July 2014 Right to Life State Affiliate to the National Right to Life Committee

404 S. 11th Street • P.O. Box 80410 • Lincoln, NE 68501 (402) 438-4802 • [email protected] • www.nebraskarighttolife.org ACTION NEEDED: BEFRIEND YOUR PRO-LIFE STATE SENATOR AND/OR LEGISLATIVE CANDIDATES As we prepare for the 2015 Legislature, he fights any pro-life Unicameral Session, it is important to legislation that gets to the Judiciary address some issues that have been Committee (where he is the longtime hampering our ability to pass pro-life de facto Chairman) and then, if any- legislation in recent years. This is where thing gets to the floor, he filibusters you, the pro-life constituent, comes in. it. This has a tendency to wear down We need to enlist your help to once pro-life state senators and discourage again pass meaningful, innovative them from introducing anything when legislation that protects the sanctity of they know they need 33 votes through all human life, from fertilization through two stages of floor debate to invoke natural death. cloture and overcome a Chambers’ As you know, the Nebraska filibuster. Legislature passed pro-life legislation Secondly, it is difficult to make in 2008, 2009, 2010 and 2011. No pro- headway unless we have the Speaker life bills have passed in the past three of the Legislature and the Judiciary & Connie Consbruck of South Central years. To what do we attribute that? Health Committees Chairmen with us. Nebraska Right to Life talks to her State There are several factors. One is that They are key players in their ability to Senator, , during the 2012 Pro- Senator sat out four block any legislation from coming to the Life Legislative Day. years for term limits, but he returned in floor or to assist us. The Unicameral, the 2013 session. consisting of 49 senators, elects their years, it also allowed him to run again As our biggest adversary in the own leadership and will do so again after that hiatus. If term limits are really in January on the first day of the 2015 about limiting terms, it didn’t work in the session. While Nebraska Right to Life case of Senator Chambers. historically does not lobby on new lead- Term limits means we are los- ership, it is imperative that our returning ing many incumbent senators whom pro-life senators know that who they Nebraska Right to Life PAC had en- elect to those positions is crucial to the dorsed and who at least had pro-life success of our legislation. voting records. We also are losing a But lastly, and most importantly, it few who have introduced legislation is our own pro-life senators who often in the past. Only four current senators are our biggest hurdle when it comes have introduced and/or prioritized pro- to passing new laws. Why? Because life legislation. Four senators in a body there are so many competing interests with a majority of pro-life senators is not and lobbyists pulling at them from all enough. Beyond that, seven pro-life directions and they now can only serve senators who came into office in 2013 eight consecutive years thanks to term have never even had an opportunity to Constituents visit with former State limits. vote on a pro-life bill, so right now we Senator Gwen Howard during the 2012 Term limits has its drawbacks. While have a scorecard on them that shows Pro-Life Legislative Day. it made Senator Chambers sit out four Continued on Page 2 Nebraska Right to Life 1 NEBRASKA Right to Life volunteers across the State GRAND RIGHT TO LIFE man their annual County Fair booths, an es- ISLAND AROUND THE sential outreach that educates thousands of STATE Nebraskans about fetal development, abor- tion and euthanasia. Nebraska Right to Life Educational Trust Fund assists with a number of County Fair booths sending out County Fair Care Packages of items and brochures that local groups appreciate receiving. This leads in to our annual booth at the State Fair, this year from Aug. 22nd to Sept. 1st. Please e-mail [email protected] if you would like to work a shift at the State Fair.

Diane Ruzicka works the Grand Island Right to Life booth at the Hall County Fair in July. She is one of many pro-life volunteers across the State who work to educate the general public about sanctity of life issues.

CONVINCE YOUR SENATOR TO ADVOCATE PRO-LIFE Continued from Page 1 them as doing nothing pro-life even U.S. Supreme Court and paved the way them questions about their positions on though they were endorsed pro-life for the federal ban, which eventually was potential legislation but also about the candidates. Moreover, those seven (six upheld as the law of the land. It also was Unicameral process, such as whether who ran with an endorsement) have not Nebraska’s Pain Capable Unborn Child they would “seriously consider introduc- stepped up to be new pro-life leaders. Protection Act that forced LeRoy Carhart ing and prioritizing pro-life legislation.” Every pro-life senator & candidate to take his late-term abortion business Many of them respond in the affirmative wants to run with an endorsement from out of the State and has spawned the to those questions. We need to hold Nebraska Right to Life PAC and many introduction of the same bill in 10 other them to it. Without cultivating new lead- have. Even though we “pitch” model States and the U.S. Congress. ers, we will not be able to pass legisla- legislation to most pro-life senators, it We need your help in communicat- tion; it’s that simple. is difficult to get someone to step up ing to your pro-life state senator and/or As public servants, state senators to the plate and introduce or prioritize legislative candidate that we need and work long hours throughout the year something. Sometimes we get the mes- want leaders in the Unicameral. By lead- for little pay but the old adage is true, sage that they are afraid of leading on ers we mean people who will introduce “the squeaky wheel gets the grease,” the issue because it puts a target on and prioritize legislation and who will especially when they are trying to juggle their back from our opponents or from work diligently to get such legislation out the needs of their districts. Senator Chambers, who is ruthless in of the Judiciary and Health Committees. To identify your senator’s record or attacking others’ priority bills. Pushing the green button on a floor vote candidate’s position, see the compilation This is unacceptable. We network is always needed and appreciated, but on Page 3. While it is important that you with our counterparts from across the we don’t get to that final step without contact your senator even if he or she nation at National Right to Life Board the senators who have a passion for our has a pro-abortion or M voting record, meetings and conventions. It is amaz- issue and are willing to put themselves the people who really need the contact ing how many other States are able to out front on it. are the pro-life ones. They have said continually pass pro-life legislation every You will be seeing your pro-life publicly they are with us on this issue, year. Missouri’s House & Senate intro- senator and/or legislative candidate this now is the time for them to act on it. duced 32 — count em’, 32 — pro-life bills Summer and Fall at festivals, county Please send an update to us at our in their 2013 session! Texas, Kansas fairs and town halls. Please befriend contact information in this newsletter and Oklahoma are States that have them and start up an email/mail or once you have had a chance to talk lead on pro-life legislation, as Nebraska phone relationship with them. Every to your senator and/or candidate. Any has in the past, and they manage to pro-life senator and/or candidate knows information you can provide is helpful consistently pass bills every year. Our that there is a substantial voting block in our ability to approach and work with compatriots in other States tell us they of pro-lifers in their district, and that is those most likely to take to heart our have pro-life senators and representa- why they seek an NRL PAC stamp of desire to pass more pro-life legislation. tives lining up to introduce and lead on approval on their candidacy. You and Thank you for your help in this important legislation. others need to remind them that you are outreach! If you do not know what legis- There is no reason for Nebraska to expecting them to not just run pro-life lative district you are in, go to http://www. stop being a leader on pro-life legisla- but to lead pro-life when and if they get http://nebraskalegislature.gov/sena- tion. Remember, it was Nebraska’s par- to Lincoln. tors/senator_find.php and insert your tial birth abortion ban that made it to the The NRL PAC survey not only asks zip code.

2 Nebraska Right to Life WHERE DOES YOUR STATE SENATOR/CANDIDATE STAND?

Key: P-L: Pro-life, N-R: No response, M: Answered mixed DISTRICT DISTRICT 1 : Incumbent since 2013, endorsed P-L, 24 : New candidate, answered P-L. no voting record or advocacy. Kirk Tesar: N-R. 2 Bill Kintner: Incumbent since 2013, endorsed P-L, 25 Kathy Campbell: Incumbent since 2009, not endorsed, introduced & prioritized P-L, P-L voting record and leader on prenatal funding bill but doesn’t vote P-L on advocacy, running again. Ron Nolte: N-R. other bills. 3 Tommy Garrett: Incumbent since 2014, answered P-L, no 26 Brent Smoyer: New candidate, answered P-L. voting record or advocacy, running again. : : N-R. New candidate, answered P-L. 27 : Incumbent since 2009, endorsed P-L, P-L 4 & Stacy Ryan: New candidates, voting record, no advocacy. both answered P-L. 28 Dallas Jones: New candidate, answered P-L. 5 : Incumbent since 2009, endorsed P-L, P-L : N-R. voting record, no advocacy. 29 : Incumbent since 2013, not endorsed, no voting 6 Joni Craighead: New candidate, answered P-L. record. John Stahlnaker: N-R. 30 Bob Tiemann: New candidate, answered P-L. 7 : Incumbent since 2009, endorsed P-L, : Answered M. P-L voting record, no advocacy. 31 : Incumbent since 2013, not endorsed, no 8 Burke Harr: Incumbent since 2011, P-L voting record, no voting record. advocacy except was instrumental in getting Stop Web 32 Laura Ebke: New candidate, answered M. Cam Abortion bill out of committee. Gwenn Aspen: New Phil Hardenburger: N-R. candidate, answered M. 33 Les Seiler: Incumbent since 2012, not endorsed, no voting 9 : Incumbent since 2013, not endorsed, no record or advocacy. response, no voting record. 34 : New candidate, answered P-L. 10 Bob Krist: Incumbent since 2009, endorsed P-L, 35 : Incumbent since 2009, endorsed P-L, P-L introduced P-L, P-L voting record & advocacy. voting record, no advocacy. 11 Ernie Chambers: Returned in 2013 after sitting out for term 36 Matt Williams: New candidate, answered P-L. Luis limits. Sotelo: New candidate, answered M. 12 : New candidate, answered P-L. Greg Hosch: 37 Galen Hadley: Incumbent since 2009, not endorsed, P-L N-R. voting record, no advocacy. 13 : Incumbent since 2011, not endorsed, doesn’t 38 : New candidate, did not respond. vote P-L. 39 Beau McCoy: Incumbent since 2009, endorsed P-L, 14 Jim Smith: Incumbent since 2011, endorsed P-L, P-L voting introduced & priortized P-L, P-L voting record & advocacy. record, no advocacy. 40 : Incumbent since 2011, answered P-L, P-L 16 : Incumbent since 2011, endorsed P-L, voting record, no advocacy. Keith Kube: New candidate, introduced & prioritized P-L, P-L voting record & advocacy. answered P-L. Scott Japp: N-R. 41 Kate Sullivan: Incumbent since 2009, endorsed P-L, P-L 17 : Incumbent since 2011, endorsed P-L, voting record, no advocacy. prioritized P-L, P-L voting record & advocacy. 42 Michael Groene: New candidate, answered P-L. 18 : New candidate, answered P-L. Roric Paulman: N-R. J. Michael Tesar: N-R. 43 Al Davis: Incumbent since 2013, not endorsed, no voting 19 : Incumbent since 2013, endorsed P-L, no record or advocacy. voting record or advocacy. 44 Steven Stroup: New candidate, answered P-L. Dan 20 Matt Lathrop: New candidate, answered P-L. Hughes: New candidate, requested survey & awaiting John McCollister: N-R. response. 21 Ken Haar: Incumbent since 2009, not endorsed, doesn’t 45 : Incumbent since 2013, not endorsed, no vote P-L. voting record. 22 Paul Schumacher: Incumbent since 2011, answered P-L, 46 James Bowers: N-R. : N-R. P-L voting record, no advocacy. 47 : Incumbent since 2009, endorsed P-L, P-L voting 23 Jerry Johnson: Incumbent since 2013, endorsed P-L, no record, no advocacy. voting record or advocacy. 48 : New candidate,Nebraska Rightanswered to Life 3 P-L. Mike Meister: N-R. www.nebraskarighttolife.org NEBRASKA RIGHT TO LIFE Nebraska BOARD OF DIRECTORS President: Sandy Danek, Lincoln Right to Life Vice-President: Brenda Eller, David City State Affiliate to the National Right to Life Committee Secretary: Chuck Conrad, Hastings Treasurer: Brian Kimminau, Omaha PAC Director: Denise Ashby, Lincoln Janet Kaus, Morrill Julie Lostroh, Malcolm Executive Director & Nebraska Board P.O. Box 80410 Non Profit Org. Member to National Right to Life: US Postage Julie Schmit-Albin, Lincoln Lincoln, NE 68501-0410 PAID Lincoln, NE Mailing Address: RETURN SERVICE REQUESTED Permit No. 470 P.O. Box 80410, Lincoln, NE 68501 Mail can only be received at our P.O. Box.

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WILL TO LIVE: A LEGAL DOCUMENT TO PROTECT YOUR RIGHTS IF YOU CAN NO LONGER SPEAK FOR YOURSELF National Right to Life welcomes you to download, print and sign a Will to Live, which is a legally binding pro-life alter- native to traditional living wills. The document allows you to designate someone to make health care decisions for you if it becomes impossible for you to speak for yourself. It also includes the medical treatments that you do and do not want. For more information, and to download the form for Nebraska, visit http://www.nrlc.org/medethics/willtolive. NATIONAL RIGHT TO LIFE CONVENTION

Attendees unify behind a shared message during the Nebraska Right to Life President Sandy Danek with Father 2014 National Right to Life convention June 26-28 in Frank Pavone of Priests for Life Louisville, KY. 4 Nebraska Right to Life