Tennessee Right to Life Board of Directors elects Stacy Dunn as its new President. She succeeds Brian Harris who resigned December 31, 2020. Dunn has been involved with the organization in various capacities for many years and currently serves as the Executive Director of the Knox County Chapter. She also has served as Vice President of the organization until her recent election. "Stacy's 20 plus years of leadership in building a culture of life in Tennessee and her experience in directing the most active county chapter in the state will be invaluable as she steps into this important role as President of Tennessee Right to Life," said Lorene Steffes, Tennessee Right to Life Board Member. “I am grateful to be able to serve as President to this organization that has a long history of protecting unborn children and their mothers. My goal for Tennessee Right to Life is to continue to educate our fellow Tennesseans about the beauty of life in all its ages, stages and conditions and to work for legislation that will protect the most vulnerable among us.” Dunn is married to former State Representative Bill Dunn.  

On Friday, February 26, 2021, Federal District Judge William Campbell, appointed by President Donald Trump, issued a ruling to extend a temporary injunction against one of Tennessee’s newest pro-life laws. That law would require abortionists to inform women that there is a technique available to them to potentially reverse the effects of the abortion pill. However, due to this injunction, the law is currently prohibited from going into effect. This injunction will extend until Judge Campbell decides the case on its merits or, hypothetically, until the Sixth Circuit decides to overturn the injunction ruling. “Once again, the voters of Tennessee have been silenced as Judge William Campbell has enjoined a newly enacted law that would inform women that there is a method available to them to possibly reverse the abortion pill. Judge Campbell was made aware of the success of this medical technique and, still, had the audacity to call the law “misleading.” “The work that pro-life Tennesseans and their duly elected officials have done to protect women and their unborn children is under attack by the abortion industry.  Judge Campbell’s decision plays right into the hands of those who want to keep women in the dark about their unborn children and all the options available to them.” “We urge Judge Campbell to weigh the evidence when he hears the merits of the case and truly give women a choice, rather than the misleading information that they are currently being given by abortionists.” -Stacy Dunn, President of Tennessee Right to Life Continue reading

For immediate release: Monday, February 22, 2021   HHS Nominee Xavier Becerra: No Health Care Experience, Plenty of Abortion Advocacy WASHINGTON — Nomination hearings for Joe Biden’s nominee, Xavier Becerra, for the Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS) begin on Tuesday, February 23. “Joe Biden’s nomination of Xavier Becerra shows how he is marching to the tune of pro-abortion activists,” said Carol Tobias, president of National Right to Life. “Xavier Becerra has no health care experience but, if confirmed, would lead the Department of Health and Human Services during the COVID-19 pandemic.” “Given HHS's critical role in ongoing vaccine production and distribution, along with the regulatory power the agency has in implementing recovery legislation, it is alarming that a nominee with no health experience has been put forth,” Tobias continued. “Becerra’s extreme abortion advocacy and lack of health care experience disqualifies him from leading the nation’s healthcare agency.” The two most immediate prior heads of HHS, Alex Azar and Dr. Tom Price each brought a depth of healthcare experience. Mr. Azar had previously been appointed to HHS and had years of experience working with the pharmaceutical industry. “The nation needs a nominee with the necessary public health experience to shepherd an end to the death and disruption of the Covid-19 pandemic,” said Tobias. “Mr. Becerra simply does not have that experience.” Continue reading

NASHVILLE, FEBRUARY 20, 2021 - On Friday, February 19, 2021, the Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals, in a divided 2-1 decision, ruled to deny the State of Tennessee's petition to stay the injunction applied by the Federal District Court of Middle Tennessee against Tennessee’s 48-hour waiting period with regard to abortions. Pending further appeal by Attorney General Herbert Slatery or an en banc review, the injunction will remain in effect until the Sixth Circuit decides the case on its merits. “This is, yet again, another slap in the face to the voters of Tennessee who sent their legislators to Nashville to enact legislation such as this waiting period and informed consent law to protect pregnant women and their unborn children.” said Stacy Dunn, Vice President of Tennessee Right to Life. "The Appellate Courts have consistently upheld states' waiting periods and we are hopeful that Tennessee's law will ultimately be upheld. However, the Sixth Circuit's decision puts the lives of countless unborn children in jeopardy until then," Dunn continued. Continue reading

For immediate release: Thursday, January 28, 2021 Biden Signs Executive Orders Forcing Taxpayers to Fund Abortion Providers WASHINGTON – Rolling back protections for women and their unborn babies, pro-abortion President Joe Biden today signed executive orders reversing the Protecting Life in Global Health Assistance policy—often referred to as the Mexico City Policy—and requirements to qualify for Title X funding. "During the presidential campaign, Joe Biden made it clear that promoting abortion would be a priority in his administration and it would be done at the expense of taxpayers," said Carol Tobias, president of National Right to Life. "It is not surprising that his first actions are to dismantle both international and domestic protections that have saved countless lives—and put taxpayer money in the pockets of abortionists." By signing the executive orders, President Biden is diverting taxpayer funds from organizations that do not perform or promote abortion to organizations that aggressively promote abortions both in the U.S. and around the world. Today’s executive orders also rejected the Geneva Consensus Declaration (2020) that reaffirmed “the inherent ‘dignity and worth of the human person,’ that ‘every human being has the inherent right to life.’” The Geneva Consensus Declaration also reaffirmed that abortion is not health care and that sovereign nations have the right to protect all innocent human lives by rejecting abortion. "Taxpayer funds should not be used to subsidize an industry that preys on women and their unborn children," said Tobias. Continue reading

For immediate release: Tuesday, January 26, 2021 House Republicans Seek to Save the Hyde Amendment from Pro-Abortion Democrats WASHINGTON – The House Republican Study Committee today released a letter sent to congressional leaders pledging “to vote against any government funding bill that eliminates or weakens the Hyde Amendment or other current-law, pro-life appropriations provisions.” The National Right to Life Committee (NRLC) supported the effort and heralded the pledge, which was co-signed by 200 lawmakers including 7 Pro-life Congressmen of Tennessee: Burchett, DesJarlais, Fleischmann, Green, Harshbarger, Kustoff and Rose. Pro-abortion Democrats have targeted the Hyde Amendment as part of their scorched-earth campaign to remove any and all limitations on abortion and require taxpayer funding of abortion. Eliminating the Hyde Amendment would destroy over 40 years of unprecedented bipartisan support for a measure aimed at saving human lives. “The life-affirming impact the Hyde Amendment has had cannot be overstated,” said Carol Tobias, president of the National Right to Life Committee. “The Hyde Amendment has proven to be the greatest domestic abortion-reduction measure ever enacted by Congress. The Hyde Amendment has enjoyed bipartisan support for over 40 years and is widely recognized as having saved over two million American lives since it was first adopted in 1976.”  Continue reading

For immediate release: Monday, January 18, 2021 President Trump Designates January 22 as National Sanctity of Human Life Day WASHINGTON—On Sunday, President Trump signed a proclamation declaring this Friday, January 22nd, National Sanctity of Human Life Day. In the proclamation, the president stated: Every human life is a gift to the world. Whether born or unborn, young or old, healthy or sick, every person is made in the holy image of God. The Almighty Creator gives unique talents, beautiful dreams, and a great purpose to every person. On National Sanctity of Human Life Day, we celebrate the wonder of human existence and renew our resolve to build a culture of life where every person of every age is protected, valued, and cherished. “President Trump has been a champion in seeking to protect unborn children,” said Carol Tobias, president of National Right to Life. “We are grateful for his dedication to the right to life and the work his administration has done on behalf of the most vulnerable among us.” Continue reading

For immediate release: Tuesday, January 12, 2021 WASHINGTON—Today, the U.S. Supreme Court granted a stay to a July 2020 decision by U.S. District Judge Theodore Chuang that suspended the Food and Drug Administration’s rule, which among other things, requires a woman to have an in-person doctor’s visit before undergoing a chemical (“medication”) abortion during the COVID-19 pandemic. Judge Chuang’s ruling would have allowed the abortion drug combination that includes mifepristone to be delivered or mailed to a woman’s home during the pandemic. “We are pleased that the U.S. Supreme Court recognizes the serious nature of chemical abortions and the need for the FDA to have protocols in place to protect women from potentially life-threatening and devastating side effects,” said Carol Tobias, president of National Right to Life. Under the FDA’s “Risk Evaluation and Mitigation Strategy” (REMS), only FDA-approved entities can distribute mifepristone, one of the two drugs that make up the medication abortion technique. Continue reading

Judge Rules Against Pro-Life Waiting Period Law; Again Basic Safeguard for Women Not Allowed to be Enforced On Monday, December 14, Senior United States District Judge Bernard A. Friedman ruled that Tennessee cannot enforce our Pro-life 48-hour waiting period law during the appeals process. In October, Judge Friedman ruled the law as unconstitutional stating, "the mandatory waiting period is...gratuitously demeaning to women who have decided to have an abortion...provides no appreciable benefit to fetal life or women's mental and emotional health. On the contrary.....place women's physical and psychological health and well-being at risk." Tennessee's Attorney General, Herbert Slatery, is appealing the decision to the U.S. Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals. Slatery asked Judge Friedman to allow enforcement of the law during the appeals process arguing that "abortion providers have been complying with the law for the entire five years it took to get a ruling into federal court, so keeping the law in place during the appeals process will not harm them." This common sense policy, in effect since 2015, has resulted in saving countless unborn lives. Additionally, mothers given two days to consider their decision have been saved from years of regret. The extra 48-hours allows them the opportunity to identify life-affirming resources in their community or region. Continue reading

For immediate release: Thursday, November 12, 2020 POLLING SHOWS IMPACT OF ABORTION ISSUE IN 2020 ELECTION 23% of voters cited abortion and voted pro-life 31.9% heard from National Right to Life WASHINGTON – A post-election poll of voters in the 2020 election found that the issue of abortion once again played a key role in the presidential and congressional elections, and that National Right to Life and its state affiliates were key to getting out the pro-life vote for pro-life candidates. Nationally, 23% of voters said that the abortion issue affected their vote and voted for candidates who oppose abortion. This compares to just 18% who said abortion affected their vote and voted for candidates who favor abortion, yielding a 5% advantage for pro-life candidates. In states where National Right to Life’s political committees were most actively involved, 27% of voters said that the abortion issue affected their vote and voted for candidates who oppose abortion. This compares to just 16% who said abortion affected their vote and voted for candidates who favor abortion, yielding an 11% advantage for pro-life candidates in those high-activity states. These poll results show that the pro-life vote was a major factor in crushing the “blue wave” from state legislatures to Congress. Overall, National Right to Life’s political committees were actively involved in 123 races, including the presidential race. In those races, 78 (68%) pro-life candidates prevailed, including pro-life Senate candidates in Alabama, Alaska, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Mississippi, Montana, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Texas. A total of seven House races have yet to be called. Continue reading