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 We are thrilled that Ben Carson, Marco Rubio, and other presidential candidates will be at the National Right to Life Convention!
Please register to attend! Today is the last day to
reserve your hotel room at the special convention rate.
For the first time in many years, Louisiana Right to Life's main legislative goal ended the session bogged down in the depths of the State Capitol rather than on the governor's desk. The state's fiscal issues took precedent this year, sidetracking our legislation, the Pre-Natal Non-Discrimination Act. We will certainly be back in 2016! Thanks to Rep. Lenar Whitney for her courageous effort for life!
As we look toward statewide elections this fall, we do celebrate the success that was the 2012 - 2015 legislative term. From 2012 - 2015 we passed
at least 14 pieces of pro-life legislation at the State Capitol, including the "Hear the Heartbeat Act" in 2012 and the "Unsafe Abortion Protection Act" in 2014.
Check out our scorecard for more information!
See you at the Convention!
For a Pro-Life Louisiana,
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HONOREES ROSS AND
CAROLYN MCCALIP
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BR Right to Life Benefit Breakfast is June 27
Baton Rouge Right to Life is holding a benefit breakfast Saturday, June 27, from 9-11:30 a.m. at St. Thomas More Catholic Church Parish Activity Center, 11441 Goodwood Blvd.
2015 honorees are Ross and Carolyn McCalip, selected to receive this year's Joan Dowd Lifetime Achievement Award for their decades of service to the protection of unborn children in the community.
Dorinda Bordlee, vice president and senior counsel of the Bioethics Defense Fund, will be the keynote speaker. Also on the program is Dr. Kathy Allen, state director of Louisiana Black Advocates for Life.
Tickets are $30 per person or $200 for a table of eight. Contact Julie for tickets or more information at 225-749-8260.
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Pain-Capable Bill in Senate
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Pain-Capable Bill Introduced in Senate
Louisiana's Republican U.S. Senators David
Vitter and Bill Cassidy are among 45 co-sponsors of the Pain-Capable Unborn Child Protection Act (S. 1553), introduced into the Senate last Thursday by Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) This legislation would prohibit abortions after the 20th week of pregnancy, the point at which an unborn child can feel pain. A similar bill has already passed the U.S. House this year.
The bill will be heard in the Judiciary Committee, of which Vitter is a member.
Louisiana Right to Life Executive Director Benjamin Clapper said the state is well-represented by two pro-life Senators who know the importance of protecting human life. He is pleased this bill has been introduced.
"The United States is poised, through the Pain-Capable Unborn Child Protection Act, to join numerous nations around the world in stopping late abortion," Clapper said. "It is amazing that individuals and groups in our nation would want to stop this common-sense protection of an unborn child who can feel the terrible pain of abortion.
"We are deeply appreciative of both of our Senators' leadership for life, and we look forward to working with Sen. Vitter in the Judiciary Committee to ensure a Senate vote on this important legislation."
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Registration Still Open for JLI
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Teens: You Still Have Time to Register for JLI
There are still spots available for teens who want to attend this summer's Joshua Leadership Institute.
We had some great pro-life Camp Joshua weekends this spring, training high schoolers to be student leaders, and now we're preparing for our fun, intensive and life changing leadership institute next month.
Joshua Leadership Institute will be held June 28-July 2 in Baton Rouge.
Click here to register!
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AP Story on Abortion Statistics
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Abortion Numbers Down
in U.S., Up in Louisiana
The Associated Press recently released an article focusing on the decline in abortion numbers in 48 states since 2010, and it showed Louisiana as one of the two states where abortion numbers have risen.
Benjamin Clapper, LARTL executive director, was mentioned in the story, citing an influx of women from out of state coming to Louisiana for abortions as one reason for the rise.
Clapper issued a statement after the article's release and said the impact of Hurricane Katrina also played a big role in Louisiana's numbers as more people have returned home in recent years.
"Despite the disappointing first impression when looking at the numbers cited by this article, the overall pro-life trend in Louisiana continues," he said. "We are happy that Louisiana has experienced a 12% decrease in abortions since 2004 and a 50% decrease since Louisiana's record high abortion rate in 1982.
To view Clapper's complete statement, including data to back it up, click here.
To read the AP story, click here.
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REDUCED EARLY REGISTRATION CONVENTION EXPIRE SOON, REDUCED HOTEL RATES EXPIRE TODAY!
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National Convention Will Feature Presidential Candidates Forum
4 Candidates Confirmed, Others Expected
The National Right to Life Convention, July 9-11 at the Marriott Hotel in New Orleans, will feature a once-every-four-years event this year: a Presidential Candidates Forum.
This year's forum, Speaking Out and Winning for Life, will be held from 9-11:30 a.m. on July 10, and so far Sen. Marco Rubio, Gov. Rick Perry, Dr. Ben Carson, and Sen. Rick Santorum have confirmed they will attend. Other candidates are also expected.
Together their presence, their ability to articulately present their pro-life convictions, and their ability to fire up grassroots pro-lifers for the 2016 presidential election campaign will make this one of the convention highlights.
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Other events you don't want to miss:
Prayer Breakfast With Duck Dynasty Members
Attend the Prayer Breakfast on Saturday, July 11 to hear from Lisa, Alan, and Miss Kay Robertson from Duck Dynasty! Also, Sen. Vitter will join us, along with the musical talents of Kitty Cleveland!
Festival of Life: A Taste of New Orleans
Register for the convention and on Thursday evening, July 9, you can attend the exciting Festival of Life Reception at no extra cost to you! The reception will be complete with culture, comedy by the Cajun Ambassador Jonathan Perry, inspiration from Gov. Bobby Jindal, music from the Soul Heirs Brass Band, food, and dancing as we toast the pro-life heritage of Louisiana!
Be The Voice: Pro-Life Youth & College Night
Hear from pro-life speaker and abortion survivor Melissa Ohden and enjoy the music of the Greg& Lizzy band. This is being held at the Convention hotel the evening of Friday, July 10, from 6:30-9 p.m. Visit www.BeTheVoiceNight.com for more information. Tickets are only $10 and include pizza!
CLICK HERE TO CHECK OUT THE LIST
OF CONVENTION SPEAKERS
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You Shouldn't Miss Convention Speaker Rachel Campos-Duffy
By Joleigh Little, Teens for Life Director,
Wisconsin Right to Life
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The NRLC Convention always provides us with a huge lineup of excellent speakers who motivate, educate and train the grassroots - that goes without saying.
But this year I'm even more excited than usual. Why, you ask? Well, one guest speaker, in particular, is someone I've dreamed of having with us at the convention for years. She has much to offer the rank and file of the right-to-life movement: brilliant insights, passionate advocacy, a fiery ability to motivate, and a lengthy resume that would impress anyone.
Rachel Campos-Duffy is many things. She is the wife of a man who has his own impressive right-to-life career as a stalwart defender of unborn children and their mothers in the United States Congress. She is the mother of seven absolutely incredible children ranging in age from 1 to 15. She is the author of the book "Stay Home, Stay Happy: 10 Secrets to Loving At-Home Motherhood," as well as numerous articles published all over the place.
She is the national spokesperson for the LIBRE Initiative, which educates and advocates for Hispanics through limited government, entrepreneurship and self- reliance; and from time to time you may even turn on your television and find her guest-hosting on The Today Show or Outnumbered on FOX.
Yep. She's pretty impressive on every level. But you could have figured all of that out just by Googling her name. I am here to assure you that the reality of Rachel is even more fabulous than the impressive biographical profile indicates.
First of all, rarely have I seen a husband/wife team that works together more effectively than Sean and Rachel do. Together they accomplish great things while managing family and career, and while it is a juggling act at times, it is one that they perform with great love. Of course I follow my congressman on social media, and my favorite posts are the ones he puts on Facebook any time Rachel is on television.
I am also a firm believer that you can tell a lot about a person by meeting his or her children. I've had the joy of meeting all of the Duffy children and interacting with them over the years, but I work most closely with Evita, who is the front-runner among the Duffy offspring. We are very blessed to have her on our Wisconsin Teens for Life leadership team, and she has been gracious enough to help us with National Teens for Life events, as well.
As I've spent long car rides, weeks during the summer, and retreats as well as conventions working alongside this young woman, I have constantly marveled that anyone can be that articulate, that poised, that competent and that well-adjusted at such a tender age. The reason is obvious to me as a mom who is striving for all of those qualities in her own children - this young lady has been parented exceptionally well. Beyond that, it is very clear to me that she is being encouraged to make a difference in the world by a mom and dad who understand that children should and do have opinions and can absolutely impact society by sharing them.
In addition to her primary jobs as wife and mother, Rachel is also a passionate advocate. Her belief that every life is precious is obvious as she speaks eloquently on behalf of unborn children, already born children, women and minorities. She doesn't just pay lip service to these values. She lives them.
I have watched her on television along with the rest of the world, but I have also seen her in what she calls her "mom uniform" (yoga pants and a hoodie) with a flurry of little Dufflings circulating about her feet. She is as at home on television discussing political issues as she is in her own kitchen effortlessly juggling a newborn while making smoothies for the rest of her brood. And she has a LOT to say about how we, as a movement, can make a difference for the cause of life.
In short, I can personally attest that Rachel Campos-Duffy is someone that you want to meet, and from whom you can learn great things. Probably the best place to do that is at the convention's Thursday afternoon general session (aptly titled "The so-Called War on Women: Identifying the REAL Victims of the Abortion War").
And I strongly suspect that after listening to her for a few minutes, you will probably feel as I do - that we desperately need more like her in our world and on the front lines of the cause for life.
Rachel is a shining example of what is right in the world among my peers, and by all accounts the next generation will also be in capable hands as her children grow and take their place in the world. I am so privileged to know her, so proud to live in Wisconsin's 7th Congressional District where she and Sean serve, and I cannot WAIT to watch her take the stage at my favorite event of the year - the National Right to Life Convention!
CLICK HERE TO REGISTER!
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