Here’s an excerpt from his letter:

House Bill 6205 violates the conscientious objection of many citizens. In 1844, Abraham Lincoln broke with his own party, the often anti-Catholic Whigs, and proposed: “Resolved, that the guarantee of the rights of conscience, as found in our Constitution, is most sacred and inviolable, and one that belongs no less to the Catholic, than to the Protestant; and that all attempts to abridge or interfere with these rights, either of Catholic or Protestant, directly or indirectly, have our decided disapprobation, and shall ever have our most effective opposition.” Lincoln’s position is as valid today as it was last year and in 1844. The tax dollars of Catholics and many other conscientious people must not be used to subsidize the taking of innocent human life.

He ends with a plea for action:

Accordingly, I again ask you to make your voice heard in Springfield. Please contact your elected representatives this week and urge them to oppose House Bill 6205. If your representative indicates that they oppose the legislation please thank them.

To read the full text of the Cardinal’s letter click here.

I am grateful for the leadership showed by Cardinal George and I hope that many other religious leaders at the highest and the lowest levels will mobilize their flocks to save lives and protect human dignity.

If you are a leader in your church whether you lead the music, a Bible study or the whole congregation, please remember to contact your representative and then witness to your fellow Christians about the necessity for swift action. Click here for talking points.

**The Cardinal’s letter will be inserted in bulletins in churches in the Archdiocese of Chicago. Look for it and use it to start conversations with your fellow parishioners and move them to action.**

You’ll find a list of these Reps after the break, starting with Naomi Jakobsson (pictured to the left), the committee chair, who is also a co-sponsor of HB6205!

They are the people who get to vote on whether or not this bill moves on to the House floor. It’s important that everybody contact these representatives whether or not they are YOUR representative.

They all represent you as an Illinois citizen on this committee, so they need to hear your voice.

Call, write, fax and visit these reps and tell them to vote NO on HB6205. Tell them:

• HB6205 will require taxpayers to fund thousands of Medicaid abortions—at a time of crushing fiscal crisis
• HB6205 will force Illinois school children into “condom training” sex-ed, starting in pre-school
• HB6205 will make it more difficult for women to seek justice after a botched abortion
• HB6205 will pave the way for gutting the Parental Notice Act of 1995—a measure supported by the overwhelming majority of Illinoisans

Please call, write and visit as many of these Reps as possible. Here’s the list of names and phone numbers to call. For all the details on how to contact these Reps and maps to their offices, see the full list below:

• Rep. Naomi D. Jakobsson 217-558-1009
• Rep. Constance A. Howard 217-782-6476
• Rep. Patricia R. Bellock 217-782-1448
• Rep. Sandy Cole 217-782-7320
• Rep. Annazette Collins 217-782-8077
• Rep. Mary E. Flowers 217-782-4207
• Rep. Timothy L. Schmitz 217-782-5457

Rep. Naomi D. Jakobsson (D-103rd)

Committee Chairperson

Springfield Office:
257-S Stratton Office Building
Springfield, IL 62706 (map)
217-558-1009
217-557-7680 FAX

District Office:
206 N. Randolph
Suite 120
Champaign, IL 61820 (map)
217-373-5000
217-373-8679 FAX

Email: naomi@naomijakobsson.com

Rep. Constance A. Howard (D-34th)

Vice Chairperson

Springfield Office:
270-S Stratton Office Building
Springfield, IL 62706 (map)
217-782-6476
217-782-0952 FAX

District Office:
8729 S. State Street
Chicago, IL 60619 (map)
773-783-8800
773-783-8773 FAX

Email: howardca@ilga.gov

Rep. Patricia R. Bellock (R-47th)

Republican Spokesperson

Springfield Office:
227-N Stratton Office Building
Springfield, IL 62706 (map)
217-782-1448
217-782-2289 FAX

District Office:
1 S. Cass Ave.
Westmont Centre, Suite 205
Westmont, IL 60559 (map)
630-852-8633
630-852-6530 FAX

Rep. Sandy Cole (R-62nd)

Springfield Office:
205A-N Stratton Office Building
Springfield, IL 62706 (map)
217-782-7320
217-782-5257 FAX

District Office:
137 Center St.
Suite 2-A
Grayslake, IL 60030 (map)
847-543-0062
847-543-8862 FAX

Rep. Annazette Collins (D-10th)

Springfield Office:
262-W Stratton Office Building
Springfield, IL 62706 (map)
217-782-8077
217-557-7643 FAX

District Office:
259 North Pulaski Road
Chicago, IL 60624 (map)
773-533-0010
773-533-1971 FAX

Email: collinsar@ilga.gov

Rep. Mary E. Flowers (D-31st)

Springfield Office:
251-E Stratton Office Building
Springfield, IL 62706
217-782-4207
217-782-1130 FAX (map)

District Office:
2525 W. 79th Street
Chicago, IL 60652 (map)
773-471-5200
773-471-1036 FAX

Email: flowersme@ilga.gov

Rep. Timothy L. Schmitz (R-49th)

Deputy Republican Leader

Springfield Office:
224-N Stratton Office Building
Springfield, IL 62706 (map)
217-782-5457
217-782-1138 FAX

District Office:
127 Hamilton Street
Suite D
Geneva, IL 60134 (map)
630-845-9590
630-845-9592 FAX

Email: info@timschmitz.org

Last year we got many of the sponsors of the Reproductive Health and Access Act to drop their sponsorship of the bill due to pressure from constituents like you.

This year, Representatives have been slower to join their names to the controversial bill. Let’s get some of those Reps to drop the bill this year!

Below you’ll find a list of all the Reps who have co-sponsored this bill. Look down the list and see if your Rep is one of them. If they are, call, fax, e-mail and even visit them if you can and tell them to drop their sponsorship of HB 6205, the Reproductive Health and Access Act today. Tell them:

• HB6205 will require taxpayers to fund thousands of Medicaid abortions—at a time of crushing fiscal crisis
• HB6205 will force Illinois school children into “condom training” sex-ed, starting in pre-school
• HB6205 will make it more difficult for women to seek justice after a botched abortion
• HB6205 will pave the way for gutting the Parental Notice Act of 1995—a measure supported by the overwhelming majority of Illinoisans

See the list after the break starting with the bill’s main sponsor, Majority Leader Rep. Barbara Flynn Currie, pictured to the right. If your Rep is on the list, you can find the complete list of their contact info—including maps to their Springfield and district offices—on the full list below. If you’re not sure who your state rep is, you can find out here by entering your address.

• Rep. Barbara Flynn Currie (D-25th) 217-782-8121
• Rep. Naomi D. Jakobsson (D-103rd) 217-558-1009
• Rep. Sara Feigenholtz (D-12th) 217-782-8062
• Rep. Karen May (D-58th) 217-782-0902
• Rep. Elaine Nekritz (D-57th) 217-558-1004
• Rep. Lou Lang (D-16th) 217-782-1252
• Rep. Maria Antonia Berrios (D-39th) 217-558-1032
• Rep. Arthur L. Turner (D-9th) 217-782-8116
• Rep. Greg Harris (D-13th) 217-782-3835
• Rep. Karen A. Yarbrough (D-7th) 217-782-8120
• Rep. Julie Hamos (D-18th) 217-782-8052
• Rep. John A. Fritchey (D-11th) 217-782-2458

Rep. Barbara Flynn Currie (D-25th)

Majority Leader

Springfield Office:
300 Capitol Building
Springfield, IL 62706 (map)
217-782-8121
217-524-1794 FAX

District Office:
1303 E. 53rd Street
Chicago, IL 60615 (map)
773-667-0550
773-667-3010 FAX
Cook County

Rep. Naomi D. Jakobsson (D-103rd)

Springfield Office:
257-S Stratton Office Building
Springfield, IL 62706 (map)
217-558-1009
217-557-7680 FAX

District Office:
206 N. Randolph
Suite 120
Champaign, IL 61820 (map)
217-373-5000
217-373-8679 FAX

Email: naomi@naomijakobsson.com

Rep. Sara Feigenholtz (D-12th)

Springfield Office:
254-W Stratton Office Building
Springfield, IL 62706 (map)
217-782-8062
217-557-7203 FAX

District Office:
1051 W. Belmont
Chicago, IL 60657 (map)
773-296-4141
773-296-0993 FAX

Email: feigenholtz@ilga.gov

Rep. Karen May (D-58th)

Springfield Office:
255-S Stratton Office Building
Springfield, IL 62706 (map)
217-782-0902
217-557-7214 FAX

District Office:
427 Sheridan Road
Highwood, IL 60040 (map)
847-433-9100
847-433-9111 FAX

Email: karen@repkarenmay.org

Rep. Elaine Nekritz (D-57th)

Springfield Office:
238-W Stratton Office Building
Springfield, IL 62706 (map)
217-558-1004
217-557-7204 FAX

District Office:
24 S. Des Plaines River Road
Suite 400
Des Plaines, IL 60016 (map)
847-257-0450
847-257-0452 FAX

Email: enekritz@repnekritz.org

Rep. Lou Lang (D-16th)

Deputy Majority Leader

Springfield Office:
109 Capitol Building
Springfield, IL 62706 (map)
217-782-1252
217-782-9903 FAX

District Office:
4121 Main Street
Skokie, IL 60076 (map)
847-673-1131
847-982-0393 FAX

Email: langli@ilga.gov

Rep. Maria Antonia Berrios (D-39th)

Springfield Office:
290-S Stratton Office Building
Springfield, IL 62706 (map)
217-558-1032
217-558-7112 FAX

District Office:
2058 N. Western Ave.
Chicago, IL 60647 (map)
773-235-3939
773-278-2541 FAX

Email: repberrios39@gmail.com

Rep. Arthur L. Turner (D-9th)

Deputy Majority Leader

Springfield Office:
300 Capitol Building
Springfield, IL 62706 (map)
217-782-8116
217-782-0888 FAX

District Office:
3849 W. Ogden Avenue
Chicago, IL 60623 (map)
773-277-4700
773-277-4703 FAX

Rep. Greg Harris (D-13th)

Springfield Office:
258-W Stratton Office Building
Springfield, IL 62706 (map)
217-782-3835
217-557-6470 FAX

District Office:
1967 W. Montrose
Chicago, IL 60613 (map)
773-348-3434
773-348-3475 FAX

Rep. Karen A. Yarbrough (D-7th)

Springfield Office:
272-S Stratton Office Building
Springfield, IL 62706 (map)
217-782-8120
217-782-1739 FAX

District Office:
2305 W. Roosevelt Rd.
Broadview, IL 60155 (map)
708-615-1747
708-615-1745 FAX

Email: kyarbrough@ilga.gov

Rep. Julie Hamos (D-18th)

Springfield Office:
256-W Stratton Office Building
Springfield, IL 62706 (map)
217-782-8052
217-557-7204 FAX

District Office:
820 Davis Street
Suite 103
Evanston, IL 60201 (map)
847-424-9898
847-424-9828 FAX

Email: julie@staterephamos.org

Rep. John A. Fritchey (D-11th)

Springfield Office:
200-7S Stratton Office Building
Springfield, IL 62706 (map)
217-782-2458
217-557-7214 FAX

District Office:
2539 North Southport Avenue
Chicago, IL 60614 (map)
773-871-4000
773-871-4012 FAX

Whether or not that committee vote ever takes place depends in large part on whether the Democratic leadership in the House believes they have the votes necessary to pass the measure and send it to the state Senate. In 2008, pro-life opposition to the bill kept it from ever getting out of committee. In 2009, it was approved by the committee under heavy pressure from pro-abortion groups like Personal PAC and the ACLU.

So it’s critical that we keep calling our state reps and tell them to oppose HB6205. If we can make it clear that this bill will never pass in the House, it could die at the committee level.

Please note: If you signed the petition against the 2009 version of Illinois FOCA, please sign the new petition, too. The bill has changed slightly and an all-new petition is required.

This will be a great opportunity to meet with your representative in Springfield and tell them to vote NO on HB6205.

Buses will depart from two locations, one on the north side and one on the south side of Chicago. The cost for a seat on the bus is $20 which includes lunch and an orientation session to help you effectively lobby your representative. Register today for your seat on the bus.

Our sources at the Capitol have made it clear that the flood of in-person visits from pro-lifers were key in our success in defeating Illinois FOCA last spring. Let’s make sure we repeat that crucial move this year.

The new bill slightly tweaks some provisions of HB2354, the Illinois FOCA bill defeated last year by a broad coalition of pro-life and pro-family groups. When it became clear that the bill lacked enough votes to pass, the Democratic House leadership shelved the bill, in a stinging defeat for the pro-abortion lobby.

As of this writing, HB6205 has not yet been referred to a committee. The committee will deliberate the measure and either vote to send it to the full House or let it die.

HB6205: The abortion provider’s “fail-safe” if Roe v. Wade goes down

A more thorough analysis of HB6205 and how it differs from last year’s version will be offered soon here. But an initial review shows very little has changed. The bill would establish abortion as a fundamental right in the state, force public funding of thousands of abortions and mandate Planned Parenthood-style “condom training” sex ed classes in all public schools.

The bill seems designed to maintain Illinois’ status as the abortion capital of the midwest in the event that Roe v. Wade is ever overturned. As such, its filing is an indication of how frantic the pro-abortion lobby has become, and what their strategy will be in other states as well.

Third time’s a charm

This is actually the third time this bill has reared its ugly head. Its first incarnation was as HB5615, the Reproductive Justice and Access Act (RJAA), which never made it out of committee thanks to a pro-life phone campaign that convinced the House leadership not to move the bill forward.

The bill was refiled in 2009 and retitled the “Reproductive Health and Access Act.” When it passed out of committee under tremendous pressure from Planned Parenthood, the ACLU of Illinois and Personal PAC, pro-life leaders quickly organized a statewide campaign to defeat the bill, dubbed “Illinois FOCA” for its similarities to the controversial “Freedom of Choice Act” proposed in the U.S. Congress.

With today’s filing, the fight is now on to defeat this bill for the third time. Illinois pro-life leaders are confident that they can mobilize an even stronger grassroots army to oppose HB6205 than they did last year.

Act now to defeat HB6205

An encouraging early sign for the pro-life community came even before HB6205 was filed, when heavy snow storms earlier this week forced the Illinois Campaign for Reproductive Health and Access (ICRHA) to cancel a scheduled February 10 lobbying day in Springfield. The ICRHA comprises several groups that support HB6205, including the ACLU of Illinois, Planned Parenthood and Personal PAC.

Supporters of Illinois FOCA had hoped to get the jump on the pro-life side by beginning to recruit support for the bill the moment it was filed. But with their lobbying day rescheduled for March 3—the same day as the huge “Catholics at the Capitol” event that played a decisive role in defeating the measure last year.

This means that the pro-life side must start working now to defeat this pernicious piece of legislation:

• Contact your State Rep in Springfield and say “I oppose HB6205, the Illinois FOCA bill!” Be sure to mention the bill’s number, HB6205, when you call.
• Tell your friends, family, neighbors, fellow churchgoers and coworkers about HB6205 and urge them to visit this website to take action.
• Visit this site again soon to learn more about HB6205 and sign the new petition that it being prepared right now.

Please note: This site is being updated to reflect the new bill number of Illinois FOCA and the slight changes made to the text of the bill. Please excuse any confusing content during the transition.

Thank you so much for all of your activism, phone calls, office visits and spreading the word with your friends and family. Your participation in fighting this bill has truly made a difference in building support for life! Thank you for standing up for Life!

We have not won forever, we have won for now.  We must remain vigilant.

Hello all:

I write to you today with great news!  House Bill 2354 will not be called for a vote before tonight’s deadline.  The proponents of the bill (Planned Parenthood and ACLU) were not able to muster the number of votes they needed, so they will not call the bill for a vote.  We estimate they were  some 10 to 15 votes short of the 60 required.

This great accomplishment would not have happened without your engagement  in the issue.  Catholics across Illinois participated in email and phone trees, took up petition drives, met with their representatives, and many drove  to Springfield to lobby in the halls of the Capitol.  We must also note the leadership role assumed by our Bishops and their willingness to speak out and rally our people.  All of us came together and did a great thing.

Some people and/or groups are reporting that the bill is dead for the year. Perhaps.  However, we must remember that there are many ways to  revive legislation, and it will not harm us to remain vigilant.  We will  let you know quickly if anything stirs.

It will be very important that in the weeks to come we thank those legislators who stood up for what is right and begin to think about how to build  this network of opposition to House Bill 2354 into something bigger and more important — a network dedicated to the protection of human life and religious freedom.

But for today, enjoy this well-earned win and take time to thank God.  There are certainly more struggles ahead but not here, not today.

Zach Wichmann
Catholic Conference of Illinois
Associate Director for  Education

However, let’s not count our chickens before they’re hatched. Last night, abortion advocates moved the bill into position so that it could be passed in 24 hours by holding it on Calendar Order of Second Reading - Short Debate.

At the time of writing, there is much jockeying taking place in Springfield, including committed pro-lifers reaching out to legislators to defeat the bill. Things look good, but keep those calls coming! State Reps still need to know that this bill continues to be unacceptable with Amendment #2. If you haven’t called you State Rep yet to let him or her know that Amendment #2 does not satisfy your concerns, please do so today!

Hopefully by tomorrow around this time, we will know for certain that the opposition doesn’t have the votes and the leadership has chosen not to extend the deadline. At that point, we will truly know that FOCA is dead for the time being. Until that moment of certainty, we need to keep persevering!