By: ASHLEY CLASTER
Dr. Joe Pojman is on the other side of the debate. Dr. Pojman is anti-abortion, but, like Cotter, believes men should speak their opinions.
“Everyone has seen these images of the unborn baby,” Dr. Pojman said. “I have been involved with this issue for more than three decades.”
Thirty-four years ago, he founded the Texas Alliance for Life with one primary goal.
“To protect unborn babies against the tragedy of abortion all the way to conception,” he said.
By: Sarah Duran
“Abortion is not health care. The body within a woman’s body is not that woman’s body. It’s basic biology,” said Amy O’Donnell of Texas Alliance for Life.
The non profit organization based in Austin was a supporter of the trigger law, which is known as the Human Life Protection Act. In the last budget cycle, the Texas State Legislature approved $100 million for the Alternatives to Abortion Program for the next two, a $20 million increase.
“That goes towards pregnancy health centers, maternity homes, adoption agencies that support women walking through unplanned pregnancies. It’s our goal to educate every woman across the state that they can choose life. They don’t have to walk through an unplanned pregnancy alone,” said O’Donnell.
O’Donnell said their is a ‘vast number’ of pregnancy centers across the state but predicts more will be created if Roe is overturned.
By: JESSIKA HARKAY AND JAMES HARTLEY
Amy O’Donnell, a spokesperson from Texas Alliance for Life, an abortion-opposing nonprofit — which has advocated toward “protecting life from conception to natural death using peaceful legal means,” since 1988 — echoed Chief Justice John Roberts’ sentiments calling the leaked document “an egregious breach of trust,” within the court, but also added that the organization is hopeful the decision will remain the same in upcoming weeks. “If this does go into law, we as an organization have been working towards this point for a long time. The anticipation that Roe v. Wade could be overturned, has been something that we have acknowledged and been aware of as a possibility,” said O’Donnell, the organization’s director of communications. “We have to trust as Chief Roberts asserted today that the work of the court will not be affected in any way by the leak. We trust our justices to continue to do business as usual and not be swayed by public opinion. At the same time, we recognize that the leaked draft is not the final and there are draft changes that occur as the drafts are circulated and votes can shift.” O’Donnell said the organization is moving forward with “cautious optimism,” as they await a final decision and that their mission will carry on as normal. “Our goal now, as always, is to educate women on the compassionate alternatives to abortion that are available in our state. Texas has allotted $100 million, which is an increase from the $80 million previously … to fund some of these compassionate alternatives to abortion,” O’Donnell said. “And those monies go towards organizations such as pregnancy resource centers, maternity homes, adoption agencies who in various ways support women as they walk through unplanned pregnancies and consider their life options moving forward.”
By: Author: Tanvi Varma
AUSTIN, Texas — The leaked Supreme Court draft opinion showing a reversal of the right to abortion has people polarized.
The Texas Alliance for Life is an anti-abortion organization in Austin. Though the potential Supreme Court decision is in its favor, it’s not celebrating yet.
“I had to remind myself specifically that this is a draft, it’s an opinion; it’s not the final,” said Amy O’Donnell with the Texas Alliance for Life.
Meanwhile, they continue their advocacy.
“One of our top priorities right now, especially in light of what we’re seeing in the Supreme Court, is to educate women on the compassionate alternatives to abortion,” said O’Donnell.
By: by Jordan Elder
Other groups, like Texas Alliance for Life, are cautiously optimistic about the contents of the draft.
“It is our hope that when the final decision is released…it reflects the same opinion that we’re seeing now,” said Amy O’Donnell, communications director for the organization. “But we do recognize that drafts circulate and opinions change.”
Texas abortion laws are already among the strictest in the country.
Texas Alliance for Life has lobbied for tougher regulations, including the House Bill 1280, a so-called “trigger law” which hinges on the Supreme Court overturning Roe v. Wade.
“30 days after the judgment is rendered, then abortion is completely outlawed in Texas, and life is protected from conception to birth,” O’Donnell said.
Texas also passed the Heartbeat Law, which went into effect last year.
It outlaws abortions after a heartbeat is detected, which is usually about six weeks.
By: Henry Ramos
On the other side are organizations like Texas Alliance for Life and Students for Life at UTSA.
“We recognize that this is not a final,” Amy O’Donnell said. “We are cautiously optimistic that when the final decision is released that it will reflect what we have seen in the leak.”