Health Committee Hearing Highlights Horrors of Abortion

Apr 16, 2021 | 1 comment

The PA House Health Committee – chaired by pro-life champion State Rep. Kathy Rapp (R-Warren) – held a hearing last week in Harrisburg on abortion and fetal development. Three pro-life doctors made for a stellar line-up, offering incredible insight into how intricately formed babies are in the womb, even from an early age. 

Thanks to your support, we helped to recommend medical experts on fetal development and maternal care. We offer tremendous thanks to the three doctors who were able to testify: Dr. Monique Ruberu, Dr. Eric Hasser, and Dr. Joseph Castelli. They all gave professional insights into the beautiful details of fetal development, dispelling any myths that unborn babies are merely “clumps of cells.” The unborn are living human beings who are worthy of dignity and life. 

The hearing included pro-abortion testimony that, despite their intentions, exposed the realities of abortion and the abortion industry. Keara Klinepeter, Executive Deputy Secretary for PA Department of Health, was not able to answer questions about inconsistency in reporting data on abortion, nor was she able to explain many of the procedures her department is supposed to oversee. When questioned on telemedicine abortions (which are especially dangerous) she replied, “At this time they do require a face-to-face appointment, I believe. I don’t believe we allow telemedicine abortions.” She’s correct about the [FDA’s] in-person requirement* – but completely wrong about what the abortion industry is doing right now in our state, as harmful telemedicine abortions are happening in Pennsylvania. We share the proof of this tragic reality on our website

Klinepeter also defended the department’s decision to categorize abortions as “essential” during the COVID-19 shutdown, despite shutting down all other elective surgical procedures. Governor Wolf and his administration continue to give a free pass to the abortion industry and permit dangerous procedures like telemedicine abortions to harm women and families in Pennsylvania. 

Two pro-abortion doctors testified during the hearing as well, Dr. Stacy Beck and Dr. Stephen Emery. Both are connected to the University of Pittsburgh and UMPC’s Magee-Womens Hospital, which has the shameful distiction of performing more abortions than any other hospital in Pennsylvania; over 500 abortions every year.

Dr. Emery is a fetal surgeon who performs incredible in-utero surgeries. He was asked what the difference is between the unborn babies he operates on and the babies who are aborted. His answer? In short, he said the ones he operates on are wanted. This is what happens when we deny the sanctity of life and put political ideology over scientific reality.

We applaud the leadership of pro-life champion Rep. Kathy Rapp and her leadership as chair of the House Health Committee for taking the time to shed light about developing babies and abortion – a literal life or death issue. And we thank the many pro-life committee members for asking important and tough questions throughout the hearing. We look forward to how this hearing will help our efforts to see Pennsylvania as a place where life is cherished and to further the many pro-life policy efforts in our legislature, including the Heartbeat bill and the Down Syndrome Protection Act.

*Note: Since this hearing, the Biden administration has temporarily lifted this restriction, putting thousands of women at risk for higher complications, and favoring the abortion industry over the wellbeing of women and girls.