As HHS Secretary, top Romney advisor ordered enforcement of Born Alive Act
Politico reported yesterday that former Utah governor and Secretary of Health and Human Services Michael Leavitt “is the most important figure in Mitt Romney’s campaign you may have never heard of,” adding Leavitt “has been tapped to head Romney’s transition process” and is being buzzed about by insider Republicans as Romney’s potential chief-of-staff.
My eyes lit up when seeing Leavitt’s name. Leavitt gave me the best birthday present ever when on April 22, 2005, as President George W. Bush’s HHS secretary, he issued a memo ordering that the Born Alive Infants Protection Act be “aggressively enforce[d]”:
The Act reaffirms the legal principle that all infants born alive are entitled to the full protection of the law. That is a principle I will vigorously uphold as Secretary. As a matter of law and policy, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services will investigate all circumstances where individuals and entities are reported to be withholding medical care from an infant born alive in potential violation of federal statutes for which we are responsible. We will also take proactive steps to educate state officials, health care providers, hospitals and child protection agencies about their obligations to born-alive infants under federal law.
We took the first of these educational steps today by notifying relevant entities that we aggressively enforce federal laws that protect born-alive infants….
Ours is a society that values and defends life. The Department of Health and Human Services will continue to seek ways to revere and protect the dignity of life.
What good news it is that Leavitt is already one of Romney’s top advisors.
Reading Leavitt’s memo also reminded me how dark and deadly the position of HHS secretary has become.
[Photo via the Associated Press]
Jill Stanek is a nurse turned speaker, columnist and blogger, a national figure in the effort to protect both preborn and postborn innocent human life.
At first glance at the headline I had thoughts of Nuremberg and “only following orders” swimming in my head.
Well, thank goodness. This is a good sign that the Romney administration will stand up for the right of everyone to have the best birthday present of all - a safe birth.
Jill, any concerns about Leavitt being one of the most vocal supporters of ObamaCare and the health insurance exchanges?
Bobbi says:
June 5, 2012 at 4:07 pm
ROMENY will not be able to stop the Obamanation. He can’t do it, guys.
Please read:
Here is a little bit more on what Ron Paul’s take on how to end abortion:
Slavery was made illegal everywhere in the U.S. by the ThirteenthAmendment, which took effect in December 1865.
Lincoln issued the Proclamation under his authority as “Commander inChief of the Army and Navy” under Article II, section 2 of the United States Constitution.[3] As such, he had the martial power to suspend civil law in those states which were in rebellion. He did not have Commander-in-Chief authority over the four slave-holding states that had not declared a secession: Missouri, Kentucky, Maryland and Delaware. The Emancipation Proclamation was never challenged in court. To ensure the abolition of slavery everywhere in the U.S., Lincoln pushed for passage of the Thirteenth Amendment. Congress passed it by the necessary 2/3 vote in February 1865 and it was ratified by the states by December 1865.[4
I am saying this in response to the prolife profiles out of context Ron Paul quote they are claiming proves he is pro-abortion.
Ron Paul is NOT giving the individual states the right to decide whether or not abortion is to become legal. BECAUSE THAT IS NOT WHAT HE WAS SAYING. Right?? HE was saying, that the states can’t decide such a thing. Neither can the supreme court. Abortion has to be abolished via Federal Declaration, this would only be possible if it was done via an executive authority–aka a president would have to be the one to issue such a statement, and such would overturn roe vs. wade.. or something. Likelincoln did it with slavery. then it’s up to the states to enforceabortions the way they do any other form of manslaughter.