The 3 - November 12, 2023

This week's edition of The 3, featuring three stories of relevance to the Christian community, offers some information on the key vote this past week in Ohio which experts say allows abortion throughout the entirety of a woman's pregnancy.  Also, there is new legislation in Congress that would prevent the implementation of an HHS rule that would force prospective foster parents of LGBT children to "affirm" that perspective.  Plus, a lawsuit that could deal a large financial blow to Planned Parenthood is being allowed by a federal judge to go forward.

Ohio voters approve abortion amendment

It would have been rejected had Ohio voters decided to raise the threshold in order to amend the state constitution to 60%.  However, that effort was rejected by the voters, and Issue 1 was approved by Ohio voters by a 57 to 43% margin.  As The Washington Stand reported:

...voters in Ohio adopted a vaguely-worded constitutional amendment creating a “right” to abortion until birth and other “reproductive decisions.”

The article says:

The amendment states: “Every individual has a right to make and carry out one’s own reproductive decisions, including but not limited to” abortion, with a broad exception for the mother’s “health.” Issue 1 also bars the state from infringing on these rights “directly or indirectly.” Pro-life proponents Protect Women Ohio and the Center for Christian Virtue pointed out the term “individual” and “reproductive decisions” could erase parental rights and invent a constitutional “right” for minors to have transgender surgeries without parental consent.

It quoted Protect Women Ohio, which said: “We persevered for 50 years to overturn Roe v. Wade. Ours is a movement that has always endured, and always will. Tomorrow, the work starts again as we fight to be a voice for the voiceless,” adding, “We are just getting started.”

The Christian organization, Faith2Action, issued a press release on Christian Newswire that stated: 

In addition to the 26 Ohio legislators who issued a joint statement against Issue 1 on Tuesday, legislative leaders announced today they will be introducing bills to address Issue 1 in the Ohio House. Tuesday's joint legislative statement said in part, "This initiative failed to mention a single, specific law. We will do everything in our power to prevent our laws from being removed based upon perception of intent."

Lawmakers seek to reverse attempt to force foster agencies to place LGBTQ children with affirming parents

The Protecting Religious Freedom for Foster Families Act was introduced in the U.S. House of Representatives on Wednesday, according to The Christian Post, which reports that is sponsored by Representatives Josh Brecheen of Oklahoma and Mary Miller of Illinois.  The article says:

The legislation’s sponsors seek to push back against what they call the administration’s “anti-Christian, far-Left agenda.”

The article states that the legislation would prevent the Administration from "implementing a rule that would require foster care agencies to place LGBT children with families that affirm their stated gender identities." The proposed rule was announced in late September, and the article notes that public comments are being taken until November 27.

Brecheen is quoted as saying, "The federal government should not force foster families to violate their sincerely held religious or moral beliefs in order to house children..."  The article also notes:

In a statement to CP, Miller cited the proposed rule as an example of how “the Biden administration is intent on pushing its radical transgender agenda, regardless of who it harms.”

"[T]hrough this proposed rule, Biden’s HHS is circumventing Congressional authority and forcing foster families to violate their deeply held religious convictions," Miller argues.

Judge says that lawsuit against Planned Parenthood can continue

Not only is Planned Parenthood committed to providing abortion, but its ethics in the area of recordkeeping has been alleged to be shoddy, according to a LifeNews.com article, which says:

Texas officials have filed a lawsuit against Planned Parenthood saying that the abortion business filed millions in false Medicaid claims for which it improperly received taxpayer reimbursement. With the repayments, damages and fines, the abortion chain could face a $1.8 billion judgment.

Following a 2021 ruling, Planned Parenthood was removed from the state's Medicaid program.  The article states: 

Medicaid is the largest stream of taxpayer funding to Planned Parenthood, and, in Texas, that funding was supposed to be cut off in after the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals ruled in favor of the state, agreeing that Texas can kick out Planned Parenthood from the program for violating the law. The decision to defund Planned Parenthood came after the abortion business was exposed selling the body parts of aborted babies.

Now, two years later, Texas wants to recover the taxpayer funds Planned Parenthood improperly received during that time period so they can be used to help Texas residents.

Federal district judge Matthew Kacsmaryk,based in Amarillo, says said the case may go forward; the article reported: "Judge Kacsmaryk ruled that Planned Parenthood is obligated to return some funds to Texas and Louisiana. A trial will decide how much."  Life News noted that this is the same judge who ruled against the distribution of the abortion pill.