Virginia Society for Human Life
Encyclopedia
The Virginia Society for Human Life (VSHL) is a non-profit organization advocating an end to abortion in Virginia
. VSHL is the Virginia affiliate of the National Right to Life Committee
. It was founded in 1967 and is the oldest pro-life
organization in the country. The group has a political action committee
, VSHL PAC, to support pro-life candidates for Virginia public office. Its current president is Olivia Gans.
, embryonic stem cell research, euthanasia
, and other life issues in Virginia with the ultimate goal of ending those practices in the state and nationwide. It lobbies for pro-life legislation or against pro-choice legislation in the Virginia General Assembly
. VSHL president Olivia Gans says that during a General Assembly session, VSHL has "a team of 2-3 individuals who are almost daily down at the General Assembly communicating, lobbying, giving our pro-life members information, reaching out to members who might be on the fence and monitoring bills...We may or may not support every pro-life bill that is put forward because we look at what kind of effort has the greatest chance of success in this session."
In 2011, VSHL was involved in the passage of a bill to regulate abortion clinics as hospitals. The bill, which passed the House by an large margin and passed the Senate after a tiebreaker vote from Lieutenant Governor
Bill Bolling
, may force a number of abortion clinics in the state to close.
, the Virginia General Assembly
, and statewide offices. They endorsed Gov. Bob McDonnell
, Lt. Gov. Bill Bolling
, and Attorney General Ken Cuccinelli
in the 2009 elections
, as well as 61 candidates for the Virginia House of Delegates
. VSHL PAC started in 1990 and has spent about $100,000 on federal elections since then. In the 2011 state elections
, 11 of VSHL's endorsed state Senate candidates and 21 endorsed House of Delegates
candidates were elected.
that was decided in 2001. VSHL planned to distribute voter guides for the 2000 elections
that would detail VSHL's views on life issues and would show various candidates' positions on these issues. VSHL submitted a petition to the FEC asking it to repeal a subsection of election regulations that would declare these activities corporate expenditures, illegal for a 501(c)(3) non-profit. VSHL said the law was too broad. The U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia, Richmond Division, agreed, and issued an injunction against the FEC prohibiting them from enforcing the law in question. However, the United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit
overturned the lower court's nationwide injunction and amended the injunction to apply only to VSHL.
Virginia
The Commonwealth of Virginia , is a U.S. state on the Atlantic Coast of the Southern United States. Virginia is nicknamed the "Old Dominion" and sometimes the "Mother of Presidents" after the eight U.S. presidents born there...
. VSHL is the Virginia affiliate of the National Right to Life Committee
National Right to Life Committee
The National Right to Life Committee is the oldest and largest pro-life organization in the United States with affiliates in all 50 states and over 3,000 local chapters nationwide. The group works through legislation and education to work against abortion, infanticide, euthanasia and assisted...
. It was founded in 1967 and is the oldest pro-life
Pro-life
Opposition to the legalization of abortion is centered around the pro-life, or anti-abortion, movement, a social and political movement opposing elective abortion on moral grounds and supporting its legal prohibition or restriction...
organization in the country. The group has a political action committee
Political action committee
In the United States, a political action committee, or PAC, is the name commonly given to a private group, regardless of size, organized to elect political candidates or to advance the outcome of a political issue or legislation. Legally, what constitutes a "PAC" for purposes of regulation is a...
, VSHL PAC, to support pro-life candidates for Virginia public office. Its current president is Olivia Gans.
Activities
VSHL works through political and social channels against abortionAbortion
Abortion is defined as the termination of pregnancy by the removal or expulsion from the uterus of a fetus or embryo prior to viability. An abortion can occur spontaneously, in which case it is usually called a miscarriage, or it can be purposely induced...
, embryonic stem cell research, euthanasia
Euthanasia
Euthanasia refers to the practice of intentionally ending a life in order to relieve pain and suffering....
, and other life issues in Virginia with the ultimate goal of ending those practices in the state and nationwide. It lobbies for pro-life legislation or against pro-choice legislation in the Virginia General Assembly
Virginia General Assembly
The Virginia General Assembly is the legislative body of the Commonwealth of Virginia, and the oldest legislative body in the Western Hemisphere, established on July 30, 1619. The General Assembly is a bicameral body consisting of a lower house, the Virginia House of Delegates, with 100 members,...
. VSHL president Olivia Gans says that during a General Assembly session, VSHL has "a team of 2-3 individuals who are almost daily down at the General Assembly communicating, lobbying, giving our pro-life members information, reaching out to members who might be on the fence and monitoring bills...We may or may not support every pro-life bill that is put forward because we look at what kind of effort has the greatest chance of success in this session."
In 2011, VSHL was involved in the passage of a bill to regulate abortion clinics as hospitals. The bill, which passed the House by an large margin and passed the Senate after a tiebreaker vote from Lieutenant Governor
Lieutenant Governor of Virginia
The Lieutenant Governor is a constitutional officer of the Commonwealth of Virginia. The Lieutenant Governor is elected every four years along with the Governor and Attorney General. The office is currently held by Republican William T. Bolling. The governor and lieutenant governor are elected...
Bill Bolling
Bill Bolling
William T. "Bill" Bolling is the current Lieutenant Governor of Virginia. Running as a Republican, he was elected twice to the position by defeating his Democratic opponent in both the 2005 and 2009 general elections. He is the first Lieutenant Governor in the Commonwealth of Virginia to serve two...
, may force a number of abortion clinics in the state to close.
VSHL PAC
VSHL PAC provides support to pro-life candidates for public office, especially for U.S. CongressUnited States Congress
The United States Congress is the bicameral legislature of the federal government of the United States, consisting of the Senate and the House of Representatives. The Congress meets in the United States Capitol in Washington, D.C....
, the Virginia General Assembly
Virginia General Assembly
The Virginia General Assembly is the legislative body of the Commonwealth of Virginia, and the oldest legislative body in the Western Hemisphere, established on July 30, 1619. The General Assembly is a bicameral body consisting of a lower house, the Virginia House of Delegates, with 100 members,...
, and statewide offices. They endorsed Gov. Bob McDonnell
Bob McDonnell
Robert Francis "Bob" McDonnell is an American politician who has been the 71st Governor of Virginia since January 2010. A former lieutenant colonel in the United States Army, McDonnell served in the Virginia House of Delegates from 1993 to 2006 and served as Attorney General of Virginia from 2006...
, Lt. Gov. Bill Bolling
Bill Bolling
William T. "Bill" Bolling is the current Lieutenant Governor of Virginia. Running as a Republican, he was elected twice to the position by defeating his Democratic opponent in both the 2005 and 2009 general elections. He is the first Lieutenant Governor in the Commonwealth of Virginia to serve two...
, and Attorney General Ken Cuccinelli
Ken Cuccinelli
Kenneth Thomas 'Ken' Cuccinelli II is a U.S. politician and the Attorney General of Virginia. From 2002 until January 16, 2010 he was a Republican member of the Senate of Virginia, representing the 37th district in Fairfax County...
in the 2009 elections
Virginia elections, 2009
The following offices were up for election in the United States Commonwealth of Virginia in the November 2009 general election:*Three statewide offices – Governor, Lieutenant Governor, Attorney General – for four-year terms...
, as well as 61 candidates for the Virginia House of Delegates
Virginia House of Delegates
The Virginia House of Delegates is the lower house of the Virginia General Assembly. It has 100 members elected for terms of two years; unlike most states, these elections take place during odd-numbered years. The House is presided over by the Speaker of the House, who is elected from among the...
. VSHL PAC started in 1990 and has spent about $100,000 on federal elections since then. In the 2011 state elections
Virginia state elections, 2011
The 2011 Virginia state elections took place on November 8, 2011. All 140 seats in the Virginia General Assembly were up for re-election, as were many local offices.-Virginia Senate:...
, 11 of VSHL's endorsed state Senate candidates and 21 endorsed House of Delegates
Virginia House of Delegates
The Virginia House of Delegates is the lower house of the Virginia General Assembly. It has 100 members elected for terms of two years; unlike most states, these elections take place during odd-numbered years. The House is presided over by the Speaker of the House, who is elected from among the...
candidates were elected.
VSHL v. FEC
VSHL was involved in a federal court case against the Federal Election CommissionFederal Election Commission
The Federal Election Commission is an independent regulatory agency that was founded in 1975 by the United States Congress to regulate the campaign finance legislation in the United States. It was created in a provision of the 1975 amendment to the Federal Election Campaign Act...
that was decided in 2001. VSHL planned to distribute voter guides for the 2000 elections
United States elections, 2000
On November 7, 2000, the United States had a general election.-President:George W. Bush ran against Al Gore and was elected to a first term.-United States House of Representatives:...
that would detail VSHL's views on life issues and would show various candidates' positions on these issues. VSHL submitted a petition to the FEC asking it to repeal a subsection of election regulations that would declare these activities corporate expenditures, illegal for a 501(c)(3) non-profit. VSHL said the law was too broad. The U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia, Richmond Division, agreed, and issued an injunction against the FEC prohibiting them from enforcing the law in question. However, the United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit
United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit
The United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit is a federal court located in Richmond, Virginia, with appellate jurisdiction over the district courts in the following districts:*District of Maryland*Eastern District of North Carolina...
overturned the lower court's nationwide injunction and amended the injunction to apply only to VSHL.