Personhood USA Calls on Governor Fallin to Lead the Way for Oklahoma Personhood Act

OKLAHOMA CITY, April 24, 2012 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Personhood USA is joining the call of the Oklahoma pro-life movement and the state's pro-life legislators to bring SB 1433, the Personhood Act, to the House floor for an up or down vote before Thursday's deadline.  The group is asking Governor Mary Fallin to use her influence to dislodge the bill, request that it be sent to her desk for her signature, and affirm what has been scientifically evident for decades—human life, and therefore the right to life, begins at conception.

Late last week, the Oklahoma House leadership, including Republican Speaker of the House Kris Steele, and under the guise of a unified caucus, chose to deny the Personhood Act a vote on the House floor, ignore the House Public Health Committee's "do pass" recommendation, and buck the national and state Republican Party Platforms which support and affirm the personhood of every unborn child.

"Governor Fallin should provide clear and identifiable leadership on this issue and utilize her influence as head of the state Republican Party to bring the legislation to a vote," said Keith Mason, President of Personhood USA.  "The time has come for her to demand that the House leadership cease this obstruction."

As a United States Congresswoman, Fallin co-sponsored the Right to Life Act, a bill that would "implement equal protection for the right to life of each born and preborn human person" by the authority granted to Congress to enforce the Constitution's 14th Amendment.  "The right to life guaranteed by the Constitution is vested in each human being," it reads.  "The terms 'human person' and 'human being' include each and every member of the species homo sapiens at all stages of life, including, but not limited to, the moment of fertilization, cloning, or other moment at which an individual member of the human species comes into being."

"Unborn babies are losing their lives in Oklahoma today with no legal recourse.  Personhood is one issue where the Governor should fulfill the promises she made to her constituents and avoid a share in the blame by leading the way for the passage of the Personhood Act," continued Mason.

Every major Christian and pro-life Oklahoma organization has lent their support for the measure including the Catholic Archdiocese of Oklahoma City, the Catholic Diocese of Tulsa, the Baptist General Convention of Oklahoma's Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission, Oklahomans for Life, Personhood Oklahoma, and the Oklahoma Eagle Forum.

State representatives are already calling for the removal of Speaker Steele.  "The next motion would be that we remove the speaker and get rid of this tyranny that we're dealing with in the House of Representatives," said Rep. Mike Christian, R, Oklahoma City.

Other House members including Rep. Gus Blackwell of Laverne are calling for a vote:  "We're pro-life. We want a vote on this bill. We demand a vote so our constituents can see that what we say, we back up with a green light on this bill."

Rep. Sally Kern, R, Oklahoma City told CapitolBeatOK, "I am pro-life and do not agree with refusing to grant a floor hearing to any pro-life bill that has gained committee approval."

SOURCE Personhood USA