\u201cWe shouldn't delude ourselves into thinking everything is rosy or pat ourselves on the back so quickly,\u201d he said in a keynote address at the Conference<\/a> Annual Cardinal O'Connor on Life. \u201cIn fact, abortion rates have increased with the rise of the chemical abortion pill and its easy access. Our culture remains deeply hostile to life.\u201d. <\/p>\n\n\n\n The conference, organized by Georgetown University students, met under the theme \u201cThe Pro-Life Mission After Childbirth: A Lifelong Devotion\u201d. This Cardinal O'Connor conference was first held in 2000 and was subsequently named in honor of the late John J. Cardinal O'Connor, Archbishop of New York, a Georgetown University alumnus and founder of the Sisters for Life. <\/p>\n\n\n\n In his speech, which came the day after his first National March for Life at the helm of the organization, Lichter told the conference that the pro-life movement needs to gain supporters for its cause. <\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cWe can never compromise our position, which is based on the truth about human life,\u201d he said. \u201cBut how do we adjust our approach and our message so that our fellow Americans can hear it, understand it and receive it?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n This year's conference, and the March for Life itself, took place amid growing frustration among some in the pro-life movement over what they see as inaction by the Trump administration on key policy priorities such as tighter restrictions on the mifepristone<\/a>, The Hyde Amendment, a pill commonly but not exclusively used for early abortion, and the protection of the Hyde Amendment, which prohibits public funding of elective abortions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Lichter said at the conference, \u201cRight now, our particular American moment, is full of opportunities and it is full of challenges for those of us who care about the rights of the unborn and about making sure mothers have the support they need to choose life.\u201d.<\/p>\n\n\n\n While there is a \u201cvery politically complex dynamic\u201d surrounding the current president and the 2024 election, Lichter argued, he said, \u201ca really important finding for our purposes is that (former Vice President) Kamala Harris, of course, built her campaign around abortion rights.\u201d.<\/p>\n\n\n\n She, her campaign managers and Democrats bet heavily that the American people's desire for free, on-demand abortion during the nine months of pregnancy would propel her into office after the Dobbs decision. And they were wrong,\" she said. That's not what the American people wanted.<\/p>\n\n\n\n However, he argued, \u201cthe cultural and political landscape for the pro-life movement is challenging, to be sure, but these challenges are not a sign of retreat.\u201d \u201cThey are an invitation to sharpen our message and to be keen scholars of our times.\u201d.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Leaders of several pro-life organizations who spoke to OSV News said the Trump administration still has work to do when it comes to their cause.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n In its speech<\/a> at the March for Life rally, Vice President JD Vance spoke to the pro-life movement about his remaining policy priorities a little more than a year into the second term of the President Donald Trump<\/a> at the White House.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cI want you to know that I hear you and understand that there will inevitably be debates within this movement,\u201d Vance continued. \u201cWe love each other and we're going to have open conversations about how best to use our political system to promote life, about how prudent we should be in the cause of advancing human life. I think these are good, honest, natural debates, and frankly, they're not just good for all of you\u201d (...) \u201cWe've made tremendous progress over the last year and will continue to do so for years to come,\u201d he said. <\/p>\n\n\n\n But key pro-life leaders, including Marjorie Dannenfelser,<\/strong> president of Susan B. Anthony Pro-Life America, noted<\/a> protection of the Hyde Amendment, which prohibits taxpayer funding of abortion, and the reinstatement of tighter restrictions on mifepristone, a pill<\/a> commonly, but not exclusively, used for early abortion, as key areas where the Trump administration still needs to act. <\/p>\n\n\n\n In a statement issued after Vance's speech, Dannenfelser said, \u201cThe clearest measure of whether the pro-life movement is winning or losing is the number of abortions that occur each year,\u201d he said. \u201cAccording to the latest statistics, there are at least 1.1 million abortions a year in the United States since Roe. This amounts to an increase<\/a> of 30 % with respect to the 874,000 abortions recorded in 2016.\u201d.<\/p>\n\n\n\n David Bereit<\/strong>, executive director of the Life Leadership Conference and founder of 40 Days for Life, told OSV News, \u201cYes, there has been a tension, but I think it can be a constructive tension if it calls us to greater action, to be more vocal and to be more proactive in this.\u201d.<\/p>\n\n\n\n I think President Trump, obviously, \u201cyou have to give him credit, he gave us three Supreme Court justices that led to the overturning of Roe. I think at the time, he thought, \u2018I can move on to other issues,\u2019 not realizing what we're all realizing: that there's still a lot of work to be done,\u201d he said. So it wasn't a priority going into the second administration. And I think the pro-life movement has recognized that we need to make sure that people understand that there's a lot to be done at the federal, state and regulatory level, and push to make sure that we don't forget about this.\".<\/p>\n\n\n\nMessages and pro-life stance <\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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Lichter: \u201cPolitically complex dynamics\u201d in the U.S.<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Trump administration has \u201cwork to do\u201d<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
The harsh reality of the increase in abortions<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
40 days for Life: \u201cconstructive tension\u201d.\u201d<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Pro-life gynecologists: disappointment over another form of mifepristone<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n