Life Advocacy Briefing

January 8, 2018

Happy New Year / March for Life Scheduled
Ohio’s ‘Down’s’ Protection Act Is Now Law / Moving Minds & Hearts
Voting Record Index – House – 1st Session 115th Congress

Happy New Year

WE ARE BACK, opening the 25th year for Life Advocacy Briefing and looking forward to serving the cause of Life, thanks to our support team and subscribers.

In this edition, we publish our annual Voting Record Index for the US House, having published our Senate index in December. We hope our readers find it useful. It includes all the House voting records we published in Life Advocacy Briefing last year.

March for Life Scheduled

THE ANNUAL MARCH FOR LIFE, drawing pro-life citizens from throughout the US, is scheduled this year for Friday, Jan. 19. We hope and pray the frigid weather gripping America’s east coast will have abated by then and that the crowd will set new records.

We intend to publish a schedule of related events in next week’s Life Advocacy Briefing, but we urge readers to make plans now to rally with fellow pro-life advocates on the National Mall at noon before the March through the streets of the nation’s capital.

Ohio’s ‘Down’s’ Protection Act Is Now Law

OHIO PRO-LIFE ADVOCATES – and the families and children they seek to protect – received a Christmas gift Dec. 22 from their governor – formal enactment of a new law barring abortions on babies who have received a Down syndrome diagnosis from a prenatal test.

Thanks to the legislature and Gov. John Kasich (R), “an individual who commits an abortion in these circumstances,” reports LifeSiteNews.com, “could be charged with a fourth-degree felony, and doctors who do so could also lose their licenses.”

The new law was given a 20-to-12 green light by the Ohio Senate and a 63-to-30 “aye” vote in the state House; the governor himself, reports LifeSiteNews, had “said in 2015 he would be ‘more than glad’ to sign such a bill.”

Since the development of a prenatal test to detect the likelihood of Down’s, “up to 90% of preborn children diagnosed with Down Syndrome are aborted,” notes the pro-life news outlet, “even though the chromosomal abnormality has not stopped such people from living happy, fulfilling lives.”

The report quotes Live Action, “‘[Parents] are not informed of the advances in science and medicine that allow people with Down syndrome to lead successful lives. Today, people with Down syndrome receive equal education alongside their peers, and many live on their own, get married and hold jobs.’”

And thanks to Ohio’s vigorous pro-life community and the good will and common sense of most Ohio lawmakers, in that state at least, they are afforded the dignity they deserve under the law.

Moving Minds & Hearts

Dec. 27, 2017, BreakPoint commentary by John Stonestreet & G. Shane Morris

            Many were surprised when Tim Keller was invited to give a Google Talk back in 2008 about his book, The Reason for God. The tech giant, like most denizens of Silicon Valley, has a reputation for being socially progressive and devoted to a set of values that are, shall we say, different than those of conservative Christians. By inviting him to talk to its staff, Google signaled an openness not only to Christian ideas but to real and healthy dialogue. Keller was even invited to speak a second time at Google. But recently, an even more surprising Google Talk speaker than Keller visited their headquarters.

            Stephanie Gray is a Canadian pro-life apologist. She travels the world making the case for the humanity and personhood of the unborn. She’s co-founder of the Canadian Centre for Bio-ethical Reform and now leads a ministry called Love Unleashes Life.   Her talk at Google just a few days ago wasn’t just unprecedented, it was amazing. In fact, within 24 hours, it surpassed the popularity of another talk by Planned Parenthood president Cecile Richards.

            Stephanie opened by comparing the story of Captain Sully Sullenberger, the man who successfully landed a disabled airliner on the Hudson River in 2009, refusing to evacuate until all his passengers were safe, with the captain of the Italian Costa Concordia ship who quickly jumped ship after it wrecked. We rightly admire people like “Sully,” Stephanie said, because of three qualities. First, their willingness to sacrifice for others, their perspective when faced with hardship and their commitment to do the right thing, even when it means being the last one out of a sinking airplane.

            But abortion flies in the face of these admirable and heroic qualities. It promises an easy way out – erasing the consequences of sex as if nothing – or no one – ever happened.

            Stephanie thinks we all know better at a deep level. And she challenged her audience with story after story of women who chose life, even in the toughest of circumstances, and who don’t regret it. Like my friend Scott Klusendorf, at the Life Training Institute, Stephanie knows that the arguments about choice, bodily autonomy, financial hardship or special cases are just distractions from the central question that matters the most: Is the unborn human?

            At Google, she marshaled scientific evidence to show that our humanity and individuality are fully present from the earliest stages of gestation. She showed that an unborn baby’s moral value is determined solely by the type of thing it is, not its size, level of development, environment or degree of dependency. And most importantly, she appealed to her audience’s moral imagination, demonstrating why the others-centered love required to choose life is the kind of thing we admire, the kind of thing we know is right and the kind of choice no one regrets.

            We can learn a thing or two from Stephanie. First, the case for Life is strong. Her message was one that even an overwhelmingly secular and progressive audience could understand. She made non-religious arguments – what Chuck Colson would call prudential arguments – for the rights of the unborn. And then she employed an arsenal of stories that reinforce Life in a way philosophical reasoning by itself never could. She even appealed to Google’s corporate motto, “Do the right thing,” adding: “even when it’s hard.”

            And the second thing we can learn is that the moral realities that Christians believe aren’t just true and defensible. They’re better! So many in our culture these days are wondering not only if Christian truth claims are true but if they’re good. We can and should know how to make the case for Life, just like Stephanie. Come to BreakPoint.org for a link to her outstanding talk and to find the book that taught me to make the case for Life by Scott Klusendorf, called The Case for Life.

Life Advocacy Briefing editor’s note: This commentary first aired July 3, 2017. We visited BreakPoint.org to find the link to Stephanie Gray’s talk at Google. We found it here and recommend it to our readers: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DzzfSq2DEc4. We find her approach salutary.

Voting Record Index – Senate

BELOW IS OUR COMPILATION OF VOTING RECORDS for Members of the US House for the first year of the 115th Congress, 2017. The index takes into account every recorded House roll call which has been published in Life Advocacy Briefing as having an impact on the cause of Life. Several roll calls were procedural in nature, rather than substantive; we believe procedural votes matter, as without a successful outcome on procedural votes, a vote cannot be taken on the actual proposal.

We have attempted to achieve accuracy in our report and believe the index represents with fairness the Life-related voting record of every Representative.

HOUSE VOTING RECORD INDEX – 2017

KEY

  1. Motion to Close Debate on HRes-48 – Rule for consideration of S-ConRes-3 – Jan. 13, 2017 – Passed 234-179
  2. HRes-48 – Rule for Consideration of S-ConRes-3 – Jan. 12, 2017 – Passed 235-188
  3. S-ConRes-3 – Reconciliation Measure to Establish Repeal of ObamaCare and other purposes – Jan. 13, 2017 – Passed 227-198
  4. Motion to Close Debate on HRes-55 – Rule for Consideration of HR-7 – Jan. 24, 2017 – Passed 233-187
  5. HRes-55 – Rule for Consideration of HR-7 – Jan. 24, 2017 – Passed 236-183
  6. Motion to Recommit (block consideration of) HR-7 – Jan. 24, 2017 – Rejected 187-235
  7. HR-7 – Permanent ‘Hyde’ (prohibit taxpayer funding of abortion in substantive law) – Jan. 24, 2017 – Passed 238-183
  8. Motion to Close Debate on HRes-123 – Rule for Consideration of HJRes-43 – Feb. 15, 2017 – Passed 233-190
  9. HRes-123 – Rule for Consideration of HJRes-43 – Feb. 15, 2017 – Passed 233-188  
  10. HJRes 43 – Overturning Obama Regulation forcing states to include abortionists in family planning spending – Feb. 16, 2017 – Passed 230-188
  11. Palmer Amendment to HR-3354 – Overturning District of Columbia “Reproductive Health Non-Discrimination Act” forcing pro-life organizations to employ anti-Life workers – Sept. 14, 2017 – Adopted 214-194
  12. Norton Amendment to HR-3354 – Granting Budget Autonomy to DC, opening door to taxpayer-funded abortions in nation’s capital – Sept. 14, 2017 – Rejected 186-222
  13. Motion to Close Debate on HRes-548 – Rule for Consideration of HR-36 – Oct. 3, 2017 – Passed 233-184
  14. HRes-548 – Rule for Consideration of HR-36 – Oct. 3, 2017 – Passed 233-187
  15. Motion to Recommit (block) HR-36 – Oct. 3, 2017 – Rejected 187-238
  16. HR-36 – Pain-Capable Unborn Child Protection Act outlawing abortion on babies at & after 20 weeks gestation – Oct. 3, 2017 – Passed 237-189
  17. Motion to Close Debate on HRes-600 – Rule for Consideration of HR-849 – Nov. 2, 2017 – Passed 230-193
  18. HRes-600 – Rule for Consideration of HR-849 – Nov. 2, 2017 – Passed 240-178
  19. HR-849 – Protecting Seniors Access to Medicare Act (to abolish ObamaCare’s Independent Payment Advisory Board – “Death Panel”) – Nov. 2, 2017 – Passed 307-111

VOTING RECORD

100% Pro-Life: Republicans Aderholt, Byrne, Palmer, Roby, Rogers/AL; Biggs, Franks, Schweikert/AZ; Crawford, Hill, Westerman, Womack/AR; Calvert, Cook, Denham, Hunter, Issa, Knight, LaMalfa, McCarthy, McClintock, Rohrabacher, Royce, Valadao, Walters/CA; Buck, Coffman, Lamborn, Tipton/CO; Bilirakis, Buchanan, DeSantis, Dunn, Gaetz, Mast, Rutherford, Webster/FL; Allen, Collins, Ferguson, Graves, Hice, A.Scott, Woodall/GA; Labrador/ID; Bost, Hultgren, Kinzinger, LaHood, Shimkus/IL; Banks, Brooks, Bucshon, Hollingsworth, Messer, Rokita, Walorski/IN; Blum, King, Young/IA; Jenkins, Marshall, Yoder/KS; Comer, Guthrie, Massie, Rogers/KY; Abraham, Graves, Higgins, Johnson/LA; Amash, Bergman, Bishop, Huizenga, Mitchell, Moolenaar, Walberg/MI; Emmer, Lewis, Paulsen/MN; Harper, Kelly, Palazzo/MS; Hartzler, Luetkemeyer, Smith, Wagner/MO; Bacon, Fortenberry, Smith/NE; Lance, LoBiondo, MacArthur, Smith/NJ; Pearce/NM; Collins, Donovan, King, Tenney, Zeldin/NY; Budd, Foxx, Holding, Hudson, McHenry, Meadows, Pittenger, Rouzer, Walker/NC; Chabot, Davidson, Gibbs, Jordan, Latta, Renacci, Stivers, Turner, Wenstrup/OH; Cole, Lucas, Mullin, Russell/OK; Walden/OR; Barletta, Kelly, Murphy, Perry, Rothfus, Shuster, Thompson/PA; Duncan, Rice, Sanford, Wilson/SC; Noem/SD; Blackburn, Duncan, Fleischmann,  Kustoff, Roe/TN; Arrington, Babin, Burgess, Carter, Conaway, Culberson, Farenthold, Flores, Gohmert, Granger, Hurd, S.Johnson, McCaul, Olson, Ratcliffe, Sessions, Smith, Thornberry, Weber, Williams/TX; Bishop, Love/UT; Brat, Comstock, Goodlatte, Griffith, Taylor, Wittman/VA; Herrera-Beutler, McMorris-Rodgers, Newhouse, Reichert/WA; Jenkins, McKinley, Mooney/WV; Duffy, Gallagher, Grothman, Sensenbrenner/WI; Cheney/WY.

100% Pro-Life when voting (absences indicated by capital letters in parentheses after Member’s name): Republicans Brooks(Q,R,S)/AL; Young(A)/AK; Gosar(K,L)/AZ; Nunes(S)/CA; Diaz-Balart(K,L), Posey(K,L), F.Rooney(K,L), T.Rooney(K,L), Ros-Lehtinen(K,L), Ross(K,L), Rutherford(A,B,C,K,L), Yoho(K,L)/FL; Carter(H,I,K,L), Loudermilk(K,L,M,N,O,P)/GA; Simpson(S)/ID; R.Davis(H), Roskam(I)/IL; Barr(Q,R)/KY; Scalise(K,L,S)/LA; Trott(J), Upton(Q,R,S)/MI; Graves(K,L), Long(M,N,P)/MO; Amodei(J)/NV; Jones(D,E,F,G)/NC; Cramer(J)/ND; Johnson(M,N), Joyce(D), Tiberi(K,L)/OH; Bridenstine(K,L,M,N,O,P,Q,R,S)/OK; Smucker(N)/PA; Gowdy(Q,R)/SC; DesJarlais(M,N), Black(Q,R,S)/TN; Barton(J), Brady(L), Hensarling(Q,R), Marchant(N,R), Poe(H,I)/TX; Stewart(J,R)/UT; Garrett(K,L,M)/VA. Republicans Handel(GA), Estes(KS), Gianforte(MT) and Norman(SC) were seated after special elections following vote J and voted consistently pro-Life. House Speaker Paul Ryan (R-WI) cast one pro-Life vote (C); the Speaker traditionally does not vote. No Democrats.

Mostly Pro-Life (anti-Life votes noted by lower-case letters & absences by capital letters in parentheses after Member’s name): Republicans McSally(k)/AZ; Coffman(k)(D,E)/CO; Curbelo(k)(J)/FL; Poliquin(k)/ME; Frelinghuysen(p)/NJ; Faso(j), Katko(k), Reed(k), Stefanik(k)/NY; Costello(k), Dent(j,k,p), Fitzpatrick(k), Meehan(k)/PA. No Democrats.

Mixed (pro-Life votes noted by lower-case letters in parentheses after Member’s name): Democrats Lipinski(e,g,j,k,n,o,p)/IL, Peterson(e,g,j,k,o,p,r,s)/MN. No Republicans.

Mostly Anti-Life (pro-Life votes noted by lower-case letters & absences by capital letters  in parentheses after Member’s name): Democrats Sewell(s)/AL; Gallego(s), O’Halleran(r,s), Sinema (r)(S)/AZ; Aguilar(s), Barragan(s), Bera(s), Brownley(s), Carbajal(r,s), Cardenas(s), Correa(s), Davis(s), Lieu(s)(G), Lofgren(s), McNerney(s), Panetta(s), Ruiz(r,s), Sanchez(s), Torres(s), Vargas(s)/CA; DeGette(s)/CO; Courtney(s), Esty(s), Larson(s)(K,L)/CT; Blunt-Rochester(s)/DE; Crist(r,s)(A,K,L), Demings(s), Frankel(s)(B,C,K,L), Murphy(r,s), Soto(s)(H)/FL; Johnson(s)(A)/GA; Gabbard(s)(F,G)/HI; Bustos(s), Krishnamoorthi(s), Rush(s)(A,B,C,D,E,F,G,J), Schneider(r,s)/IL; Richmond(s)(J,M)/LA; Ruppersberger(s)/MD; Capuano(s), Keating(s)(A), Lynch(s)(I), Moulton(s)/MA; Lawrence(s)/MI; Nolan(s)/MN; Kihuen(s)(M,N,O,P), Rosen(r,s)(M,N,O,P)/NV; Kuster(s), Shea-Porter(s)/NH; Gottheimer(r,s), Norcross(s), Pascrell(s), Sires(s), Watson-Coleman(s)/NJ; Lujan-Grisham(s)/NM; Clarke(s), Engel(s), Higgins(s), S.Maloney(s), Meeks(s)(A), Meng(s), Suozzi(r,s)(A,B)/NY; Butterfield(s)(J)/NC; Beatty(s)/OH; DeFazio(s)/OR; Boyle(s)/PA; Castro(s), Cuellar(g,p,s), Gonzalez(s), G.Green(s)(C), O’Rourke(s), Veasey(s)(E), Vela(s)/TX; Connolly(s)/VA; Kilmer(s)/WA. Democrat Gomez(CA) was seated after a special election following vote J and voted consistently anti-Life except (s). No Republicans.

100% Anti-Life when voting (absences indicated by capital letters in parentheses after Member’s name): Democrats Bass(J), Costa(A,F,G,K,L), Huffman(A,B,E), Lee(R), Pelosi(A,B,K), Peters(Q,R,S), Speier(M,S), Waters(A)/CA; DeLauro(K,L), Himes(O,P)/CT; Deutch(M,N), Lawson(K,L), Wasserman-Schultz(A), Wilson(S)/FL; D.Scott(R,S)/GA; Foster(O), Gutierrez(M)/IL; Cummings(H,I), Hoyer(R)/MD; Thompson(M)/MS; Cleaver(C,K,L)/MO; Titus(I)/NV; Payne(D,E,H,I)/NJ; Crowley(A,B,M,N), Slaughter(D,E,F,G), Velazquez(D)/NY; Blumenauer(D,E,F,G,I), Schrader(E)/OR; Evans(A)/PA; Clyburn(C,K,L)/SC; E.B.Johnson(D,E,F,G,M,N,S)/TX; Moore(A), Pocan(Q,R,S)/WI. No Republicans.  

100% Anti-Life: Democrats Grijalva/AZ; Chu, DeSaulnier, Eshoo, Garamendi, Khanna, Lowenthal,  Matsui, Napolitano, Roybal-Allard, Schiff, Sherman, Swalwell, Takano, Thompson/CA; Perlmutter, Polis/CO; Castor, Hastings/FL; Bishop, Lewis/GA; Hanabusa/HI; D.Davis, Kelly, Quigley, Schakowsky/IL; Carson, Visclosky/IN; Loebsack/IA; Yarmuth/KY; Pingree/ME; Brown, Delaney, Raskin, Sarbanes/MD; Clark, Kennedy, McGovern, Neal, Tsongas/MA; Conyers, Dingell, Kildee, Levin/MI; Walz/MN; Clay/MO; Pallone/NJ; Lujan/NM; Espaillat, Jeffries, Lowey, C.Maloney, Nadler, Rice, Serrano, Tonko/NY; Adams, Price/NC; Fudge, Kaptur, Ryan/OH; Bonamici/OR; Brady, Cartwright, Doyle/PA; Cicilline, Langevin/RI; Cohen, Cooper/TN; Doggett, A.Green, Jackson-Lee/TX; Welch/VT; Beyer, McEachin, Scott/VA; DelBene, Heck, Jayapal, Larsen, Smith/WA; Kind/WI. No Republicans.