Members of the Bangor GOP attended the hearing for LD 1619 at the State House on May 1-2, 2023, with a common goal; namely, to speak up for Life. If passed, LD1619 will allow the right to terminate a “viable” life after 24 weeks of conception until birth. The crowd gathered at the capitol in opposition to this bill was historic!
There were 1,184 pages of testimony submitted in opposition to LD1619. Many of our representatives and senators received a hand delivered binder with the 1,184 pages of testimonies.
Over 675 people signed up to testify in front of the judiciary committee in person—nearly 20 hours of testimonies. Among those who testified were doctors, nurses, ministers, counselors, women, men, children, teenagers, and young adults. These testimonies were heart-felt, emotional, uplifting and riveting. Every Mainer should watch or read these testimonies. Some people waited all night to testify. The halls of the capitol were filled with love and hymns.
Maine currently allows for abortion up to 24th week of pregnancy. Maine has one of the country’s most liberal sets of abortion access laws with a Democratic controlled state government. Governor Mills repeatedly said throughout her campaign and debates with Governor LePage that she had “no plans” of changing the existing abortion laws.
This bill was introduced based on the case of a woman whose unborn baby had a condition that would lead the baby to die shortly after being born. The woman was unable to get an abortion in Maine after 24 weeks, so she had one done in a state that allowed abortion post viability.
If the state of Maine is going to allow the payment of medical treatment to individuals to have taxpayer-funded late term abortions in other states, then what is to prevent the State from having to pay for any treatment a Maine resident seeks in other states?
If this bill passes, it could change the law from an abortion being a medical necessity to a judgement call. This judgement call could cost the life of the mother as well as the baby. Late-term abortions are not without risk. If a mother’s life is lost as the result of a late-term abortion, which has happened, then the state can be sued by the mother’s family.
The judgement call of some doctors could be made to make money. A doctor may be motivated to deem an abortion “medically” necessary based on harm to the mother’s health based on the perception that a woman’s prospects may be low based on income or ethnicity. This would be a doctor making the decision based on mental health, even if the doctor may not be a mental health provider.
There was a clinic in New Mexico (Southwestern Women’s Options) which was performing late term abortions and providing the University of New Mexico with fetal tissue and fetal remains. This program has since been shut down. We cannot be a state that allows organ harvesting from aborted babies for profit. These providers may be looking to set up shop here in Maine.
Instead of focusing on ending life, we believe the Maine governor, representatives, and senators should focus on preserving life.
Maine’s birth rate has declined for decades and remains among the lowest in the country. 716 people in Maine died from drug overdoses in 2022. We have not heard any promotion of healthy living from our state government. We need to focus on Life, healthy living, the beauty, and gift of life.
Our state slogan is “Maine, the way LIFE should be” let’s live by this slogan. This is not a political issue–this is a humanity issue.
We urge all our elected officials to vote NO on LD1619. Vote your conscience, not your party! Let ME Live!
The Bangor GOP
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