Life Advocacy Briefing

April 10, 2017

Taking a Break / Justice Neil Gorsuch Confirmed
Good Move, Mr. President! / Senate Voting Records

Taking a Break

IN CELEBRATION OF THE RESURRECTION OF OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST, we at Life Advocacy Briefing expect to be spending time with family during our usual research/writing time next week. We thank our readers for understanding our intention to take a week’s break and expect the April 24 edition to be our next. We extend to our readers heartiest greetings in this glorious holiday season.

Justice Neil Gorsuch Confirmed

AFTER HOURS OF INSCRUTABLE PARLIAMENTARY MANEUVERING, the Senate voted late Friday morning to confirm Judge Neil Gorsuch to the United States Supreme Court, succeeding the late, great Justice Antonin Scalia.

As Justice Gorsuch has long demonstrated a firm commitment to the Constitution, we expect him to uphold sensible legislation protecting unborn children and their mothers – as did his distinguished predecessor – and consequently we, along with many other pro-life organizations, consider the votes on his nomination to fit the definition of “pro-Life” or “anti-Life” actions, though we acknowledge that other issues were involved as well.

We publish at the close of this Life Advocacy Briefing the full series of Senate roll calls which carried the confirmation process to completion. Normally, we would publish voting records on procedural motions in subsequent issues, because of space concerns. But given the monumental nature of this process and the fact that our next issue will not appear until the last weekend in April, we are publishing the entire set of Gorsuch voting records in this edition. Acknowledging that these votes are a sloshy wade, we apologize to our readers for slugging them out in one swoop, but they do constitute a key record to the votes of our United States Senators.

Good Move, Mr. President!

THE WHITE HOUSE HAS WITHDRAWN $32.5 MILLION in annual funding from the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), the hyper-controversial United Nations agency which is notorious for its abetting of Red China’s depopulation regime.

UNFPA has long been a target of Congressional and White House policies. Surely the UNFPA qualifies for defunding under the long-standing Kemp-Kasten Amendment, which, notes Claire Chretien, writing for LifeSiteNews.com, “‘prohibits funding for any organization or program that, as determined by the President, supports or participates in the management of a program of coercive abortion or involuntary sterilization.’” It was under that law that the outfit was disqualified from US funding during the administration of former President George W. Bush, but the US tax spigot was re-opened in the early days of the Obama Regime. The State Dept. last week cited the Kemp-Kasten Amendment in a letter to Senate Foreign Relations Chairman Bob Corker (R-TN) informing him, writes Ms. Chretien, that the US “will not be contributing to UNFPA during 2017.”

The State Dept. issued a statement announcing withdrawal of US:UNFPA funding last week, quoted by Ms. Chretien: “‘This determination was made based on the fact that [Red] China’s family planning policies still involve the use of coercive abortion and involuntary sterilization, and UNFPA partners on family planning activities with the Chinese government agency responsible for these coercive policies.’”

Reaction from international pro-life organizations was swift and positive. Human Life International’s director of Mission Communications, Stephen Phelan, “told LifeSiteNews,” writes Ms. Chretien, “‘This is wonderful news, both for the people in China who are most vulnerable – the women and babies who are most vulnerable to what the Chinese government has been doing these last several decades,’” adding, “‘Anyone who truly respects rights, women’s freedom and women’s reproductive health should celebrate this decision.’”

Reggie Littlejohn, president of Women’s Rights Without Frontiers, decried what she called “‘the UNFPA’s silence in the face of decades of forced abortion,’” which, in the Chretien report, she called “‘a sword in the wombs of millions of women and babies of China. … Under China’s One (now Two) Child Policy, women have been forcibly aborted up to the ninth month of pregnancy,’” Mrs. Littlejohn told LifeSiteNews. “‘Some of these forced abortions have been so violent that the women themselves have died, along with their full-term babies. There have been brutal forced sterilizations as well, butchering women and leaving them disabled. Where was the outcry from the UNFPA?’”

Steven Mosher, president of the Population Research Institute, “told LifeSiteNews,” writes Ms. Chretien: “‘The UN Population Fund does not deserve one dime of US taxpayers’ money, because it’s involved in coercive family planning programs in a number of countries around the world,’” including North Korea, where, notes Mr. Mosher, “‘The UN Population Fund has offices and is encouraging these brutal dictatorial regimes to drive down their birthrate by forced abortion and forced sterilization policies. … The evidence,’” he added, “‘is clear.’”

And Steven Mosher – above all others – should know. His involvement in the international pro-life cause was initiated by his discovery of the Red Chinese forced abortion and sterilization pogrom in 1979 when he was “the first American research student,” reads his Wikipedia.org biography, “to conduct anthropological research in rural China after the Cultural Revolution.” It was Steven Mosher who, in his landmark book Broken Earth, unmasked the atrocity which has, for decades, been aided and abetted by the UNFPA.

Senate Voting Records

Confirmation of Judge Neil Gorsuch as Supreme Court Justice – Confirmed – April 7, 2017 – 54-45 (Simple majority required) (Democrats in italics; “Independent” marked “I”)

Voting “yes” / pro-Life: Shelby & Strange/AL, Murkowski & Sullivan/AK, Flake & McCain/AZ, Boozman & Cotton/AR, Gardner/CO, Rubio/FL, Perdue/GA, Crapo & Risch/ID, Donnelly & Young/IN, Ernst & Grassley/IA, Moran & Roberts/KS, McConnell & Paul/KY, Cassidy & Kennedy/LA, Collins/ME, Cochran & Wicker/MS, Blunt/MO, Daines/MT, Fischer & Sasse/NE, Heller/NV, Burr & Tillis/NC, Heitkamp & Hoeven/ND, Portman/OH, Inhofe & Lankford/OK, Toomey/PA, Graham & Scott/SC, Rounds & Thune/SD, Alexander & Corker/TN, Cornyn & Cruz/TX, Hatch & Lee/UT, Capito & Manchin/WV, Johnson/WI, Barrasso & Enzi/WY.

Voting “no” / anti-Life: Feinstein & Harris/CA, Bennet/CO, Blumenthal & Murphy/CT, Carper & Coons/DE, Nelson/FL, Hirono & Schatz/HI, Duckworth & Durbin/IL, King(I)/ME, Cardin & VanHollen/MD, Markey & Warren/MA, Peters & Stabenow/MI, Franken & Klobuchar/MN, McCaskill/MO, Tester/MT, Cortez-Masto/NV, Hassan & Shaheen/NH, Booker & Menendez/NJ, Heinrich & Udall/NM, Gillibrand & Schumer/NY, Brown/OH, Merkley & Wyden/OR, Casey/PA, Reed & Whitehouse/RI, Leahy & Sanders/VT, Kaine & Warner/VA, Cantwell & Murray/WA, Baldwin/WI.

Not voting: Isakson/GA.

Procedural motion to proceed to consideration of Confirmation of Judge Neil Gorsuch as Supreme Court Justice – Adopted April 4, 2017 – 55-44 (Simple majority required) (Democrats in italics; “Independent” marked “I”)

Voting “yes” / pro-Life: Shelby & Strange/AL, Murkowski & Sullivan/AK, Flake & McCain/AZ, Boozman & Cotton/AR, Bennet & Gardner/CO, Rubio/FL, Perdue/GA, Crapo & Risch/ID, Donnelly & Young/IN, Ernst & Grassley/IA, Moran & Roberts/KS, McConnell & Paul/KY, Cassidy & Kennedy/LA, Collins/ME, Cochran & Wicker/MS, Blunt/MO, Daines/MT, Fischer & Sasse/NE, Heller/NV, Burr & Tillis/NC, Heitkamp & Hoeven/ND, Portman/OH, Inhofe & Lankford/OK, Toomey/PA, Graham & Scott/SC, Rounds & Thune/SD, Alexander & Corker/TN, Cornyn & Cruz/TX, Hatch & Lee/UT, Capito & Manchin/WV, Johnson/WI, Barrasso & Enzi/WY.

Voting “no” / anti-Life: Feinstein & Harris/CA, Blumenthal & Murphy/CT, Carper & Coons/DE, Nelson/FL, Hirono & Schatz/HI, Duckworth & Durbin/IL, King(I)/ME, Cardin & VanHollen/MD, Markey & Warren/MA, Peters & Stabenow/MI, Franken & Klobuchar/MN, McCaskill/MO, Tester/MT, Cortez-Masto/NV, Hassan & Shaheen/NH, Booker & Menendez/NJ, Heinrich & Udall/NM, Gillibrand & Schumer/NY, Brown/OH, Merkley & Wyden/OR, Casey/PA, Reed & Whitehouse/RI, Leahy & Sanders/VT, Kaine & Warner/VA, Cantwell & Murray/WA, Baldwin/WI.

Not voting: Isakson/GA.

Cloture motion to bring Gorsuch nomination to a vote after 30 hours’ debate – Lost – April 6, 2017 — 55-45 (needing 60) (Democrats in italics; “Independent” marked “I”)

Voting “yes” / pro-Life: Shelby & Strange/AL, Murkowski & Sullivan/AK, Flake & McCain/AZ, Boozman & Cotton/AR, Bennet & Gardner/CO, Rubio/FL, Isakson & Perdue/GA, Crapo & Risch/ID, Donnelly & Young/IN, Ernst & Grassley/IA, Moran & Roberts/KS, Paul/KY, Cassidy & Kennedy/LA, Collins/ME, Cochran & Wicker/MS, Blunt/MO, Daines/MT, Fischer & Sasse/NE, Heller/NV, Burr & Tillis/NC, Heitkamp & Hoeven/ND, Portman/OH, Inhofe & Lankford/OK, Toomey/PA, Graham & Scott/SC, Rounds & Thune/SD, Alexander & Corker/TN, Cornyn & Cruz/TX, Hatch & Lee/UT, Capito & Manchin/WV, Johnson/WI, Barrasso & Enzi/WY.

Voting “no” / anti-Life: Feinstein & Harris/CA, Blumenthal & Murphy/CT, Carper & Coons/DE, Nelson/FL, Hirono & Schatz/HI, Duckworth & Durbin/IL, McConnell*/KY, King(I)/ME, Cardin & VanHollen/MD, Markey & Warren/MA, Peters & Stabenow/MI, Franken & Klobuchar/MN, McCaskill/MO, Tester/MT, Cortez-Masto/NV, Hassan & Shaheen/NH, Booker & Menendez/NJ, Heinrich & Udall/NM, Gillibrand & Schumer/NY, Brown/OH, Merkley & Wyden/OR, Casey/PA, Reed & Whitehouse/RI, Leahy & Sanders/VT, Kaine & Warner/VA, Cantwell & Murray/WA, Baldwin/WI.

*The Majority Leader voted “no” to reserve the right to move to reconsider, which he proceeded to do.

Procedural motion (by Sen. Mitch McConnell, R-KY) to reconsider the vote by which the Gorsuch nomination cloture motion lost – Adopted – April 6, 2017 – 55-45 (needing simple majority) (Democrats in italics; “Independent” marked “I”)

Voting “yes” / pro-Life: Shelby & Strange/AL, Murkowski & Sullivan/AK, Flake & McCain/AZ, Boozman & Cotton/AR, Gardner/CO, Rubio/FL, Isakson & Perdue/GA, Crapo & Risch/ID, Donnelly & Young/IN, Ernst & Grassley/IA, Moran & Roberts/KS, McConnell & Paul/KY, Cassidy & Kennedy/LA, Collins/ME, Cochran & Wicker/MS, Blunt/MO, Daines/MT, Fischer & Sasse/NE, Heller/NV, Burr & Tillis/NC, Heitkamp & Hoeven/ND, Portman/OH, Inhofe & Lankford/OK, Toomey/PA, Graham & Scott/SC, Rounds & Thune/SD, Alexander & Corker/TN, Cornyn & Cruz/TX, Hatch & Lee/UT, Capito & Manchin/WV, Johnson/WI, Barrasso & Enzi/WY.

Procedural motion (by Sen. Charles Schumer, D-NY) to delay vote on Gorsuch nomination until Monday, April 24 – Lost – April 6, 2017 – 48-52 (Democrats in italics; “Independent” marked “I”)

Voting “no” / pro-Life: Shelby & Strange/AL, Murkowski & Sullivan/AK, Flake & McCain/AZ, Boozman & Cotton/AR, Gardner/CO, Rubio/FL, Isakson & Perdue/GA, Crapo & Risch/ID, Young/IN, Ernst & Grassley/IA, Moran & Roberts/KS, McConnell & Paul/KY, Cassidy & Kennedy/LA, Collins/ME, Cochran & Wicker/MS, Blunt/MO, Daines/MT, Fischer & Sasse/NE, Heller/NV, Burr & Tillis/NC, Hoeven/ND, Portman/OH, Inhofe & Lankford/OK, Toomey/PA, Graham & Scott/SC, Rounds & Thune/SD, Alexander & Corker/TN, Cornyn & Cruz/TX, Hatch & Lee/UT, Capito/WV, Johnson/WI, Barrasso & Enzi/WY.

Voting “yes” / anti-Life: Feinstein & Harris/CA, Bennet/CO, Blumenthal & Murphy/CT, Carper & Coons/DE, Nelson/FL, Hirono & Schatz/HI, Duckworth & Durbin/IL, Donnelly/IN, King(I)/ME, Cardin & VanHollen/MD, Markey & Warren/MA, Peters & Stabenow/MI, Franken & Klobuchar/MN, McCaskill/MO, Tester/MT, Cortez-Masto/NV, Hassan & Shaheen/NH, Booker & Menendez/NJ, Heinrich & Udall/NM, Gillibrand & Schumer/NY, Heitkamp/ND, Brown/OH, Merkley & Wyden/OR, Casey/PA, Reed & Whitehouse/RI, Leahy & Sanders/VT, Kaine & Warner/VA, Cantwell & Murray/WA, Manchin/WV, Baldwin/WI.

Motion by Sen. Schumer to adjourn the Senate until 5 p.m. in order to forestall vote on McConnell motion to appeal ruling of the chair denying his point of order that sought to apply “Reid” Rule reducing cloture motion margin to simple majority for judicial nominations – April 6, 2017 – Lost – 48-52 (Democrats in italics; “Independent” marked “I”)

Voting “yes” / anti-Life: Feinstein & Harris/CA, Bennet/CO, Blumenthal & Murphy/CT, Carper & Coons/DE, Nelson/FL, Hirono & Schatz/HI, Duckworth & Durbin/IL, Donnelly/IN, King(I)/ME, Cardin & VanHollen/MD, Markey & Warren/MA, Peters & Stabenow/MI, Franken & Klobuchar/MN, McCaskill/MO, Tester/MT, Cortez-Masto/NV, Hassan & Shaheen/NH, Booker & Menendez/NJ, Heinrich & Udall/NM, Gillibrand & Schumer/NY, Heitkamp/ND, Brown/OH, Merkley & Wyden/OR, Casey/PA, Reed & Whitehouse/RI, Leahy & Sanders/VT, Kaine & Warner/VA, Cantwell & Murray/WA, Manchin/WV, Baldwin/WI.

Motion by Sen. McConnell to appeal ruling of the chair denying his point of order that sought to apply “Reid” Rule reducing cloture motion margin to simple majority for judicial nominations – April 6, 2017 – Question stated by presiding officer as “shall the decision of the Chair stand,” shifting those voting with Sen. McConnell to a “no” position and those voting with Sen. Schumer to “yes.” Sen. McConnell prevailed via those voting “no” – 48-52 (Democrats in italics; “Independent” marked “I”)

Cloture motion reconsidered, bringing Gorsuch nomination to a vote after 30 hours of debate – April 6, 2017 – Adopted – 55-45 (now needing simple majority) (Democrats in italics; “Independent” marked “I”)

Voting “yes” / pro-Life: Shelby & Strange/AL, Murkowski & Sullivan/AK, Flake & McCain/AZ, Boozman & Cotton/AR, Gardner/CO, Rubio/FL, Isakson & Heinrich Perdue/GA, Crapo & Risch/ID, Donnelly & Young/IN, Ernst & Grassley/IA, Moran & Roberts/KS, McConnell & Paul/KY, Cassidy & Kennedy/LA, Collins/ME, Cochran & Wicker/MS, Blunt/MO, Daines/MT, Fischer & Sasse/NE, Heller/NV, Burr & Tillis/NC, Heitkamp & Hoeven/ND, Portman/OH, Inhofe & Lankford/OK, Toomey/PA, Graham & Scott/SC, Rounds & Thune/SD, Alexander & Corker/TN, Cornyn & Cruz/TX, Hatch & Lee/UT, Capito & Manchin/WV, Johnson/WI, Barrasso & Enzi/WY.