Life Advocacy Briefing

For the week of June 11, 2007

Embryo Killing Subsidy Passes / ‘Clone & Kill’ Bill Fails / ‘Mexico City’ Policy Abridged /
Other Pro-Life Policies Threatened / House Voting Records

 

Embryo Killing Subsidy Passes

THE U.S. HOUSE VOTED THURSDAY TO SEND S-5 TO THE PRESIDENT for his expected veto.

To up the political ante, Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) and Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) staged a public “engrossing” ceremony late Thursday afternoon to celebrate their chambers’ passage of legislation to force taxpayers to underwrite lethal experimentation on embryonic human beings.

Pres. George W. Bush has 10 days in which to consider the legislation, and the White House has made it clear he will veto the measure, which is nearly identical to the one on which he cast the first veto of his administration in 2006. The proposal then returns to the Senate for an expected attempt to override the veto on a motion requiring a two-thirds vote.

Since the process is likely to move so quickly, calls to Senators are in order even now to request a “no” vote on overriding the expected veto of S-5. Calls may be placed via the Capitol switchboard at 1-202/224-3121.

We publish the recorded June 7 final passage roll call near the close of this Life Advocacy Briefing. Related procedural roll calls on motions to close debate on the rule by which S-5 would come forward (HRes-464) and then to adopt HRes-464 will be published in future editions as space permits, plus the vote on a last-ditch attempt to forestall passage of the measure by sending S-5 back to committee. We expect to include all these roll calls in our House Voting Record Index this fall.

 

‘Clone & Kill’ Bill Fails

AFTER STANDING VIRTUALLY ALONE in debate, Rep. Diana DeGette (D-CO) was able to muster just 204 votes in favor of her phony “Human Cloning Prohibition Act.” The spur-of-the-moment bill would not have barred cloning but would merely have criminalized implantation of a cloned human being into a womb.

With 213 Members voting against HR-2560, the “clone-and-kill” bill failed to garner even a simple majority. Because Rep. DeGette had brought the measure forward under a motion to suspend rules which would have subjected the bill to committee hearings and potential amendments, it required a two-thirds vote to pass. We publish the June 6 recorded roll call at the close of this Life Advocacy Briefing.

The rationale of the House Democratic Leadership in attempting to pass this contentious measure on the rule-suspension calendar, normally reserved for non-controversial matters, is unclear. What is clear is that Rep. DeGette and her liberal colleagues – including, no doubt, the House Democratic Leadership – had hoped, by titling this Trojan Horse a “Human Cloning Prohibition Act” and repeatedly misrepresenting its intent in debate, to use the roll call to embarrass GOP Members, most of whom could be counted on to vote “no,” with a vote allegedly opposing a cloning ban.

Yet Rep. DeGette handed Republicans and other “no” voters a political defense with her declaration in closing debate, “There is no Member of Congress who supports human reproductive cloning.”

 

‘Mexico City’ Policy Abridged

REP. NITA LOWEY (D-NY) HAS RELAXED THE ‘MEXICO CITY’ REFORM, which Pres. Ronald Reagan initiated to protect US taxpayers from having to subsidize abortion legalization campaigns in other countries. Before the policy was adopted, outfits like Planned Parenthood International routinely received “family planning” grants despite their involvement in efforts to change the pro-life laws of the countries in which they were operating.

The provision is incorporated each year in the foreign aid budget. Rep. Lowey, who chairs the House Appropriations State/Foreign Operations Subcommittee, unveiled her language gutting the reform during the panel’s mark-up session on the massive foreign aid bill last week. The amendment authorizes “contraceptive donations” to organizations which commit or promote abortions overseas.

Committee Republicans objected to the provision, reports the Associated Press, citing the letter sent by Pres. Bush to Democratic Congressional Leaders last month “warning,” reminds AP, “that he would veto any legislation that weakens current policy and law on abortion. If the measure reaches the White House, said Rep. Frank Wolf (VA), top Republican on the panel,” reports AP, “‘they will veto the bill.’”

No doubt trying to avoid falling within the Presidential veto threat, Rep. Lowey claimed, reports AP, “the contraceptive provision left intact the Reagan-era policy of banning aid to groups that provide or promote abortions,” a claim which is patently preposterous.

National Right to Life Committee’s legislative director Douglas Johnson retorted, reports AP, “the contraceptive language would gut a policy that stops funding to groups ‘aggressively promoting abortion’ while channeling those funds to the many groups that agree to the conditions. He also warned,” reports AP, “that Democrats will be unable to pass their spending bills if they reopen abortion issues. ‘That’s the judgment they have to make,’ he said,” as reported by AP. “‘There are certainly sufficient votes to sustain a veto.’”

The Foreign Aid funding bill is expected to be considered this week by the House Appropriations Committee and by the full House within two weeks. Calls to House Members may be placed via the Capitol switchboard at 1-202/224-3121, urging “No Contraceptive Aid to Abortionists in the Foreign Aid bill.”

 

Other Pro-Life Policies Threatened

‘HOUSE DEMS MAY ROLL BACK ANTI-ABORTION PROVISIONS’ was the headline topping an analysis last Tuesday by Alexander Bolton in TheHill.com, a Capitol Hill news publication.

The generalized May veto threat letter from Pres. Bush “puts Democratic leaders in a difficult position,” writes Mr. Bolton. “Many Members of their caucus oppose various [pro-life] abortion provisions that Republicans regularly included in past appropriations bills. These provisions, called riders,” he explains, “must be re-[incorporated] each year to spending legislation, giving the new Democratic majority a chance to kill several controversial abortion policies simply by not renewing them. Democrats also face pressure from powerful liberal advocacy groups such as NARAL Pro-Choice America and Planned Parenthood.”

Mr. Bolton cites “a lobbyist for one abortion-rights group” but does not name that source in “identif[ying] some restrictions Democrats would attempt to overturn through the appropriations process.”

Included in the target list are the Mexico City policy and the “Kemp-Kasten restriction,” which bars funding to the United Nations Population Fund and its ilk unless UNFPA et al. can demonstrate they are no longer abetting coercive abortion pogroms, such as Red China’s one-child policy.

“Proponents of expanded abortion rights are also targeting the so-called Hyde language,” writes Mr. Bolton, “that traditionally accompanies the Labor, Health & Human Services appropriations bill. The Hyde language,” he reminds, “prohibits Medicaid from funding abortions unless the mother’s life is in danger or [in its recent iterations] in cases of rape or incest.

“Democrats may also decide against passing the Dickey-Wicker amendment,” writes Mr. Bolton. “The measure, named after its onetime House sponsors, prohibits federal funding for research that harms human embryos. …

“Republicans are bracing,” writes Mr. Bolton, “for Democrats to change the language usually accompanying the Financial Services [spending] bill that bans the Federal Employees Health Benefits Program from funding abortions. Changes might also be made to the Commerce [appropriations] bill,” reports Mr. Bolton, “which has included language since 1996 that bans abortion funding for federal prisoners.”

 

House Voting Records

Final passage – S-5 – “Stem Cell Research Enhancement Act” to tax Americans for experimentation necessitating the killing of certain embryonic human babies – June 7, 2007 – Passed 247 to 176 (Democrats in italics)

Voting “no” / pro-life: Aderholt, Akin, Alexander, Bachmann, Bachus, Baker, Barrett (SC), Bartlett (MD), Bilirakis, Bishop (UT), Blackburn, Blunt, Boehner, Bonner, Boozman, Boustany, Brady (TX), Brown (SC), Buchanan, Burgess, Burton (IN), Buyer, Camp (MI), Campbell (CA), Cannon, Carter, Chabot, Cole (OK), Conaway, Costello, Crenshaw, Cubin, Culberson, Davis (KY), David Davis, JoAnn Davis, Lincoln Davis, Deal (GA), Lincoln Diaz-Balart, Mario Diaz-Balart, Donnelly, Doolittle, Drake, Duncan, Ehlers, Ellsworth, English (PA), Everett, Fallin, Feeney, Ferguson, Flake, Forbes, Fortenberry, Foxx, Franks (AZ), Gallegly, Garrett (NJ), Gillmor, Gingrey, Gohmert, Goode, Goodlatte, Graves, Hall (TX), Hastert, Hastings (WA), Hayes, Hensarling, Herger, Hobson, Hoekstra, Hulshof, Hunter, Inglis (SC), Jindal, Johnson (IL), Sam Johnson, Jones (NC), Jordan, Kaptur, Keller, King (IA), King (NY), Kingston, Kline (MN), Knollenberg, Kuhl (NY), LaHood, Lamborn, Latham, Lewis (KY), Linder, Lipinski, LoBiondo, Lucas, Lungren, Manzullo, Marchant, Marshall, McCarthy (CA), McCaul, McCotter, McCrery, McHenry, McHugh, McIntyre, McMorris-Rodgers, Mica, Gary Miller, Miller (FL), Miller (MI), Mollohan, Moran (KS), Tim Murphy, Musgrave, Myrick, Neugebauer, Nunes, Oberstar, Paul, Pearce, Pence, Peterson(MN), Peterson (PA), Petri, Pitts, Poe, Price (GA), Putnam, Radanovich, Rahall, Rehberg, Renzi, Reynolds, Rogers (AL), Rogers (KY), Rogers (MI), Ros-Lehtinen, Roskam, Royce, Ryan (WI), Sali, Saxton, Schmidt, Sensenbrenner, Sessions, Shadegg, Shimkus, Shuler, Shuster, Simpson, Smith (NE), Smith (NJ), Smith (TX), Souder, Stearns, Stupak, Sullivan, Taylor, Terry, Thornberry, Tiahrt, Tiberi, Turner, Walberg, Walsh (NY), Wamp, Weldon (FL), Weller, Westmoreland, Whitfield, Wicker, Wilson (OH), Wilson (SC), Wolf

Voting “yes” / anti-life:Abercrombie, Ackerman, Allen, Altmire, Andrews, Arcuri, Baca, Baird, Baldwin, Barrow, Barton (TX), Bean, Becerra, Berkley, Berman, Berry, Biggert, Bilbray, Bishop (GA), Bishop (NY), Blumenauer, Bono, Boren, Boswell, Boucher, Boyd (FL), Boyda (KS), Brady (PA), Braley (IA), Corrine Brown, Ginny Brown-Waite, Butterfield, Calvert, Capito, Capps, Capuano, Cardoza, Carnahan, Carney, Carson, Castle, Castor, Chandler, Clarke, Clay, Cleaver, Clyburn, Coble, Cohen, Conyers, Cooper, Costa, Courtney, Cramer, Crowley, Cuellar, Cummings, Davis (AL), Davis (CA), Davis (IL), Tom Davis, DeFazio, DeGette, Delahunt, DeLauro, Dent, Dicks, Dingell, Doggett, Doyle, Dreier, Edwards, Ellison, Emanuel, Emerson, Engel, Eshoo, Etheridge, Farr, Fattah, Filner, Fossella, Frank (MA), Frelinghuysen, Gerlach, Giffords, Gilchrest, Gillibrand, Gonzalez, Gordon, Granger, Al Green, Gene Green, Grijalva, Gutierrez, Hall (NY), Hare, Harmon, Heller, Herseth-Sandlin, Higgins, Hill, Hinchey, Hinojosa, Hirono, Hodes, Holt, Honda, Hooley, Hoyer, Inslee, Israel, Issa, Jackson (IL), Jackson-Lee, Johnson (GA), E. B. Johnson, Jones (OH), Kanjorski, Kennedy, Kildee, Kilpatrick, Kind, Kirk, Klein (FL), Kucinich, Lampson, Langevin, Lantos, Larsen (WA), Larson (CT), LaTourette, Lee, Levin, Lewis (CA), Lewis (GA), Loebsack, Lofgren, Lowey, Lynch, Mack, Mahoney (FL), Maloney (NY), Markey, Matheson, Matsui, McCarthy (NY), McCollum (MN), McDermott, McGovern, McKeon, McNerney, McNulty, Meehan, Meek (FL), Meeks (NY), Melancon, Michaud, George Miller, Miller (NC), Mitchell, Moore (KS), Moore (WI), Moran (VA), Murphy (CT), Patrick Murphy, Murtha, Nadler, Napolitano, Neal (MA), Obey, Olver, Ortiz, Pallone, Pascrell, Pastor, Payne, Pelosi, Perlmutter, Platts, Price (NC), Pryce (OH), Ramstad, Rangel, Regula, Reichert, Reyes, Rodriguez, Rohrabacher, Ross, Rothman, Roybal-Allard, Ruppersberger, Rush, Salazar, Linda Sanchez, Loretta Sanchez, Sarbanes, Schakowsky, Schiff, Schwartz, Scott (GA), Scott (VA), Serrano, Sestak, Shays, Shea-Porter, Sherman, Sires, Skelton, Slaughter, Smith (WA), Snyder, Solis, Space, Spratt, Stark, Sutton, Tanner, Tauscher, Thompson (CA), Thompson (MS), Tierney, Towns, Udall (CO), Udall (NM), Upton, VanHollen, Velazquez, Visclosky, Walden (OR), Walz (MN), Wasserman-Schultz, Waters, Watson, Watt, Waxman, Weiner, Welch (VT), Wexler, Wilson (NM), Woolsey, Wu, Wynn, Yarmuth, Young (AK), Young (FL)

Not voting: Cantor, Hastings (FL), Holden, Jefferson, Kagen, Pickering, Pomeroy, Porter, Ryan (OH), Tancredo

Final passage, suspending customary procedures – HR-2560 – “Human Cloning Prohibition Act” to expressly authorize the cloning of human beings but define as a crime the implantation of such a cloned human being into a womb – June 6, 2007 – Failed 204 to 213 (Democrats in italics)

Voting “no” / pro-life: Aderholt, Akin, Alexander, Altmire, Bachmann, Bachus, Baker, Barrett (SC), Bartlett (MD), Barton (TX), Berry, Bilirakis, Bishop (GA), Bishop (UT), Blackburn, Blunt, Boehner, Bonner, Boozman, Boren, Boustany, Brady (TX), Brown (SC), Ginny Brown-Waite, Buchanan, Burgess, Burton (IN), Buyer, Calvert, Camp (MI), Campbell (CA), Cannon, Capito, Carney, Carter, Chabot, Coble, Cole (OK), Conaway, Costello, Cramer, Crenshaw, Cubin, Cuellar, Culberson, Davis (KY), David Davis, JoAnn Davis, Lincoln Davis, Tom Davis, Deal (GA), Lincoln Diaz-Balart, Mario Diaz-Balart, Donnelly, Doolittle, Doyle, Drake, Dreier, Duncan, Ehlers, Ellsworth, Emerson, English (PA), Everett, Fallin, Feeney, Ferguson, Flake, Forbes, Fortenberry, Fossella, Foxx, Franks (AZ), Frelinghuysen, Gallegly, Garrett (NJ), Gerlach, Gillmor, Gingrey, Gohmert, Goode, Goodlatte, Graves, Hall (TX), Hastert, Hastings (WA), Hayes, Heller, Hensarling, Herger, Hill, Hobson, Hoekstra, Hulshof, Inglis (SC), Issa, Jindal, Johnson (IL), Sam Johnson, Jones (NC), Jordan, Kanjorski, Kaptur, Keller, Kildee, King (IA), King (NY), Kingston, Kline (MN), Knollenberg, Kuhl (NY), LaHood, Lamborn, Latham, LaTourette, Lewis (KY), Linder, Lipinski, LoBiondo, Lucas, Lungren, Mack, Manzullo, Marchant, Marshall, McCarthy (CA), McCaul, McCotter, McCrery, McHenry, McHugh, McIntyre, McKeon, McMorris-Rodgers, Melancon, Mica, Gary Miller, Miller (FL), Miller (MI), Mollohan, Moran (KS), Tim Murphy, Murtha, Musgrave, Myrick, Neugebauer, Nunes, Oberstar, Paul, Pearce, Pence, Peterson(MN), Peterson (PA), Petri, Pitts, Platts, Poe, Pomeroy, Porter, Price (GA), Pryce (OH), Putnam, Radanovich, Rahall, Regula, Rehberg, Renzi, Reynolds, Rogers (AL), Rogers (KY), Rogers (MI), Rohrabacher, Ros-Lehtinen, Roskam, Royce, Ryan (WI), Sali, Saxton, Schmidt, Sensenbrenner, Sessions, Shadegg, Shimkus, Shuler, Simpson, Skelton, Smith (NE), Smith (NJ), Smith (TX), Souder, Stearns, Stupak, Sullivan, Taylor, Terry, Thornberry, Tiahrt, Tiberi, Turner, Walberg, Walden (OR), Walsh (NY), Wamp, Weldon (FL), Weller, Westmoreland, Whitfield, Wicker, Wilson (OH), Wilson (SC), Wolf, Young (AK), Young (FL)

Voting “yes” / anti-life:Abercrombie, Ackerman, Allen, Arcuri, Baca, Baird, Baldwin, Barrow, Bean, Berkley, Berman, Biggert, Bilbray, Bishop (NY), Blumenauer, Bono, Boswell, Boucher, Boyd (FL), Boyda (KS), Brady (PA), Braley (IA), Corrine Brown, Butterfield, Capps, Capuano, Cardoza, Carnahan, Carson, Castle, Castor, Chandler, Clarke, Clay, Cleaver, Clyburn, Cohen, Cooper, Costa, Courtney, Crowley, Cummings, Davis (AL), Davis (CA), Davis (IL), DeFazio, DeGette, Delahunt, DeLauro, Dent, Dicks, Dingell, Doggett, Edwards, Ellison, Emanuel, Engel, Eshoo, Etheridge, Farr, Fattah, Filner, Frank (MA), Giffords, Gilchrest, Gillibrand, Gonzalez, Gordon, Granger, Al Green, Gene Green, Grijalva, Gutierrez, Hall (NY), Hare, Harmon, Herseth-Sandlin, Higgins, Hinchey, Hinojosa, Hirono, Hodes, Holt, Honda, Hooley, Hoyer, Inslee, Israel, Jackson (IL), Jackson-Lee, Johnson (GA), E. B. Johnson, Kagen, Kennedy, Kilpatrick, Kind, Kirk, Klein (FL), Kucinich, Lampson, Langevin, Lantos, Larsen (WA), Larson (CT), Lee, Levin, Lewis (CA), Lewis (GA), Loebsack, Lofgren, Lowey, Lynch, Mahoney (FL), Maloney (NY), Markey, Matheson, Matsui, McCarthy (NY), McCollum (MN), McDermott, McGovern, McNerney, McNulty, Meehan, Meek (FL), Meeks (NY), Michaud, George Miller, Miller (NC), Mitchell, Moore (KS), Moore (WI), Moran (VA), Murphy (CT), Patrick Murphy, Nadler, Napolitano, Neal (MA), Obey, Olver, Ortiz, Pascrell, Pastor, Payne, Perlmutter, Price (NC), Ramstad, Rangel, Reichert, Reyes, Rodriguez, Ross, Rothman, Roybal-Allard, Ruppersberger, Rush, Salazar, Linda Sanchez, Loretta Sanchez, Sarbanes, Schakowsky, Schiff, Schwartz, Scott (GA), Scott (VA), Serrano, Sestak, Shays, Shea-Porter, Sherman, Sires, Slaughter, Smith (WA), Snyder, Solis, Space, Spratt, Stark, Sutton, Tanner, Tauscher, Thompson (CA), Thompson (MS), Tierney, Udall (CO), Udall (NM), Upton, VanHollen, Velazquez, Visclosky, Walz (MN), Wasserman-Schultz, Waters, Watson, Watt, Waxman, Weiner, Welch (VT), Wexler, Wilson (NM), Woolsey, Wu, Wynn, Yarmuth

Not voting: Andrews, Becerra, Canto, Conyers, Hastings (FL), Holden, Hunter, Jefferson, Jones (OH), Pallone, Pelosi, Pickering, Ryan (OH), Shuster, Tancredo, Towns

 

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