Health Care

Conservative columnist George Will argued Sunday on ABC's "This Week" that the Obama administration's contraception mandate and Planned Parenthood's outrage over the withdrawal of funding by cancer charity Susan G. Komen for the Cure suggest pro-choice liberals oppose choice.

"All these people describing themselves as pro-choice said it is illegitimate to choose not to be involved in abortion. And, a much more important decision, politically, that was taken this week, was the Obama administration saying Catholic institutions have no choice, and this was applauded by pro-choice people ... but to provide contraception, abortion inducing drugs and sterilization," Will said.

The Komen foundation, an organization devoted to research and awareness of breast cancer, had decided to end grants to Planned Parenthood for mammography referrals because Planned Parenthood is currently under investigation by Congress. Pro-lifers applauded the decision while others, especially abortion rights advocates, decried it. Komen reversed its decision Friday. more >>

The Virginia state Senate jumpstarted lawmakers' 2012 pro-life agenda Wednesday with the passage of an informed consent bill mandating abortion providers perform an ultrasound on a patient before conducting an abortion.

Supporting senators herald the 21-18 vote as victory for women because the ultrasound bill will ensure they receive more medical information prior to an abortion procedure.

Tarina Keene, executive director of NARAL Pro-Choice Virginia, agreed in a statement on the NARAL website that women should have access to an ultrasound but said the state Senate bill forces it on women. more >>

Pastor Steve Reynolds of Capital Baptist Church in Annandale, Va., is offering parishioners who seek to lose weight a motivation that's higher than simply wanting to look good: honoring God.

"I want to show people – all types of people, especially Christian people – that we're made by God, but we're also made for God, and we need to honor him with our bodies," the pastor told TODAY.com.

Reynolds heads a weight loss competition program called "Bod4God" at Capital Baptist Church that has assisted members of his congregation in losing over 12,000 pounds since 2007, TODAY reported. Reynolds himself has lost a whopping 120 pounds with the program. more >>

Cardinal-designate Timothy Dolan charged the Barack Obama administration with selectively adhering to the freedoms enshrined in the U.S. Constitution, respecting the rights of abortionists over religious institutions that object to treating "pregnancy as a disease."

In a commentary for The Wall Street Journal on Wednesday, U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops President Dolan said the Obama administration is only willing to defend churches' right to conscience as long as those sensibilities do not challenge the abortion and family planning industries.

"The Amish do not carry health insurance. The government respects their principles. Christian Scientists want to heal by prayer alone, and the new health care reform law respects that. Quakers and others object to killing even in wartime, and the government respects that principle for conscientious objectors. By its decision, the Obama administration has failed to show the same respect for the consciences of Catholics and others who object to treating pregnancy as a disease," he wrote. more >>

Under new U.S. Department of Agriculture standards announced on Wednesday to improve child health and reduce childhood obesity, millions of American students will be given more fruit and vegetables for their lunch meals.

This is the first overhaul of the school lunch program in over 15 years. The changes will affect the close to 32 million children that eat lunch at school.

"Improving the quality of the school meals is a critical step in building a healthy future for our kids," Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack told MSNBC. "When it comes to our children, we must do everything possible to provide them the nutrition they need to be healthy, active and ready to face the future – today we take an important step towards that goal." more >>

WASHINGTON – One day after the anniversary of the U.S. Supreme Court decision Roe v. Wade, tens of thousands of people gathered on a cold, rainy Monday for the 39th Annual March for Life at the National Mall in Washington, DC.

Families, churches, schools, monks, nuns, Orthodox Jews, and many others from across the country crowded the streets shouting "We love babies!" and telling the watching public that "life counts."

Henry J. Mansell, Archbishop of Hartford, Conn., told The Christian Post that he had been involved in the annual March for Life for "many years" as well as other marches elsewhere in the country. more >>