Women Speak Out Press Conference at Senator Mark Kirk’s Office

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Today, September 3rd, 2015, at 12pm, 10 pro-life organizations, their leaders and pro-life individuals gathered for a press conference on the front steps of U.S. Senator Mark Kirk’s Chicago Office. Senator Mark Kirk recently voted against a bill to defund Planned Parenthood, in the wake of the release of several videos catching Planned Parenthood illegally harvesting and selling body parts from aborted babies.

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Therefore, with unrelenting determination and hope for the restoration of the dignity and protection of life, the following leaders and their organizations came together to call on Senator Kirk and demand that he vote for the passage of both of these bills:

Jill Stanek, Susan B. Anthony List

Emily Zender, Illinois Right to Life

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Andy Moore, Americans United for Life Action

Brian Burch, CatholicVote.org

Debbie Leininger, Concerned Women for America of Illinois

Carol Wright, Illinois Citizens for Life

Dr. Barbara Bellar, Illinois Family Institute

Dawn Behnke, Illinois Federation for the Right to Life

Don Stone, Center for Bioethical Reform Midwest Region

Eric Scheidler, Pro-Life Action League

Christy Morehead, Pro-Life Future

Reagan Nielsen, Students for Life of America

Kevin Grillot, Students for Life of Illinois

Representative Thomas Morrison, 54th District

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Each one of them spoke out against funding Planned Parenthood, with its repulsive history of misconduct, and stressed the importance of protecting our young, helpless citizens through enacting Pain-Capable Unborn Child Protection Act.

Emily Zender, Executive Director of the Illinois Right to Life explained how the Planned Parenthood is a “true nightmare,” citing lawsuits and criminal behavior. She retold the sad story of the death of a 24 year old woman in a Chicago Planned Parenthood clinic, along with many other horrifying injuries that have occurred inside unlicensed uninspected Illinois Planned Parenthood facilities. In addressing Congressman Kirk, she said

“Instead of the government propping up Planned Parenthood with federal funds, let’s allow women the decency to decide with their dollars and their actions what kind of healthcare center is in their neighborhood. There are 640 alternative healtcare centers to Planned Parenthood just in Illinois. Unlike Planned Parenthood, these 640 centers don’t dismember, dissect, and sell unborn children.”

On behalf of thousands of members of the Illinois Right to Life, she called upon Senator Kirk and all of Illinois’ politicians to end the “nightmare” now.

Brian Burch of CatholicVote.org told the senator it was time to say to Planned Parenthood “Enough! Sorry, I’m with the kids.”

Eric Scheidler of the Pro-life Action League said it was time for Senator Mark Kirk to “earn the good will of Illinois voters.”

Debbie Leininger of Concerned Women for America of Illinois stated, “More than 18,000 late term babies are tortured to death without anesthesia every year. These little babies deserve a first chance”

Dr. Barbara Bellar of the Illinois Family Institute said, “A just and humane society does not kill those who can’t help themselves.”

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After the conference, Executive Director of Illinois Right to Life, Emily Zender, and Jill Stanek, Campaign Chair of the Susan B. Anthony List, hand delivered their speeches to Senator Kirk’s office and reiterated the need to defund Planned Parenthood.

This fall, Congressmen are expected to call The Pain-Capable Unborn Child Protection Act, or the 20 Week Ban on Abortion, for a vote. Leaders at the press conference called upon Senator Kirk to vote in favor of life.