WASHINGTON, DC  (Catholic Online) - The Prenatal Discrimination Act (PRENDA) was defeated before a committee of the US House of Representatives on Thursday, May 31, 2012. Given the procedural means by which the vote was called, passage  required a 2/3 majority. The final vote tally was 246 for making the killing of children in the womb based on their gender illegal. The number of those who support the intentional killing of children in the womb based on gender as some kind of protected "right" was 168 representatives.

There were more Democrats who supported this brutal act than Republicans. However, seven Republicans failed to vote against this evil - and that is also an outrage! This is not a partisan issue. The vote separates those who have a heart and those who do not.  It should also inform our political action and voting choices in the coming elections.

The failure to pass this necessary and just Bill reveals the fault line we face in our effort to defend the first and fundamental human right to life against the purveyors of deceit and death. That is what they are, purveyors of death and deceit. All this talk about being concerned about women's health is shown to be a fraud with this vote. The practice of taking the life of an unborn child because she is a baby girl is condemned when it is practiced in China and India. Yet, some of those who join in that condemnation voted to keep the same barbaric practice legal in the United States of America.

It should come as no surprise that President Barack Obama weighed in on the issue the night before the vote.  In Wednesdays Press Conference, Jake Tapper of ABC News asked what the president's position was on this legislation. The exchange is recorded on his posting entitled "Legislation About Gender Selection and Abortion - Today's Q for O's WH - 5/30/2012"

"TAPPER: The House is, I think, this afternoon preparing to take up a bill that would ban gender selection as a factor in abortions in this country. And I was wondering - I haven't a statement of administration policy; I was wondering if the White House had a position on that?
CARNEY: I will have to take that as well. Been focused on other things, but I will get back to you.
The Press Secretary got back to Tapper on Wednesday evening and he recorded the response:

"Note: The White House got back to me this evening to say the president opposes the bill.White House deputy press secretary Jamie Smith says in a statement: "The Administration opposes gender discrimination in all forms, but the end result of this legislation would be to subject doctors to criminal prosecution if they fail to determine the motivations behind a very personal and private decision.   The government should not intrude in medical decisions or private family matters in this way."

No surprise. This President, when he served in the Illinois State Senate, could not even bring himself to support restrictions on the infanticide called "Partial Birth Abortion." He later denied this and it led to an ongoing dispute with Pro-Life leaders. However, the facts are clear and his record in the White House has spoken more loudly than his attempted denial. This President is the strongest opponent of the Right to Life to ever occupy the White House.

The Nation's leading opponent of the fundamental human Right to life, Planned Parenthood, just endorsed the President's reelection with its typical sophistry. Planned Parenthood Action Fund President Cecile Richards said "There is no greater champion for women's health than President Obama and Planned Parenthood Action Fund couldn't be prouder to endorse his reelection as president today."

Richards also opposed PRENDA on Wednesday, May 30, 2012 saying, "As the nation's leading sexual and reproductive health provider and advocate, Planned Parenthood knows all too well that women still face gender discrimination in this country. We oppose sex selection abortion.  But this bill does nothing to advance protections against discrimination and instead will have the result of further shaming and stigmatizing women. "

Planned Parenthood is built on lies. They call themselves up as a "Health Care Provider" and include the taking of the lives of innocent children in the womb, for any reason including sex selection, as a "service". They say they oppose gender discrimination while they support it in the United States! Their web site tells visitors they are "America's most trusted provider of reproductive health care" Yet, there is nothing "reproductive" about abortion - and it is certainly not a service to the child, the mother, the father or the common good of society. ...