Life Advocacy Briefing

Chink in the Armor?

BIG NEWS with no details yet available: Cecile Richards is reportedly stepping down as president of Planned Parenthood. Let us pray.

Senate to Vote on Late-Term Ban

THE U.S. SENATE IS GETTING SET TO VOTE on the Pain-Capable Unborn Child Protection Act, S-2311, sponsored by Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC). Readers are asked to call US Senators via the Capitol switchboard at 1-202/224-3121 and to focus particularly on Democratic Senators plus GOP Senators Lisa Murkowski (AK) and Susan Collins (ME). The bill outlaws abortions on babies who have reached the 20th week of gestation.

National Sanctity of Human Life Day

THE PRESIDENT DECLARED JAN. 22 as National Sanctity of Human Life Day, reviving a tradition begun by Pres. Ronald Reagan and carried forward by Presidents George H.W. Bush and George W. Bush during their tenures. We publish the text of the Trump Proclamation near the close of this Life Advocacy Briefing.

March for Life Takes on DC

THE 45th MARCH FOR LIFE on Jan. 19 saw a huge turnout not only of marchers but of dignitaries eager to be associated with America’s most urgent cause. Pres. Donald Trump addressed the crowd by live satellite hookup from the Rose Garden, where he was introduced by Vice Pres. Mike Pence; we publish our transcripts of both their speeches before the Sanctity of Life proclamation in this edition. Future editions will include our transcripts of speeches by House Speaker Paul Ryan and Representatives Chris Smith (R-NJ) and Jaime Herrera-Beutler (R-WA).

Other lawmakers who appeared on stage but were not invited to speak were GOP Representatives Aderholt & Palmer/AL; Biggs/AZ; Westerman/AR; T.Rooney/FL; Loudermilk/GA; Hultgren/IL; Banks, Messer & Rokita/IN; Estes & Marshall/KS; Barr/KY; Johnson/LA; Hartzler/MO; Bacon/NE; Pearce/NM; Tenney & Zeldin/NY; Davidson, Latta & Wenstrup/OH; Fitzpatrick, Rothfus, Smucker & Thompson/PA; Norman & Wilson/SC; Noem/SD; Black/TN; Arrington & Weber/TX; and Grothman/WI. Also, GOP Senators Daines/MT and Lankford/OK.

Born-Alive Survivors Bill Moves to Senate

THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES PROCEEDED on March for Life Day, Jan. 19, to pass the Born-Alive Abortion Survivors Protection Act, sponsored by Rep. Marsha Blackburn (R-TN) under the designation HR-4712, with 131 co-sponsors. Readers will find the voting record on final passage of HR-4712 at the close of this Life Advocacy Briefing. We will publish associated procedural roll calls in future editions as space permits. 

We were pleased to see that this vital measure passed with 241 affirmative votes but saddened to see that 183 Democratic Members of the House voted against outlawing the intentional, deadly neglect of babies who survive abortions and are clearly, as born individuals, human persons; even the Supreme Court could probably see that! (A whole six Democrats voted “yes,” and that is progress!)

March for Life Speeches: V.P. Pence & Pres. Trump

Delivered before an audience in the White House Rose Garden and live-satellite-telecast to the March for Life Rally on the National Mall, Friday, Jan. 19, 2018, transcribed by Life Advocacy Briefing

Vice President Pence: To all here in the Rose Garden and to the vast gathering of Americans young and old on our National Mall at this very hour, welcome back to Washington, DC, and welcome back to the largest pro-life gathering in the United States of America, the 45th annual March for Life.

            More than 240 years ago, our Founders wrote words that have echoed through the ages. They declared these truths to be self-evident: that we are, each of us, endowed by our Creator with certain unalienable rights and that among these are life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. Forty-five years ago, the Supreme Court of the United States turned its back on the unalienable right to life. But in that moment, our movement began, a movement that continues to win hearts and minds. A movement defined by generosity, compassion and love, and a movement that, one year ago tomorrow, inaugurated the most pro-life President in American history, President Donald Trump.

            From preventing taxpayer dollars from funding abortion overseas to empowering states to respect life in Title Ten, nominating judges who will uphold our God-given liberties enshrined in the Constitution of the United States, this President has been a tireless defender of life and conscience in America, and today, President Trump will do even more to defend the most vulnerable in our society. My friends, Life is winning in America, because love saves lives. And know as you march for life, that your compassion, your persistence, your activism and your prayers are saving lives.

            And this pro-life generation should never doubt, we are with you. This President stands with you. And He who said “before I formed you in the womb, I knew you” is with you as well. And I believe with all of my heart, with your continued dedication and compassion, with pro-life majorities in the Congress, with President Donald Trump in this White House and with God’s help, we will restore the sanctity of life to the center of American law. And so, with a grateful heart, on this 45th annual March for Life, it is now my high honor and distinct privilege to introduce to you the 45th President of the United States of America, President Donald Trump.

President Trump: Thank you very much. That’s so nice. [Directed to the Rose Garden audience] Sit, please. We have tens of thousands of people watching us right down the road. Tens of thousands. So, I congratulate you, and at least we picked a beautiful day. You can’t get a more beautiful day. I want to thank our Vice President Mike Pence for that wonderful introduction. I also want to thank you and Karen for being true champions for life. Thank you, and thank Karen.

            Today I’m honored and really proud to be the first President to stand with you here at the White House to address the 45th March for Life. That’s very, very special – 45th March for Life. And this is a truly remarkable group. Today tens of thousands of families, students and patriots, and really just great citizens, gather here in our nation’s capital. You come from many backgrounds, many places, but you all come for one beautiful cause: to build a society where Life is celebrated, protected and cherished.

            The March for Life is a movement born out of love. You love your families; you love your neighbors, you love our nation and you love every child, born and unborn, because you believe that every life is sacred, that every child is a precious gift from God.

            We know that life is the greatest miracle of all. We see it in the eyes of every new mother who cradles that wonderful, innocent and glorious newborn child in her loving arms. I want to thank every person here today and all across our country who works with such big hearts and tireless devotion to make sure that parents have the care and support they need to choose life. Because of you, tens of thousands of Americans have been born and reached their full God-given potential. Because of you, you’re living witnesses of this year’s March for Life theme, and that theme is “Love Saves Lives.”

            As you all know, Roe versus Wade has resulted in some of the most permissive abortion laws anywhere in the world. For example, in the United States, it’s one of only seven countries to allow elective late-term abortions, along with China, North Korea and others. Right now, in a number of states, the laws allow a baby to be torn from his or her mother’s womb in the ninth month. It is wrong; it has to change.

            Americans are more and more pro-life. You see that all the time. In fact, only twelve percent of Americans support abortion-on-demand at any time. Under my administration, we will always defend the very first right in the Declaration of Independence, and that is the right to life.

            Tomorrow will mark exactly one year since I took the oath of office. And I will say our country is doing really well; our economy is perhaps the best it’s ever been – you look at the job numbers, you look at the companies pouring back into our country, you look at the stock market at an all-time high. Unemployment, seventeen-year low. Unemployment for African American workers at the lowest mark in the history of our country. Unemployment for Hispanics at a record low in history. Unemployment for women – think of this – at an eighteen-year low.

            We’re really proud of what we’re doing, and during my first week in office I reinstated a policy first put in place by President Ronald Reagan, the Mexico City Policy. I strongly supported the House of Representatives’ Pain-Capable bill, which would end painful late-term abortions nationwide. And I call upon the Senate to pass this important law and send it to my desk for signing.

            On the National Day of Prayer, I signed an executive order to protect religious liberty. Very proud of that. Today I’m announcing that we have just issued a new proposal to protect consciences, rights and religious freedoms of doctors, nurses and other medical professionals. So important. I’ve also just reversed the previous Administration’s policy that restricted states’ efforts to direct Medicaid funding away from abortion facilities that violate the law. We are protecting the sanctity of life and the family as the foundation of our society. But this movement can only succeed with the heart and the soul and the prayer of the people.

            [At this point, Pres. Trump introduced a lady from North Carolina who is founder of a maternity home, praising her and the caring services for homeless expectant mothers.]

            That hope is the true gift of this incredible movement that brings us together today. It is the gift of friendship, the gift of mentorship and the gift of encouragement, love and support. Those are beautiful words, and those are beautiful gifts. And most important of all, it is the gift of life itself.

            That is why we march. That is why we pray. And that is why we declare that America’s future will be filled with goodness, peace, joy, dignity and life for every child of God. Thank you to the March for Life – special, special people. And we are with you all the way. May God bless you, and may God bless America. Thank you.

Presidential Proclamation

Issued Jan. 19, 2018, by Pres. Donald J. Trump

            Today we focus our attention on the love and protection each person, born and unborn, deserves regardless of disability, gender, appearance or ethnicity. Much of the greatest suffering in our Nation’s history – and, indeed, our planet’s history – has been the result of disgracefully misguided attempts to dehumanize whole classes of people based on these immutable characteristics. We cannot let this shameful history repeat itself in new forms, and we must be particularly vigilant to safeguard the most vulnerable lives among us. This is why we observe National Sanctity of Human Life Day: to affirm the truth that all life is sacred, that every person has inherent dignity and worth, and that no class of people should ever be discarded as “non-human.”

            Reverence for every human life, one of the values for which our Founding Fathers fought, defines the character of our Nation. Today, it moves us to promote the health of pregnant mothers and their unborn children. It animates our concern for single moms; the elderly, the infirm and the disabled; and orphan and foster children. It compels us to address the opioid epidemic and to bring aid to those who struggle with mental illness. It gives us the courage to stand up for the weak and the powerless. And it dispels the notion that our worth depends on the extent to which we are planned for or wanted.

            Science continues to support and build the case for Life. Medical technologies allow us to see images of the unborn children moving their newly formed fingers and toes, yawning and even smiling. Those images present us with irrefutable evidence that babies are growing within their mothers’ wombs – precious, unique lives, each deserving a future filled with promise and hope. We can also now operate on babies in utero to stave off life-threatening diseases. These important medical advances give us an even greater appreciation for the humanity of the unborn.

            Today, citizens throughout our great country are working for the cause of Life and fighting for the unborn, driven by love and supported by both science and philosophy. These compassionate Americans are volunteers who assist women through difficult pregnancies, facilitate adoptions and offer hope to those considering or recovering from abortions. They are medical providers who, often at the risk of their livelihood, conscientiously refuse to participate in abortions. And they are legislators who support health-and-safety standards, informed consent, parental notification and bans on late-term abortions, when babies can feel pain. These undeterred warriors, many of whom travel to Washington, DC, every year for the March for Life, are changing hearts and saving lives through their passionate defense of and loving care for all human lives.

            Thankfully, the number of abortions, which has been in steady decline since 1980, is now at a historic low. Though the fight to protect Life is not yet over, we commit to advocating each day for all who cannot speak for themselves.

            Now, therefore, I, Donald J. Trump, President of the United States of America, by virtue of the authority vested in me by the Constitution and the laws of the United States, do hereby proclaim January 22, 2018, as National Sanctity of Human Life Day. I call on all Americans to reflect on the value of our lives; to respond to others in keeping with their inherent dignity; to act compassionately to those with disabilities, infirmities or frailties; to look beyond external factors that might separate us; and to embrace the common humanity that unites us.

House Voting Record

HR-4712, Born-Alive Abortion Survivors Protection Act – Jan. 19, 2018 – Passed – 241-183 (Democrats in italics)

Voting “yes” / pro-Life: Aderholt, Brooks, Byrne, Palmer, Roby, Rogers/AL; Young/AK; Biggs, Gosar, McSally, Schweikert/AZ; Crawford, Hill, Westerman, Womack/AR; Calvert, Cook, Denham, Hunter, Issa, Knight, LaMalfa, McCarthy, McClintock, Nunes, Rohrabacher, Royce, Valadao, Walters/CA; Buck, Coffman, Lamborn, Tipton/CO; Bilirakis, Buchanan, Curbelo, DeSantis, Diaz-Balart, Dunn, Gaetz, Mast, Posey, F.Rooney, T.Rooney, Ros-Lehtinen, Ross, Rutherford, Webster, Yoho/FL; Allen, Carter, Collins, Ferguson, Graves, Handel, Hice, Loudermilk, A.Scott, Woodall/GA; Labrador, Simpson/ID; Bost, R.Davis, Hultgren, Kinzinger, LaHood, Lipinski, Roskam, Shimkus/IL; Banks, Brooks, Bucshon, Hollingsworth, Messer, Rokita, Walorski/IN; Blum, King, Young/IA; Estes, Jenkins, Marshall, Yoder/KS; Barr, Comer, Guthrie, Massie, Rogers/KY; Abraham, Graves, Higgins, Johnson/LA; Poliquin/ME; Harris/MD; Amash, Bergman, Bishop, Huizenga, Mitchell, Moolenaar, Trott, Upton, Walberg/MI; Emmer, Lewis, Paulsen, Peterson, Walz/MN; Harper, Kelly, Palazzo/MS; Graves, Hartzler, Long, Luetkemeyer, Smith, Wagner/MO; Gianforte/MT; Bacon, Fortenberry, Smith/NE; Amodei/NV; Frelinghuysen, Lance, LoBiondo, MacArthur, Smith/NJ; Pearce/NM; Collins, Donovan, Faso, Katko, King, Reed, Stefanik, Tenney, Zeldin/NY; Budd, Foxx, Holding, Hudson, Jones, McHenry, Meadows, Pittenger, Rouzer, Walker/NC; Cramer/ND; Chabot, Davidson, Gibbs, Johnson, Jordan, Joyce, Latta, Renacci, Stivers, Turner, Wenstrup/OH; Bridenstine, Cole, Lucas, Mullin, Russell/OK; Walden/OR; Barletta, Cartwright, Costello, Dent, Fitzpatrick, Kelly, Marino, Meehan, Perry, Rothfus, Shuster, Smucker, Thompson/PA; Langevin/RI; Duncan, Gowdy, Norman, Rice, Sanford, Wilson/SC; Noem/SD; Black, Blackburn, DesJarlais, Duncan, Fleischmann, Kustoff, Roe/TN; Arrington, Babin, Barton, Brady, Burgess, Carter, Conaway, Cuellar, Culberson, Farenthold, Flores, Gohmert, Granger, Hensarling, Hurd, S.Johnson, Marchant, McCaul, Olson, Poe, Ratcliffe, Sessions, Smith, Thornberry, Weber, Williams/TX; Bishop, Curtis, Love, Stewart/UT; Brat, Comstock, Garrett, Goodlatte, Griffith, Taylor, Wittman/VA; Herrera-Beutler, McMorris-Rodgers, Newhouse/WA; Jenkins, McKinley, Mooney/WV; Duffy, Gallagher, Grothman, Sensenbrenner/WI; Cheney/WY.  

Voting “no” / anti-Life: Sewell/AL; Gallego, Grijalva, O’Halleran, Sinema/AZ; Aguilar, Barragan, Bera, Brownley, Carbajal, Cardenas, Chu, Correa, Costa, Davis, DeSaulnier, Eshoo, Garamendi, Gomez, Huffman, Khanna, Lee, Lieu, Lofgren, Lowenthal, Matsui, McNerney, Napolitano, Panetta, Pelosi, Peters, Roybal-Allard, Ruiz, Sanchez, Schiff, Sherman, Speier, Swalwell, Takano, Thompson, Torres, Vargas, Waters/CA; DeGette, Perlmutter, Polis/CO; Courtney, DeLauro, Esty, Himes, Larson/CT; Blunt-Rochester/DE; Castor, Crist, Demings, Deutch, Frankel, Hastings, Lawson, Murphy, Soto, Wasserman-Schultz, Wilson/FL; Bishop, Johnson, Lewis, D.Scott/GA; Gabbard, Hanabusa/HI; Bustos, Foster, Gutierrez, Kelly, Krishnamoorthi, Quigley, Rush, Schakowsky, Schneider/IL; Carson, Visclosky/IN; Loebsack/IA; Yarmuth/KY; Richmond/LA; Pingree/ME; Brown, Delaney, Hoyer, Raskin, Ruppersberger, Sarbanes/MD; Capuano, Clark, Keating, Kennedy, Lynch, McGovern, Moulton, Neal, Tsongas/MA; Dingell, Kildee, Lawrence, Levin/MI; Ellison, McCollum, Nolan/MN; Thompson/MS; Clay, Cleaver/MO; Kihuen, Rosen, Titus/NV; Kuster, Shea-Porter/NH; Gottheimer, Norcross, Pallone, Pascrell, Payne, Sires, Watson-Coleman/NJ; Lujan, Lujan-Grisham/NM; Clarke, Crowley, Engel, Espaillat, Higgins, Jeffries, Lowey, C.Maloney, S.Maloney, Meeks, Meng, Nadler, Rice, Serrano, Slaughter, Suozzi, Tonko, Velazquez/NY; Adams, Butterfield, Price/NC; Beatty, Kaptur, Ryan/OH; Blumenauer, Bonamici, DeFazio, Schrader/OR; Boyle, Brady, Doyle, Evans/PA; Cicilline/RI; Clyburn/SC; Cohen, Cooper/TN; Castro, Doggett, Gonzalez, A.Green, G.Green, Jackson-Lee, E.B. Johnson, O’Rourke, Veasey, Vela/TX; Welch/VT; Beyer, Connolly, McEachin, Scott/VA; DelBene, Heck, Jayapal, Kilmer, Kind, Larsen, Smith/WA; Moore, Pocan/WI.

Not Voting: Bass/CA;D.Davis/IL;Scalise/LA; Cummings/MD; Fudge/OH; Reichert/WA; Ryan/WI.