PRO-LIFE NEBRASKA


A Publication of Nebraska Right to Life  Summer 2000

New Ban on use of Aborted Babies for Research
to be taken up in 2001 Nebraska Legislative Session

State Senator Dwite Pedersen of Omaha has vowed to introduce a new ban on the use of aborted baby body parts for research in the next legislative session. Sen. Pedersen made his pledge on the floor of the Legislature as LB 1405,) the bill in the 2000 session, died when it butted up against the powerful lobby of the University of Nebraska Medical Center (UNMC). The bill was introduced by Senator John Hilgert of Omaha in response to the revelation that UNMC has been using aborted baby body parts for research in Alzheimers and AIDS dementia since 1993' Partial-birth abortionist Leroy Carhart of Bellevue supplies UNMC with brain tissue from aborted babies.

  
Julie Schmit-Albin, Bob Blank and Larry Donlan prepare to debate Regent Drew Miller on KKAR Radio about LB 1405, the bill to ban the use of aborted baby tissue at UNMC. The trio also appeared on the Jim Fagin Show on KFAB.
Despite intense lobbying by Nebraska Right to Life, Metro Right to Life, Nebraska Family Council and Nebraska Catholic Conference, LB 1405 was pulled from legislative debate last March when it became apparent that 33 votes to shut off a filibuster were not attainable.

Pro-life efforts centered on dispelling the vast amounts of misinformation put out by UNMC. UNMC falsely claimed for example that if the use of aborted baby body parts were halted, all neurodegenerative research at UNMC would cease. UNMC was also successful in spreading the myth that the pro-life groups were opposed to all medical research. Of course, nothing could be further from the truth.

Not even the University Board of Regents, other elected officials or the general public knew of the research which is propelled by grants from the National Institute of Health. Once the truth surfaced, local right to life chapters circulated petitions in opposition to the use of KFAB. aborted fetal tissue being used. Over 9,000 signatures of Nebraskans were gathered in a couple months' time and presented to state senators and the Board of Regents. The Board of Regents had washed its hands of the matter last December by passing a resolution stating that they would seek alternative sources of tissue derived from "moral means," i.e. miscarried babies and other methods. It was at that point that pro-life groups took the legislative approach to rectify the situation.

Nebraska Right to Life will continue to educate its grassroots about what is occurring at UNMC and is willing to send speakers to your area to present a forum about the issue for interested pro-lifers. Contact the NRL office at 402-489-4802 to line your group up for the Fall speaking schedule.

Nebraska Pro-Lifers in Action


Lois Thom. Delores Cavanaugh. and Lisa Breight of Kearney County Right to Life met recently with NRL staff in Minden.


ITS FAIR TIME!
Melvin Vavra of Saline County Right to Life proudly mans their booth.

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