Cornerstone Action sent out an appeal for people to testify against HB 685. It was amended to change a bill covering ambulance services to one that required all health insurance policies that provide maternity benefits to also provide coverage for abortion.
Related: Sen. Cindy Rosenwald: “Yes, for abortion “access,” “No” to conscience protections
None of those who usually testify were available to attend the hearing but two young women, Althea Ansah, President of the University of New Hampshire chapter of Students for Life, and Kelsey Mercurio, member of that chapter, answered the call.
Speaking in a virtual public hearing before the Senate Commerce Committee, Kelsey Mercurio, a junior at UNH, gave her testimony:
Good morning committee members,
My name is Kelsey Mercurio, and I am a member of Students for Life at the University of New Hampshire.
Amendment #1364s is unrelated to the goal of House Bill 685 and should not be lumped into it. Ambulance services are essential to saving lives, especially during a pandemic, and should absolutely be covered by health insurance. However, rather than saving lives, abortion takes lives.
Insurance companies and employers should not be forced to pay for an act of violence against the most vulnerable members of society. Should insurance support women and men facing a crisis pregnancy? Yes. People should have access to plans covering at minimum prenatal care, care for new dependents, and if needed mental health support. It would also be helpful to look into the possibility of insurance coverage for adoption counseling, parenting classes, and emergency material support for other unexpected expenses incurred due to unplanned pregnancy, such as healthy food for mom and baby, child care, baby supplies, etc.
But insurance plans should never be required to pay for the killing of an unborn child — for many it is a violation of conscience and to the purpose of health care. Contributing financially to a violent act is, for many, equivalent to participating in that act. Making this mandatory is a violation of first amendment rights to religious freedom and conscience protection. Therefore, I encourage the committee to reject amendment #1364s.
Juniors at UNH, these young ladies were outnumbered by the abortion supporters who testified for the amendment, including Nashua Senator Cindy Rosenwald and a lobbyist for Planned Parenthood Northern New England. I imagine it left an impression on the committee that these young women took time from their studies and spoke publicly and eloquently against the harms of abortion.
Those who support abortion are counting on older pro-life advocates dying out, but instead, we are seeing more pro-life young people and take seriously the responsibility to fight for the protection of the most innocent and vulnerable among us, the unborn.
After watching the 2010 March for Life. Nancy Keenan, then president of NARAL, later told a Newsweek reporter: “I just thought, my gosh, they are so young. There are so many of them, and they are so young.”
They are the pro-life generation.