Perkins Says President's ‘New’ HC Proposal Funds Abortion

Today, in a 20 minute speech, President Barack Obama introduced the most recent health care reform proposal and called on Congressional leaders Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Sen. Harry Reid to schedule a final vote in the next few weeks.

In response, Family Research Council President Tony Perkins released the following statement:

This new White House health care statement completely undermines President Obama's claim last week dismissing charges that the Senate bill would fund abortion as mere 'talking points.' President Obama's legislation not only maintains the Senate abortion funding provisions; it would make them worse by increasing federal funding for community health centers that could be used directly to kill unborn babies.

Ignoring the only bi-partisan provision that passed, the Stupak amendment that prevents abortion funding, the President's bill to amend the Senate bill leaves several abortion provisions in place. In Section 1303 it allows tax credit subsidies for plans that include abortion and leaves the abortion surcharge in place. It maintains the proposal to create a multi-state plan that includes abortion in Sec. 1334. Even worse, it would increase the Senate bill funding from $7 billion to $11 billion for community health centers in Sec. 10503 without any abortion funding restrictions.

"If this bill becomes law," Perkins says, "this Congress will oversee the largest ever expansion of abortion on demand at taxpayer expense."

Leaders Invited to Breakfast March 9 and Discuss Strengthening Fatherhood

Dr. Carey Casey, president of the National Center of Fathering in Kansas City, will be the speaker March 9 at an important breakfast in Oklahoma City for pastors, community leaders, youth leaders, and nonprofit executives.

Dr. Casey will lead attendees in a discussion of ways we can network and creatively address the problem of fatherlessness, absent fathers, and family fragmentation in Central Oklahoma.

This community-wide, nondenominational breakfast is being sponsored by the National Center for Fathering, Fairview Baptist Church, and Oklahoma Family Policy Council.

The breakfast, which begins at 7:00 a.m. and should conclude by 9 a.m., is free, but you must RSVP to attend. To RSVP, call Oklahoma Family Policy Council at (405) 787-7744.

Churches to Meet Thursday for Premarital Training Workshop

Tomorrow, Marriage Network Oklahoma will again present its quarterly workshop -- this time to train Oklahoma churches in how to effectively prepare couples for successful marriage.

More premarital preparation needs to be done since between 43 percent to half of all first-time marriages will end in divorce. As recently as the late 1990's, only 25% to 33% of couples attended any relationship education prior to marriage.

Today, comprehensive assessments like PREPARE help couples indentify and resolve likely conflicts prior to the marriage. Premarital classes help couples learn about common areas of concern (communication, sex, finances, children). Marriage Mentors serve as experienced guides to help newly married couples negotiate the well-worn trail of marriage.

If your church is not presently partnering with MNO, we invite you to ask your church leadership to investigate MNO and consider how we might work together (http://www.marriagenetworkok.net/).

D.C. Begins Issuing Marriage Licenses to Same-Sex Couples

Today, officials in the District of Columbia, for the first time ever, began issuing so-called "marriage" licenses to same-sex couples. In Maryland, officials also said they would do the same.

Last night, Chief Justice of the United States John Roberts refused to intervene to stop the pending issuance of same-sex marriage licenses in D.C.

Chief Justice Roberts' refusal to act perhaps signals that the U.S. Supreme Court expects to address the same-sex marriage issue soon, probably via California's Proposition 8 case, which is now working its way through the federal courts.