and are) targeted and aborted simply because they have a prenatal diagnosis of Down syndrome. You can take action here and tell your State Senator and State Representative to support the Down Syndrome Protection Act to ensure that we put an end to this eugenic practice in our great Commonwealth. Abortion Industry vs. Pro-life Alternatives. On Wednesday, April 21, the PA House Health Committee questioned testifiers from the abortion industry about their practices, as well as explored the work of pro-life pregnancy care centers, which seek to empower women to choose life and provide support after birth. Your team at Pennsylvania Family Institute was there - in the room - to witness it first-hand. Melissa Reed, President and CEO of Planned Parenthood Keystone (one of three Planned Parenthood affiliates in Pennsylvania) was questioned by the committee. Planned Parenthood is the state’s largest abortion business, performing half of all the state’s abortions. They oppose any sensible improvements to our pro-life laws, have failed numerous health inspections and receive millions in taxdollars every year. Not only did Reed attack pro-life champion State Rep. Kathy Rapp during the hearing, but in questioning, Reed dodged around a direct answer when questioned if Planned Parenthood always reports potential sexual abuse when a girl, aged 12-15, comes in for an abortion (which is legally required by mandated reporters). According to recent PA Health Department safety inspection reports, Planned Parenthood has been caught not reporting these incidents to the proper authorities. Reed also confirmed that Planned Parenthood has been offering women telemedicine abortions - offering pills to cause abortions on their own at home - which violate longstanding FDA healthy and safety regulations, months before the Biden administration temporarily lifted this rule this week. In contrast to this cold pro-abortion testimony, Amy Scheuring of Pittsburgh-based Women’s Choice Network pregnancy care centers, offered a voice of compassion and hope for women considering an abortion. She has served women there for more than 35 years and told the committee that there are more than 200 pregnancy care centers across our Commonwealth, which exist to empower women with the education, care, and resources they need to choose life. She testified: “Pregnancy centers offer transformational care to women...We might see her and her partner 40-50 times for the next two years...The abortion industry is transactional. We try to be transformational." It was eye-opening to witness how hostile several of the committee members (all happen to be Democrats) in their questioning of Amy. Why? It’s because she and the work of the pregnancy care centers around the state are (1) effective in reaching young women and (2) perceived as a threat to the abortion industry. These hearings were the second and third in a series of abortion-related hearings held by the committee chaired by pro-life champion Rep. Kathy Rapp (R-Warren). Read our recap on the first one here, specifically relating to fetal development. We will continue to be your eyes and ears at the Capitol. Stay tuned for more pro-life hearings in the near future. |
