Dozens of pro-life advocates traveled to the state Capitol building in Salem last week to engage with lawmakers and promote the pro-life message during Oregon Right to Life’s 2025 Pro-Life Lobby Day.
Pro-Life Lobby Day took place Wednesday, March 26th, starting at the Historic Grand Theatre in Salem and concluding at the Capitol building. Attendees were joined by students taking part in Launch, Oregon Right to Life Education Foundation’s annual pro-life student retreat, who spent the final day of their program at the state Capitol.
Throughout the day, participants learned about the legislative process and their role in promoting good policies and candidates, and advocated on behalf of the most vulnerable.
The theme for this year’s program – and for much of Oregon Right to Life’s 2025 advocacy – was “Support Her. Protect Them.” The message underscores the core commitment of the pro-life movement: care and resources for moms combined with robust protections for the unborn.
The days’ program featured informative presentations by local pro-life leaders.
Elizabeth Gillette, a post-abortive mom who has since become a pro-life advocate and has given talks for national pro-life groups, shared her experience with Planned Parenthood and the impacts of chemical abortion.
Pro-life Republican representatives Court Boice and E. Werner Reschke spoke to participants about the inner workings of the legislature, noting that there are moderate Democrats at the Capitol who don’t fully support Oregon’s radical abortion agenda – but that Planned Parenthood holds significant sway over the legislature.
Boice and Reschke also spoke to Lobby Day participants about the life-affirming bills they’ve put forward this legislative session.
This year, Boice introduced a measure that would require public schools to include pro-life education about human fetal development. Reschke has put forward a bill to protect unborn babies who can feel pain, and another that would require abortion providers to show pregnant moms their ultrasounds before moving forward with an irreversible abortion procedure.
Representatives from Oregon Right to Life also gave presentations during the lobby day, with ORTL Political Director Sharolyn Smith giving a statewide policy update and Executive Director Lois Anderson providing attendees with an overview of effective lobbying tactics.
Participants then attended meetings with legislators, where they had the chance to call for consideration of life-affirming bills, which often fail to get a hearing in the consistently left-leaning Oregon legislature.
Before concluding the day, Lobby Day attendees stopped by the offices of every Oregon legislator, passing out “Life Savers” candies with the message: “Be a life saver. Support her. Protect them.”
Programs like Pro-Life Lobby Day give people from across Oregon the opportunity to engage with their pro-life values in a hands-on way and come away equipped with the knowledge and insight they need to become more effective pro-life advocates. The Oregon March for Life on Saturday, May 17th in Salem is another opportunity to do just that. Learn more about the Oregon March for Life and Oregon Right to Life’s other events by clicking here.
