Thursday, November 05, 2009

• Pro-lifers: Amendment to health-care bill 'phony'

  by Tom Strode, posted Thursday, November 05, 2009 (14 years ago)

  WASHINGTON (BP)--The U.S. House of Representatives appears poised to vote on health-care legislation that includes a so-called pro-life compromise opponents of abortion say is bogus.

  "Under the new arrangement, instead of (a Health and Human Services) employee issuing blood money checks for elective abortions, HHS will pay a contractor to issue checks for abortion on demand."

  -- Rep. Chris Smith, R.-N.J.

        The House may vote as early as Saturday on the Affordable Health Care for America Act, H.R. 3962. The bill of about 2,000 pages in length includes a "public health insurance option," managed by the federal government, that would authorize funds for elective abortions and a federal subsidy program for private plans that cover abortion.

        In addition, enrollees in the "public option" would be required to pay for abortion, House Republican Leader John Boehner warns.

        Pro-life Democrats, led by Rep. Bart Stupak of Michigan, have threatened to block the measure unless the House leadership allows a floor vote on an amendment that would bar federal funds from paying for abortions in both the public and private plans. As recently as a week ago there had been indications they had just enough votes to block passage of the measure by defeating what is known as "the rule" that governs consideration of the legislation.

        Rep. Brad Ellsworth, D.-Ind., has stepped in to offer an amendment that reportedly will be included in the bill under the rule by which the Democratic leadership plans to bring the legislation to the floor. That rule, which may be voted on Nov. 6 or 7, is not expected to permit a vote on the pro-life amendment proposed by Stupak and Rep. Joe Pitts, R.-Pa.

  Ellsworth, who has had a nearly perfect pro-life voting record since entering the House in 2007, said he is seeking "to ensure pro-life concerns are addressed" in the bill. House pro-life leaders, as well as anti-abortion organizations, criticized Ellsworth's amendment as a sham, saying it fails to address any pro-life concerns. Read More

• Indonesians responsive to quake relief

  by Staff, posted Thursday, November 05, 2009 (14 years ago)

  

  WEST SUMATRA, Indonesia (BP)--"And so, this is what He is up to on our island ... taking a tragedy and opening up a door for seeds to be planted," a Christian worker in Indonesia wrote following the magnitude 7.6 earthquake on Sept. 30.

  

        The worker, along with a team of 23 national believers and U.S. volunteers, took supplies to a remote village of nearly 3,500 people in Western Sumatra. The team held medical clinics and distributed tents, blankets, food ... Read More

• Balt. council targets pregnancy centers

  by Staff, posted Thursday, November 05, 2009 (14 years ago)

  BALTIMORE, Md. (BP)--Most of the members of the Baltimore (Md.) City Council are promoting a measure that would require pregnancy help centers to post a sign saying they do not provide abortions or contraceptives. Read More

• Maine Question 1: How it prevailed

  by Michael Foust, posted Thursday, November 05, 2009 (14 years ago)

  AUGUSTA, Maine (BP)--If supporters of traditional marriage had their druthers, conservative writer Maggie Gallagher says, they would have picked South Carolina, and not Maine, to try and win on the issue of "gay marriage" Nov. 3. Read More

• N.M. Baptists retire debt, seek the lost

  by John Loudat, posted Thursday, November 05, 2009 (14 years ago)

  

  Photo by John Loudat/BNM

  GLORIETA, N.M. (BP)--Nearly 400 Baptists from across the Land of Enchantment braved a wintry mix of cold and snow to celebrate the retirement of the Baptist Convention of New Mexico's indebtedness and to commit to carrying out "God's Plan for Sharing." Read More

• TRUSTEES: GuideStone up 31% March-Sept.

  by Curtis D. Sharp, posted Thursday, November 05, 2009 (14 years ago)

  DALLAS (BP)--GuideStone Financial Resources President O.S. Hawkins updated trustees on the first three quarters of 2009, including how the GuideStone staff has demonstrated perspective amid one of the greatest economic crises in the nation's history.

  GuideStone trustees, meeting Nov. 2-3 in Dallas, also received a financial status report from Chief Operating Officer John R. Jones and approved the 2010 budget.

  Each year GuideStone selects a Scripture verse and a theme to guide the work ... Read More

• LifeWay stores to collect shoe boxes

  by Staff, posted Thursday, November 05, 2009 (14 years ago)

  NASHVILLE, Tenn. (BP)--LifeWay Christian Stores will hold an Operation Christmas Child collection day Saturday, Nov. 14, for gift-filled shoe boxes to be distributed in 100-plus countries.

  Since 2003, LifeWay has taken part in Samaritan's Purse outreach to bring joy and a message of God's love to children around the world through toys, hygiene items, school supplies and other small gifts.

  "We've been delighted to help facilitate the generous giving by thousands of our customers over th... Read More

• FIRST-PERSON: Make the most of your time

  by Peter Beck, posted Thursday, November 05, 2009 (14 years ago)

  CHARLESTON, S.C. (BP)--1. 24. 1440. 7. 168. 28. 30. 31. 744. 12. 365. 8760. Alone, these numbers are interesting symbols on the page. Read More