The Texas Alliance for Life is an anti-abortion lobbying organization in the State of Texas.Brittney Martin, Anti-abortion groups' political endorsement differences show power struggle in Texas GOP, Dallas News (February 2016). The group opposes "the advocacy and practice of abortion (except to preserve the mother's life)."About Us: Mission Statement, Texas Alliance for Life (accessed April 8, 2017). The group also opposes euthanasia and "all forms of assisted suicide." It is based in Austin, Texas.Brad Kennedy, Leader against abortion is under attack from the right, Fort Worth Star-Telegram (September 23, 2016).
Leadership and political activities Joe Pojman is the founder and executive director of Texas Alliance for Life.Staff reports, Founder of Texas Alliance for Life to speak to Denton Republican Women, Lewisville Reader (January 19, 2016). He is a registered lobbyist in Texas,Lobbyists Directory, Texas Ethics Commission (search for Joseph Pojman). and in 2013 said that he had "been lobbying the Capitol for 26 years."Shefali Luthra, Visibility Climbs for Groups on Both Sides of Abortion Debate, Texas Tribune (July 23, 2013).
Texas Alliance for Life helped draft a strict state anti-abortion law (House Bill 2 of 2013) that imposed targeted regulation of abortion providers, leading to the closure more than two dozen clinics across Texas.J. David McSwane, Texas abortion law upheld by federal court, Austin American-Statesman (June 9, 2015). The legislation was struck down as unconstitutional by the U.S. Supreme Court in Whole Woman's Health v. Hellerstedt in 2016.Alexa Ura, U.S. Supreme Court Overturns Texas Abortion Restrictions, Texas Tribune (June 27, 2016). After the ruling, the Texas Alliance for Life shifted its focus to pushing for "increasing funding to the state's Alternatives to Abortion program."Alexa Ura & Aneri Pattani, Divided Anti-Abortion Groups Map New Strategies, Texas Tribune (July 7, 2016).
The group has pushed for the defunding of Planned Parenthood.Nicole Chavez, Anti-abortion rally at Texas Capitol targets Planned Parenthood, Austin American-Statesman (July 28, 2015). In the 2012 session, Pojman said the group's top priority was to "'continue to defund Planned Parenthood' by banning health providers affiliated with abortion providers from participating in the state's Medicaid program."Becca Aaronson * Audrey White, Abortion Opponents Back Fetal Pain Bill, More Physician Restrictions, Texas Tribune (November 23, 2012). In 2015, Pojman celebrated the Texas Legislature's passage of legislation laws that the group had pushed for to expel Planned Parenthood from a joint state-federal cancer screening program "and cut off the last bit of taxpayer money the organization received."Alexa Ura, In a More Conservative Legislature, Few Anti-Abortion Bills Passed, Texas Tribune (June 2, 2015). Planned Parenthood clinics that had previous received cancer screening funds under the program were already barred from performing abortions."
Pojman supported Texas's highly controversial proposed "fetal remains" regulation, which sought to compel the "cremation or interment of aborted or miscarried fetuses."Marissa Evans, State officials hear more testimony on fetal remains rule, Texas Tribune (November 9, 2016).Alexa Ura, Sharp Disagreements at Fetal Remains Hearing, Texas Tribune (August 4, 2016).
The group has often clashed with another Texas anti-abortion group, the Texas Right to Life PAC.Alexa Garcia-Ditta & Andrea Grimes, Who's the 'Life' of the Party?: Anti-abortion infighting makes for mud-slinging Texas House races in the Republican primary, Texas Observer (February 23, 2016).Patrick Svitek, Cruz's Planned Parenthood Offensive Divides Texas Anti-Abortion Forces, Texas Tribune (September 29, 2015). The Dallas News reported: "The policy differences the groups deem insurmountable would probably be imperceptible to most people. A bill by Texas Alliance for Life is more likely to include exceptions in extreme circumstances, whereas those supported by Texas Right to Life are usually more uncompromising." For example, Texas Alliance for Life has sponsored legislation to restrict or ban abortion with "exceptions for rape, incest or fetal anomalies" while Texas Right to Life PAC "opposes abortion in all circumstances." Texas Alliance for Life PAC "has primarily allied itself with establishment incumbents, some in key leadership positions" while the more hardline Texas Right to Life PAC "has thrown its weight behind ultra-conservative newcomers."
Brain death controversy Pojman argued for continuation of artificial life support for the body of Marlise Munoz. She was 14 weeks pregnant when her husband found her unconscious in November, possibly from a blood clot. Munoz subsequently died from brain death. Prior to her death, Munoz had indicated that she would not like to be kept artificially alive if brain dead. The fetus had suffered from oxygen deprivation and was suspected to be non-viable; the fetus's lower extremities were deformed to the extent that the gender couldn't be determined, had fluid building up inside the skull (hydrocephalus); and possibly had a heart problem. An attorney who had helped rewrite the Texas state law being used to keep her body on life support at John Peter Smith Hospital said that there was a problem with the application of the law to a patient that was no longer alive. Her husband Eric, with the support of her family, successfully sued the hospital for withdrawing treatment.
Numerous states have adopted laws restricting the ability of doctors to end artificial life support for terminally ill pregnant patients with 12 of those states (including Texas) with the most restrictive such laws, which automatically invalidate a woman’s advance directive if she is pregnant stating that, regardless of the progression of the pregnancy, a woman must remain on life sustaining treatment until she gives birth with no exception for patients who will be in prolonged severe pain or who will be physically harmed by continuing life sustaining treatment. Pojman, who was also involved in the drafting of the law, said the hospital is correctly abiding by the law's goal of protecting the rights of an unborn child.
References
External links Official Website All eyes on House floor as special session nears end KVUE News June 27, 2011 Anti-Abortion Group Photographing Empty House Seats Texas Tribune June 27, 2011