In Crescent Moon Rising (Prometheus Books), journalist Paul L. Williams examines the phenomenal rise of Islam in the United States and discusses its implications.

In the first half of the book, the author traces the beginnings of Islam in this country, in particular the rise and influence of the Nation of Islam among African Americans. He emphasizes the impact of the 1965 Hart-Cellar Act, which abolished national-origin quotas and led to successive waves of Muslim immigrants, who entered this country from Palestine, Kuwait, Iraq, Southeast Asia, Africa, Turkey, and other parts of the world.

In the second half, Williams considers statistical studies of American Muslims regarding age groups, family size, professional affiliations, annual income, and religious and political commitments. He also addresses a number of disturbing concerns about some aspects of the Muslim presence in America. These include: the connections between many American mosques with Saudi benefactors who promote an ultra-orthodox, anti-Western agenda; the existence of Muslim paramilitary training grounds recruiting ex-convicts; and the ties of even self-described moderate Muslim spokespersons with more politically radical elements.

Informative and at times controversial, Crescent Moon Rising clearly shows that Islam will be a force to reckon with for some time in America.

Photo: Each of these people freely admitted that they would murder for money.

Just before he was murdered, John Lennon told Playboy magazine that he didn’t want to die at 40. Ironically the famous singer was gunned down at the age of 40 by a man who killed him just because he wanted to become famous.

Comfort said, “Many think that John Lennon was a musical genius. His music has crossed cultures and even generations — the Beatles have sold more than 2,303,500,000 record albums, and in June of 2012 they hit number one on iTunes. They are as big now as they ever were and they’re half dead — with the tragic loss of Lennon and Harrison.”

Ken Mansfield, the former U.S. Manager for Apple Records said, “Genius will open your eyes.” Other reviewers have called it “fast-paced, thought-provoking and compelling.” It is being promoted as “33 minutes that will rock your soul.” Comfort’s last movie “180″ received more than 3.7 million views on YouTube and aired on television around the world. “Genius” has been released for free viewing on www.GeniusTheMovie.com to coincide with the December 8th anniversary of the death of John Lennon.

Comfort added, “Abraham Lincoln said, ‘Towering genius disdains a beaten path. It seeks regions hitherto unexplored.’ That’s what John Lennon did. He pushed the musical envelope of creativity.”

The trailer for the movie:

WASHINGTON, May 24, 2012 /Christian Newswire/

In an article appearing in the Christian Post, a group supporting the Romney campaign alleged that, in signing the 2006 Massachusetts Health Care Reform Act, Romney was forced to endorse taxpayer-funded, elective abortion by prior decisions of the state Supreme Court.

However, reporting on a bill signed into law by Romney that expanded access to the “morning after pill,” an October 2005 Boston Globe article quoted Richard Powers, spokesman for the Executive Office of Health and Human Services. “Abortions would not be covered under the waiver. Under a court ruling, they are covered under the state’s Medicaid program only when deemed medically necessary,” he said.

The court opinions verify Power’s statement. Both the 1981 and 1997 decisions instruct the state to pay for what they termed “medically necessary” and not elective abortion.

A new Gallup poll released yesterday finds that those who self-identify as “pro-choice” has fallen to an all-time low of 41%, while those using the term “pro-life” to describe themselves has risen significantly in recent years to a steady 50% of the electorate. The 9 point gap ties as the largest lead for the pro-life movement since the company began asking the question.

“Just as the abortion lobby demands that Obama act as pro-abortion as possible, even filing suit when there is a policy disagreement, the pro-life movement must demand definitive answers from candidates identifying as pro-life,” said Keith Mason, President of Personhood USA. “As advocates for the rights of all people, we are deeply disturbed by the loss of life, and not concerned about currying favor. Our position is clear, candidates who want the votes of America’s pro-life majority can no longer simply say they are pro-life, they must act pro-life.”

John Locke (Wikipedia Image)

VENTURA, Calif., May 22, 2012 /Christian Newswire/ — Nordskog Publishing Inc. releases John Locke: Philosopher of American Liberty by noted biographer, Mary-Elaine Swanson.

Our forefathers brought forth this nation conceived in John Locke’s Biblically based philosophy of liberty and government. Again Americans are challenged with whether government of, by, and for the People shall endure.

Locke’s philosophy of government supported the rule of law founded on the Law of Nature’s God (the Bible and God’s gift to men of reason) instead of arbitrary and abusive rule by men. He believed in the principles of representation and equal justice, religious liberty, and most of all the basic God-given rights to “Life, Liberty, and Property” that we have come to take for granted. These fundamental rights were written into our early states’ Declarations of Rights with Locke’s words from his Treatises of Government quoted almost verbatim in our Declaration of Independence upon which the U.S. Constitution and our essential Bill of Rights are grounded. These principles and their real time application are the building blocks for the restoration needed now.

John Locke was actively involved in bringing about English liberty. According to Thomas Jefferson, Locke was one of the three greatest men that ever lived. His political philosophy was studied widely and put into practice in Colonial America. Locke showed where the limits of legitimate civil governmental authority should be to guarantee freedom. He reasoned that the purpose of government is based on voluntary covenants between individuals for the mutual protection of their inalienable right to property, which begins with the individual life and liberty essential to productivity, followed by the right to enjoy the fruits of those labors without fear that the government will confiscate personal property.

David Barton of WallBuilders in his Foreword writes, “Mary-Elaine Swanson has done an invaluable service for this and subsequent generations by resurrecting awareness and presenting an accurate knowledge of John Locke and his writings…through an uncensored view of his life, writings, and his incalculable influence on America. This book will help Americans understand the importance of Locke’s thinking for American constitutionalism today.”

Inspired by John Locke’s love of liberty, America has offered the greatest freedom and prosperity to the greatest number in the history of the world. Now we are challenged to stand up for Biblical principles of government by returning to constitutional limited government and to restore America as the land of opportunity and make it once again a beacon of hope to all nations.

Planned Parenthood also recently published a fact sheet claiming that the Governor has openly supported personhood in both of his presidential runs. The page references a television appearance on Gov. Mike Huckabee’s show in which Romney answered “absolutely” when asked if he would have been willing to support a Massachusetts constitutional amendment defining life as beginning at conception. The nation’s leading abortion providers continue, charging that “Personhood groups view Romney as a supporter” and that “Romney meets Personhood USA’s criteria for support.”

Conversely, Personhood USA released a Presidential Pledge in December in which candidates were asked to commit to supporting and advancing the personhood rights of the preborn. Five presidential hopefuls signed the pledge including Speaker Newt Gingrich, Senator Rick Santorum, Congressman Ron Paul, Congresswoman Michele Bachmann, and Governor Rick Perry. Notably absent from the list is Governor Romney.

The pro-abortion group’s summaries of Romney’s record are spotty. They note his veto of a 2004 bill that would have expanded access to the abortifacient “morning after pill,” but they fail to mention his complete reversal just three months later. Not only did Romney sign a measure into law expanding access to the “morning after pill” and increasing funding for abortion clinics, he penned an executive order requiring Catholic hospitals to administer the abortifacient drug.

Several groups have pointed to Romney’s veto of a bill that would have furthered the practice of embryo-destructive research. What often goes unreported is that he offered proponents of the legislation a way forward. Speaking a press conference in February of 2005, he told reporters:

“All of the rhetoric has been, ‘We are throwing away embryos–surplus embryos–that could be used for stem-cell research and that makes no sense. …And now, now that I’ve said, ‘Ok, I support that,’ now [the other side says], ‘No, that’s insufficient. How could you possibly limit it to that?’ Well, that’s what they’ve been asking for.”

In 2006, the Governor signed the Massachusetts Health Care Reform Act into law with $50 surgical abortion co-pays. His signature also gave Planned Parenthood a seat on the advisory board granting them the authority to help craft the standards. All of the available plans now offer free elective abortion according to the state’s health care website.

“Since his pro-life conversion, Governor Romney has repeatedly missed opportunities to stand for life. As a movement our only obligation is to the truth, and the truth is personhood groups could only support Governor Romney if his position was clear,” said Keith Mason President of Personhood USA. “If what Planned Parenthood and NARAL are saying is true, it should be an easy decision to sign a pledge to stand with President Reagan in defending ‘the unalienable personhood of every American, from the moment of conception until natural death.’ The time has come to make his views known, and it is our hope that he will align himself and his campaign with those committed to justice for all.”

TITUSVILLE, Fla., May 21, 2012 /Christian Newswire/

“It means you’d better be sure you’re registered to vote,” he responds, “and that your like-minded friends and relatives are registered to vote.”

- “If you oppose Obama because he opposes the right to life, you’d better register to vote.”

- “Do you oppose Obama because he has the gall, the blasphemous gall, to invoke our Lord Jesus Christ in support of immoral policies? You’d better register to vote.”

- “If you oppose Obama because he uses state power to force religious institutions to act against religious conscience, you’d better register to vote. Franciscan University in Ohio already has been forced to drop student health insurance coverage. This is in reaction to an administration mandate that such coverage pay for abortion pills. This Democratic administration is dragging the United States into tyranny.”

- “If you oppose Obama because he nominates anti-gun jurists to the Supreme Court, you’d better register to vote. More justices like Sotomayor and Kagan on the high court could sink the Second Amendment.”

- “If you oppose Obama because he appoints anti-gun officials to high government positions, you’d better register to vote. America has had enough of officials like Attorney General Holder. He still has not come clean on Operation Fast and Furious. He continues to promote with Obama a ban on semiautomatic firearms. Obama’s Secretary of State, Hillary Clinton, promotes a United Nations gun control treaty which could torpedo our traditional American right to keep and bear arms.”

- “If you oppose Obama because his fiscal policies undermine the American economy, you’d better register to vote. Obama’s policies have not alleviated the real estate crisis. Some observers think the real unemployment rate is 20 or 25 percent.”

- “Do you oppose Obama because you think his foreign policies put American security at risk? You’d better register to vote.”

- “If you want us to get out of the mess we’re in, you’d better register to vote. The elections come in less than six months. You’d better register to vote.”

The theme for WCF VI in Madrid, Spain (May 25-27) is “Marriage and Family, Future of Society.” This theme reflects that there is no greater social indicator for the future success of our civilization than the strength of natural marriage and natural families in society. For example, decades of research indicates that natural marriage can reduce rates of poverty by over 80%.

“We had no idea when we began planning our sixth Congress over a year ago that it would come on the heels of an announcement by a U.S. president that he supports homosexual ‘marriage,’ based on spurious claims of equality and ignoring the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the rights of children to be raised by their biological mothers and fathers.” said Larry Jacobs, World Congress of Families Managing Director.

In many ways, the timing is providential, Jacobs observed: “The Congress will open almost two weeks to the day after President Obama announced his repudiation of the Natural Family in Spain, a country, still recovering from 8 years of a socialist leader, Zapatero, who forced the legalization of same-sex marriage and abortion on the Spanish people who are overwhelmingly opposed. Just as our opponents have, advocates for the Natural Family must continue to organize internationally.”

Speakers at the three-day Congress will include Cardinal Ennio Antonelli (President of the Pontifical Council on the Family) on “The Natural Family and the Revolution Against the Family,” Rabbi Moshe Bendahan (Chief Rabbi of Spain) on “Family, the Future of Society,” Erich W. Kopischke (Elder of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints) on “The Value of the Natural Family,” Fr. Philaret Bulekov (delivering a message from Metropolitan Hilarion Alfeyev of the Russian Orthodox Church) and Dr. Paige Patterson (President of the Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary).

Speeches by social scientists, authors, physicians and officeholders will touch on such varied topics as: the worldwide decline in fertility, how government policies impact on the family, the family and international law, contraception vs. natural family planning, the health effects of promiscuity and infidelity, family economics and social capital, rediscovering the role of homemaker, the culture of life versus the culture of death, fighting for freedom to educate, the social cost of pornography and sexual slavery, and family-friendly entertainment.

A plenary session on The Homosexual Lobby will include addresses on: “Solutions to Homosexual Behavior,” “Violation of Rights of Conscience Today,” “Effects of Social Experimentation and Same-Sex Adoption,” and “Hate Speech Laws and Anti-Discrimination Measures to Marginalize Believers.”

Jacobs noted that Christian Concern – a World Congress of Families Partner in the United Kingdom – has so far helped to collect over 516,000 signatures on its “Don’t Play Politics with Marriage” petition to stop Prime Minister David Cameron’s move to legalize homosexual “marriage” in Britain.

Christian Concern’s “One Man and One Woman: Making The Case for Marriage Conference” was scheduled to take place at the Law Society in London on May 23. The Law Society is attempting to ban the conference, claiming that a discussion of the need to preserve marriage violates its “diversity policy.”

“Just as the movement to de-construct marriage and the natural family are international in scope, so too must be our response,” Jacobs declared. “World Congress of Families is uniting individuals across diverse faiths and cultures in support of institutions which serve as the bedrock of civilization. Article 16 (3) of the United Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UNDHR ratified by all nations in 1948) states that, “The family is the natural and fundamental group unit of society and is entitled to protection by society and the State.”

Pro-family leaders, scholars and activists from over 60 nations are expected to attend the Madrid Congress. Previous World Congresses of Families have been held in Prague (1997), Geneva (1999), Mexico City (2004), Warsaw (2007) and Amsterdam (2009). World Congress of Families VII is scheduled for Sydney, Australia in 2013.

Those interested in attending World Congress of Families VI in Madrid (May 25-27) can register online at www.worldcongress.es.

I must admit that I was reluctant to publicly share my perspective on President Obama’s recent statement regarding same sex marriage because too often his presidency has caused separation within the ranks of African American leadership. And yet, what does an African American pastor do when his Africa American president makes a decision that eventually will destroy the foundation of not only the African American community, but the nation as a whole? Does that pastor take a risk that he will be misunderstood and labeled as an “Uncle Tom,” a Republican Party pawn, or someone “the white man has bought out?” If I do not take the risk, knowing that mentality in itself is as discriminatory as it gets, I become a co-conspirator in keeping us in bondage to our culture; suggesting that none of us is free to think or speak outside of what we are told.

I am neither a Republican, an “Uncle Tom” or bought out by anyone. I am simply accepting my responsibility as a citizen and a prophetic voice crying out in the wilderness of this generation. I decided that the risk is worth it. It is my responsibility as a pastor to speak to issues both popular and unpopular which affect the moral fiber of our society. I cannot be silent whether it comes from a Bush led, or an Obama led White House. My response must be the same. Tis true, the moral fiber of every generation is always challenged. However, challenges to our moral core must not be ignored. They must be met with bold correction or their seeds will suffocate us into chaos and extinction. If we begin to grow up a society that condones sexual behavior that cannot reproduce life, what other result can we expect? Our President is proof that politicians cannot set our moral agenda. Too often they are co-opted by the polls of an ever changing culture or influenced by the latest voting bloc that could get them over the edge in an election.

Decisions that affect our moral fiber should not ever be made based upon voting blocs. While we are indeed a democracy, we are like a family that’s supposed to have trained, skilled leadership, which makes decisions based upon what the outcomes of those decisions will be in our future. Ideally, families have parents that are given to lead them to a morally, ethically, fiscally healthy or responsible end. Every choice and intention should be based upon some foundational principles or truths for those expected results to come to manifestation. An attempt to satisfy “one” child at the expense of the rest, for the purpose of popularity, is parental immaturity and has destructive implications attached. It speaks strongly to that parent’s capability or incapability to lead.

While many of us have persons in our families whom we love dearly, that practice homosexuality, it is irresponsible for us to sanction it as a “norm” for family life. To make it a norm will eventually change the thinking of every new generation to fight the principles of the bible, the core beliefs that keep us from being totally unrestrained as a people. Standards of living are important. They give us balance. President Obama set a dangerous precedent from the highest office in the land with no spiritual counsel or future insight to the full ramification of his statement. Or did he? If he did, then we must deduce several things: 1) He has little to no regard for the church and many of its leaders; 2) He denies the foundational truth or at best misinterprets scriptures on what the Word of God says how a family is structured; 3) He seeks to weaken the voice of the once only, free voice in our society (The African American pastor). Down the road, not to marry same sex couples will eventual spell the end of funding that so many depend upon to do ministry and eventually may end in jail time for violation of rights or discrimination accusations. At the very least we will be spending unnecessary and needed monies in court to fight for principles we preach.

I am saddened as I write this, knowing many of our African American leaders will not take a bold stance, because we are still clouded in political and cultural power struggles, unable to see the future of our communities losing its one SURE foundation. The one place that has always been free to fight for everything the African American people have had was the church. If the church does not speak now, that voice will lose what is left of its waning authority.

No, I will not be silent and I challenge other leaders as well to let their voices be raised without thinking this attack is a personal, political party, homophobic or color issue. By NO means is it. This is a moral issue, period. We must sound the alarm, “Mr. President, rescind your remarks, revisit your views and hear the voice of the Lord. We need you to stand for what is right, not what appears to be popular.”

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BEIJING, May 19, 2012 /Christian Newswire/ — ChinaAid has learned that blind activist Chen Guangcheng and his family have left China today and are en route to the United States.

Bob Fu talked with Chen just hours ago. Chen said Chinese official informed him that he would leave today, though he had not yet received his passport.  Chen was not told which city in the US he was going to but it is now confirmed he is headed to Newark, N.J.

ChinaAid and the Chen family deeply appreciate the international community’s tireless efforts to gain his freedom, including the Church’s passionate prayers, both the efforts of the US Embassy and the US Congress, who held two timely hearings on his behalf.

Chen also wanted to express his gratitude to the Chinese government who fulfilled one of its promises to allow his family to leave.

ChinaAid continues to urge vigilance and increased international attention to the situation faced by Chen Guangcheng’s extended family members, including his nephew Chen Kegui and his elder brother Chen Guangfu as well as his sister-in-law Ren Zongju. They are all facing possible severe punishment as a result of Chen’s escape from his house last month.

“We are happy for Chen and his family. This is a great day for freedom fighters,” said Pastor Bob Fu who has been campaigning for Chen’s freedom internationally, ” this further proves that constructive dialogues with international pressure can surely produce concrete positive result. We pray for his family’s safe journey.”

Sadly, Ms. Pelosi knows all too well the current Pentagon legal policy drafted by President Obama’s pro-homosexual bureaucrat Jeh Johnson requires that military chaplains must open their chapel buildings in all 50 states and turn over the keys to allow Christian or Catholic altars to be desecrated by homosexual ceremonies. While some chaplains can be excused from presiding at such ceremonies, all chaplains have been ordered by the policy to facilitate ‘gay’ weddings by scheduling, support, maintenance, and fully opening use of their chapels, whose altars must be re-consecrated after acts of sodomy are honored thereupon.

“We don’t hold Jewish weddings in Catholic chapels, so why force homosexual ‘weddings’ in every chapel nationwide?” asked former Navy Chaplain Gordon James Klingenschmitt, PhD. “Pelosi and Obama now violate every soldier’s right to a sacred worship space devoted to Catholic or Evangelical worship, and threaten to punish chaplains who refuse to turn over the chapel keys.” The Pentagon now openly violates the 1996 Defense of Marriage Act which legally defines marriage as only valid between one man and one woman on federal property, by treating military chapels on federal bases nationwide as if they all sit on Massachusetts land, not United States land.

Congressman Todd Akin (R-MO) and Congressman Steven Palazzo (R-MS) each introduced amendments which were approved respectively by 37 to 24 and 36 to 25 votes in the House Armed Services Committee, protecting the free speech rights of military chaplains who voice disagreement with homosexual sin, and protecting military chapels from desecration.

Pelosi and Obama oppose these amendments, which means they favor censoring or punishing chaplains’ free speech, and they favor desecrating chapels in all 50 states. But where do SASC Democrat Senators Joe Manchin (D-WV), Ben Nelson (D-NE), Jim Webb (D-VA) and Claire McCaskill (D-MO) stand, with military chaplains or with homosexual weddings?

Dr. Klingenschmitt personally visited the offices of 23 Members of the Senate Armed Services Committee (SASC) in DC this week, to plead with them to help protect and pass both good pro-chaplain amendments in H.R. 4310, the National Defense Authorization Act of 2013.

He reminded Senators he delivered 100,000 fax petitions, and will fax Congressional scorecards to nearly every pastor in their states before the next election. 2,000 chaplains from 19 faith groups have petitioned Congress to pass these two amendments. 65 evangelical chaplains are suing the Navy for anti-Christian persecution. One chaplain was relieved of his duty to manage the chapel after stating he would refuse to schedule ‘gay’ weddings in his chapel. Two chaplains resigned from the Army and Navy after the administration’s DADT repeal training manual taught they must “reconcile” with open homosexuality or quit, and over a dozen chaplains reported to their bishops of being personally pressured to censor their speech or quit the military.

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BEIJING, May 19, 2012 /Christian Newswire/ — ChinaAid just learned that the blind activist Chen Guangcheng’s family is heading to Beijing airport now and they were informed to pack up and get ready to leave China for the USA today.

Bob Fu made a phone call with Chen a moment ago. Chen said the Chinese official informed them to pack up and leave for the USA today though they have not received passports yet. Nor is their itinerary known. Chen also said he is looking forward to coming to the USA.

ChinaAid and the Chen family deeply appreciate the international community’s tireless efforts for Chen and his immediate family’s freedom including Christians’ passionate prayers, two timely congressional hearings held by Congressman Chris Smith and the US government’s assistance. We thank the Chinese central government for fulfilling one of her commitments by facilitating Chen’s trip to the US. We urge the international community to continue to monitor the situation regarding Chen Guangcheng’s extended family members including his nephew Chen Kegui and his elder brother Chen Guangfu as well as his sister-in-law Ren Zongju. They are all facing possible severe punishment as a result of Chen’s escape from his house last month.

SAN JOSE, Calif., May 17, 2012 /Christian Newswire/

The ministry president calls for Osteen to step down since he won’t renounce Mormonism. James 4:4 says, “Adulterers and adulteresses! Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God?” See the video here.

Osteen said, “I see [Mormons] as brothers and sisters in Christ,” “It would be appropriate [for Mitt Romney to speak at Liberty University]” and “I just believe in all my heart [Obama] is a Christian.”

Jesus teaches that according to their fruit you will know wolves in sheep’s clothing.

Obama’s fruit is covering the name and cross of Jesus at Georgetown, wanting to leave living babies to die who survive abortions, mocking God with homosexual sin, tempting Americans to covet other people’s money, following Saul Alinsky books dedicated to Lucifer and other sins.

Romney’s fruit is an elder in the Mormon cult. Mormons believe that Jesus is a created being, the spirit brother of Lucifer. Romney thinks “magic” underwear gives power and that he will become a god. This is considered evil by Christians because Jesus is the second Person of the Godhead, the Holy Spirit gives power, and Satan tried to be god and is condemned to hell.

Pastor Steven Andrew hoped to talk privately with Joel Osteen, but Osteen refused. Pastor Steven says, “I care for Christians and encourage them to find Biblical pastors to know Jesus. Osteen is sharing in Obama’s and Romney’s sins, and misleading Americans.”

Christians are also concerned that Jerry Falwell Jr. insisted Mormon elder Romney speak at Liberty University. Some question if Osteen and Falwell Jr. are Christians. Galatians 1:9 teaches Mormons are “accursed.”

“Franklin Graham, Richard Land and Pat Robertson are also called to step down for leading Americans astray to vote for Mormon Romney,” he adds.

“Ron Paul is the only Christian running for President and could win as a write in, or Christians renouncing Romney.”

“If Romney has a Christian VP, it is still forbidden by Scripture to vote for Romney or Obama.”

Pastor Steven Andrew started a daily teaching video to encourage Christians to grow in God. He is raising funds to lead a 1000 pastors to pastor the USA, and to buy TV time. To help support these ministries, click here.

WASHINGTON, May 17, 2012 /Christian Newswire/ – The U.S. House Judiciary Committee’s Subcommittee on the Constitution today will hold a hearing examining the policy of legal abortion until birth currently in effect in the nation’s capital, and an NRLC-backed bill that would protect unborn children in the federal District after they have reached 20 weeks fetal age, based on their capacity to experience pain.

The bill, the District of Columbia Pain-Capable Unborn Child Protection Act (H.R. 3803), is patterned on an NRLC-originated model bill that has already been enacted in six states.  It currently has 194 House cosponsors.

“Many states are moving to protect pain-capable unborn children, with Georgia joining the list just this month,” said NRLC Legislative Director Douglas Johnson.  “But with respect to the nation’s capital, which the Constitution makes an exclusively federal jurisdiction, it is Congress that has the immediate responsibility to act.  Any lawmaker who votes against this bill is voting to ratify the current District policy, under which abortion is legal without limitation to the moment of birth.”

“The Constitution makes it crystal clear that the responsibility rests solely with Congress, and with the President,” Johnson said, noting that Article I, Section 8 of the U.S. Constitution provides that Congress shall “exercise exclusive jurisdiction in all cases whatsoever, over such District . . .”

Johnson added, “This legislation is NRLC’s top congressional priority for 2012.  NRLC does not regard its House scorecard for the 112th Congress as complete until the House has voted on this bill — but lawmakers can vote early by cosponsoring the bill, and 194 have already done so.  A vote against H.R. 3803 will be scored by NRLC as a vote to ratify a policy of unlimited legal abortion until the moment of birth in the nation’s capital.”

H.R. 3803 was introduced by Congressman Trent Franks (R-Az.), who is also the chairman of the Subcommittee on the Constitution.  In the bill, Congress adopts “findings” (declarations of fact) that by 20 weeks after fertilization (if not earlier), the unborn child has the capacity to experience great pain.  The bill then prohibits abortion after that point, except when an acute physical condition endangers the life of the mother.  The abortion method most often used at this stage, the “D&E,” is depicted in a medical illustration posted here.

The Judiciary Committee will offer a live internet feed of the hearing, scheduled for 4 PM EDT, atjudiciary.house.gov/hearings/Hearings%202012/hear_05172012_2.html

Testifying at today’s hearing will be Dr. Anthony Levatino, an obstetrician-gynecologist who at one time performed many D&E abortions but who now opposes abortion; Dr. Colleen Malloy, a neonatologist from Northwestern University who will testify regarding the pain perception capacities of babies who are born very prematurely, and of unborn children; and Dr. Byron Calhoun, a professor of obstetrics and gynecology at West Virginia University-Charleston specializing in maternal and fetal medicine, who will testify regarding humane medical approaches to cases in which unborn children are diagnosed with genetic disorders or other serious medical conditions.  Also testifying will be an opponent of the bill, Christy Zink of Washington, D.C., who had an abortion after learning that her unborn son had a malformed brain.

On May 15, Eleanor Holmes Norton (D), delegate to the House for the District of Columbia, issued a press release complaining that she was not allowed to testify at today’s hearing.  NRLC’s Johnson commented: “The Democrats on the committee could have invited anybody they wanted to fill their witness slot.  The Democrats apparently decided Norton was not their strongest witness, so they invited somebody else, and then issued complaints that Norton was excluded — just another phony controversy, manufactured for Rachel Maddow and the blogosphere.”

The NRLC website contains much documentation on the Pain-Capable Unborn Child Protection Act and on the scientific evidence that unborn children, by 20 weeks if not before, have the capacity to experience great pain, here.

Identical legislation (S. 2103) has been introduced in the U.S. Senate by Senator Mike Lee (R-Utah).

ALISO VIEJO, Calif., May 17, 2012 /Christian Newswire/

Birth Choice Health Clinics (BCHC) is a life-affirming alternative to commercial reproductive health service providers. With seven locations throughout California, BCHC offers men and women free services for STD, HIV, and pregnancy testing, ultrasounds, options counseling, and other related services. BCHC delivers on its mission everyday; “Being led by God, we provide caring, high quality and comprehensive reproductive health services consistent with the inherent value of every person.”

Through his ride, Tom Massoth will fulfill a life-long dream of riding his bicycle across the beautiful USA. But so much more than that is at stake; during his ride 40,980 innocent babies will be lost to abortion in our country. His goal is to raise awareness and prayer support for the pro-life cause, and to raise $40,980 for Birth Choice Health Clinics, $1 for each of these precious lives. Tom and his wife also volunteer weekly for Birth Choice Health Clinics. Already, Tom has kicked off his journey and traveled 379 out of a total 3,415 miles. Tom’s Life Ride blog will be updated daily on his efforts and whereabouts. Visit the blog and you, for seven weeks, will “ride” together with Tom, pray together, and remember not only the lives who have been lost, but also those we will save… one mile at a time.