Life Advocacy Briefing

January 3, 2022

Reflections / Voting Record Index 2021
Light at the End of the Tunnel?

Reflections

2021 WAS A YEAR OF FRUSTRATION for both sides in the abortion controversy. The abortion cartel and its political fellow travelers were determined to “protect” their precious so-called “right” to abortion, handed down to them in 1973 by seven Justices of the US Supreme Court but so groundless that the high court’s final pronouncement continues nearly 50 years later to roil American politics and clog the courts with challenges and trimming.

On the pro-life side within Congress, the 2020 election had brought the House to a narrow margin – not just between the parties but also in the fight over the right to Life, particularly as the more radical of the two parties had cleaned out nearly every vestige of pro-life support in the 2020 Democratic primaries and general election. Long-time mostly pro-life Democratic Rep. Dan Lipinski (IL) was taken out by an abortion radical in his state’s primary that year, and mostly pro-life Democratic Rep. Collin Peterson (MN) was defeated by a pro-life Republican in the general election. The only House Democrat left standing who cast even one pro-life vote is Rep. Henry Cuellar (D-TX).

The abortion lobby’s control of the Democratic Party did lead to some radical legislative victories in the US House, but, blessedly, their most massively radical proposals could not come even to a vote in the party-tied Senate, where most of the roll calls we have reported in 2021 relate to confirmation votes for Biden Regime bureaucrats.

We report below the compilation of the various roll calls we have reported over the past year. In preparing this recitation, we have discovered we erred occasionally in our voting record reports – usually in political party designations; we apologize for any confusion this may have caused. As is always the case, we acknowledge in advance that we may have made an error or two in our Voting Record Index, and we apologize for any error we may have made here. But we have done our best to provide this information to our readers for your assessment of your own federal lawmakers as to their commitment to the cause of Life or to its intentional, technically lawful destruction.

 

Voting Record Index 2021

HOUSE VOTING RECORD INDEX – KEY

  1. Procedural Motion to end debate on HRes-147 – Rule for Consideration of HR-5 – Feb. 24 – Adopted 219-211

  2. HRes-147 – Rule for Consideration of HR-5 – Feb. 24 – Adopted 218-208  

  3. HR-5 – ‘Equality’ Act – Feb. 25 – Passed 224-206

  4. HRes-223 – Removing 1982 Deadline for Ratification of ‘Equal Rights Amendment’ – March 16 – Adopted 216-204

  5. Procedural Motion to Recommit HR-51 to Committee – April 22 – Failed 205-215

  6. HR-51 – Granting Statehood to the District of Columbia – April 22 – Adopted 216-208

  7. Procedural Motion to Table Reconsideration of HR-51 – April 22 – Adopted 292-123

  8. Procedural Motion to Suspend Rules & Pass HR-239 as if an emergency – June 15 – Failed at 240-188, needing a 2/3 vote to be adopted

  9. HR-239 – Requiring Taxpayers to Cover Contraceptives (of any type) for Veterans – June 24 – Passed 240-188

  10. Procedural Motion to Recommit HR-4502 to Committee – July 29 – Failed 208-217

  11. HR-4502 – Appropriation for Dept. of Health & Human Services excluding Hyde Amendment – July 29 – Passed 219-208

  12. Procedural Motion to Table Motion to Reconsider Vote on HR-4502 – July 29 – Adopted 219-209

  13. HR-3755 – ‘Women’s Health Protection Act’ (Enacting Roe by Statute) – Sept. 24 – Passed 218-211

HOUSE VOTING RECORD INDEX – Listed by Position and State

(anti-Life votes are cited via Uppercase letters; absent votes are cited via lowercase letters)

100% pro-Life: Aderholt, Brooks, Moore, Palmer/AL; Gosar/AZ; Crawford, Westerman/AR; Issa/CA; Buck, Lamborn/CO; Cammack, Donalds, Franklin, Mast, Posey, Steube, Webster/FL; Allen, Carter, Greene, Hice, A.Scott/GA; LaHood, Miller/IL; Baird, Banks, Pence, Spartz/IN; Feenstra, Hinson/IA; Estes, LaTurner, Mann/KS; Barr, Comer, Massie/KY; Scalise/LA; Harris/MD; Bergman/MI; Fischbach, Hagedorn/MN; Guest, Kelly, Palazzo/MS; Hartzler, Smith/MO; Rosendale/MT; Bacon/NE; Herrell/NM; Smith/NJ; Zeldin/NY; Bishop, Budd, Cawthorn, Foxx, Hudson, Murphy/NC; Chabot, Davidson, Johnson, Latta, Wenstrup/OH; Hern, Mullin/OK; Joyce, Perry, Reschenthaler/PA; Duncan, Rice/SC; Burchett, DesJarlais, Harshbarger, Kustoff, Rose/TN; Arrington, Carter, Cloud, Fallon, Gohmert, Gooden, Granger, Jackson, McCaul, Nehls, Pfluger, Roy, Sessions, Weber, Williams/TX; Cline, Good, Griffith, Wittman/VA; Herrera-Beutler/WA; Miller, Mooney/WV; Fitzgerald, Grothman, Steil, Tiffany/WI. (All are Republicans.)

100% pro-life with absences: Biggs(h), Lesko(m)/AZ; LaMalfa(e)/CA; Boebert(c,j)/CO; Gaetz(d), Waltz(d)/FL; Clyde(e,f,g), Ferguson(g), Loudermilk(g)/GA; Fulcher(i), Simpson(d,g)/ID; Higgins(g,j,k,l), Johnson(g,i)/LA;  Huizenga(g)/MI; Fortenberry(g), Smith(e,f,g)/NE; Stefanik(e)/NY; Rouzer(k)/NC; Armstrong(d)/ND; Gibbs(e,g), Jordan(k,l)/OH; Smucker(i)/PA; Norman(j)/SC; Green(g)/TN; Babin(f,g)/TX. (All are Republicans.)

Mostly pro-life­: Carl[G], Rogers[G]/AL; Young[G](c,d)/AK; Schweikert[G]/AZ; Hill[G], Womack[G]/AR; Calvert[G](b), Garcia[G], Kim[H,I], McCarthy[H,I], McClintock[E], Nunes[G], Obernolte[G,H,I], Steel[G,H,I], Valadao[G]/CA; Bilirakis[G], Buchanan[G], Diaz-Balart[G], Dunn[G], Gimenez[G,H,I], Rutherford[G], Salazar[G,H,I]/FL; Bost[G,H,I], R.Davis[H,I](b), Kinzinger[G,H,I]/IL; Bucshon[G], Hollingsworth[I], Walorski[G]/IN; Miller-Meeks[G,H,I]/IA; Guthrie[G], Rogers[G]/KY; Graves[G]/LA; McClain[H], Meijer[G], Moolenaar[G], Upton[G,H,I], Walberg[G]/MI; Emmer[G], Stauber[G](b)/MN; Graves[G], Long[G], Luetkemeyer[G], Wagner[G]/MO; Amodei[G]/NV; VanDrew[G,H,I]/NJ; Garbarino[G], Jacobs[G], Katko[C,G,H,I], Malliotakis[G,H,I], Reed[C,G,H,I], Tenney[G]/NY; McHenry[G]/NC; Balderson[G](d), Gonzalez[G,H,I], Joyce[G,I], Turner[G]/OH; Bice[G], Cole[G], Lucas[G]/OK; Bentz[G]/OR; Fitzpatrick[C,G,H,I], Keller[G], Kelly[G], Meuser[I](e), Thompson[G]/PA; Mace[H,I], Timmons[G], Wilson[G](d)/SC; Johnson[G]/SD; Fleischmann[G]/TN; Brady[G](d), Burgess[I], Crenshaw[H,I](g), Gonzales[G,H,I], Taylor[G], VanDuyne[G](i)/TX; Curtis[G], Moore[G], Owens[G], Stewart[G]/UT; Newhouse[H,I], Rodgers[G]/WA; McKinley[G]/WV; Gallagher[G]/WI; Cheney[G](m)/WY. (All are Republicans.)

Mostly anti-Life (pro-Life votes are listed by Uppercase letters): Cuellar[M]/TX. (Mr. Cuellar is a Democrat.)

100% anti-Life: Sewell/AL; Gallego, Grijalva, Kirkpatrick, O’Halleran, Stanton/AZ; Aguilar, Barragon, Bass, Bera, Brownley, Carbajal, Cardenas, Chu, Correa, Costa, DeSaulnier, Eshoo, Garamendi, Gomez, Harder, Huffman, Jacobs, Khanna, Lee, Levin, Lieu, Lofgren, Lowenthal, McNerney, Napolitano, Panetta, Peters, Porter, Roybal-Allard, Ruiz, Sanchez, Schiff, Sherman, Speier, Swalwell, Takano, Thompson, Torres, Waters/CA; Crow, DeGette, Neguse, Perlmutter/CO; Courtney DeLauro, Hayes, Himes, Larson/CT; Blunt-Rochester/DE; Castor, Crist, Demings, Deutch, Frankel, Soto, Wasserman-Schultz, Wilson/FL; Bishop, Bourdeaux, Johnson, McBath, D.Scott, Williams/GA; Case, Kahele/HI; Bustos, Casten, D.Davis, Foster, Garcia, Kelly, Krishnamoorthi, Newman, Quigley, Rush, Schakowski, Schneider, Underwood/IL; Carson, Mrvan/IN; Axne/IA; Davids/KS; Yarmuth/KY; Pingree/ME; Hoyer, Mfume, Ruppersberger, Sarbanes, Trone/MD; Auchincloss, Clark, Lynch, McGovern, Moulton, Neal, Pressley, Trahan/MA; Dingell, Kildee, Lawrence, Slotkin, Stevens/MI; Craig, McCollum, Omar, Philips/MN; Thompson/MS; Bush/MO; Horsford, Lee, Titus/NV; Kuster/NH; Gottheimer, Kim, Malinowski, Norcross, Pallone, Pappas, Pascrell, Payne, Sherrill, Sires, Watson-Coleman/NJ; Leger-Fernandez/NM; Delgado, Espaillat, Higgins, Jeffries, C.Maloney, S.Maloney, Meeks, Meng, Morelle, Nadler, Rice, Suozzi, Tonko, Torres, Velazquez/NY; Adams, Butterfield, Manning, Price, Ross/NC; Beatty, Ryan/OH; Blumenauer, Bonamici, Schrader/OR; Boyle, Cartwright, Dean, Doyle, Evans, Houlahan, Lamb, Scanlon, Wild/PA; Cicilline, Langevin/RI; Clyburn/SC; Cohen, Cooper/TN; Allred, Castro, Doggett, Escobar, Fletcher, Garcia, Green, Jackson-Lee, Johnson, Veasey, Vela/TX; Welch/VT; Beyer, Connolly, Luria, McEachin, Scott, Spanberger, Wexton/VA; DelBene, Jayapal, Kilmer, Larsen, Schreier, Smith, Strickland/WA; Kind, Moore, Pocan/WI. (All are Democrats.)

100% anti-Life with absences (absent votes are listed by lowercase letters): Matsui(b), Pelosi*(a,b,d,e,g,h,i,j,l), Vargas(e)/CA; Lawson(m), Murphy(d,e)/FL; Golden(d)/ME; Brown(k)/MD; Raskin(j)/MD; Keating(b)/MA; Levin(j), Tlaib(f)/MI; Cleaver/e/MO; Clarke(b), Ocasio-Cortez(e)/NY; Kaptur(b)/OH; DeFazio(h)/OR; Gonzalez(g)/TX; (All are Democrats.) *The Speaker of the House traditionally does not vote; Mrs. Pelosi chose to vote on four roll calls,c,f,k,m; in each case, she voted anti-Life.

Members who have been elected to fill vacancies after the beginning of the 2021 session:

Republican Rep. Julia Letlow/LA voted anti-Life on roll call G, and otherwise voted pro-Life after taking office April 14.

Democratic Rep. Troy Carter/LA voted 100% anti-Life on roll calls H,I,J,K,L & M, taking office May 11.

Republican Rep. Jake Ellzey/TX voted pro-Life on roll call M, the only roll call Life Advocacy published after he took office July 30.

SENATE VOTING RECORD INDEX – KEY

  1. Sasse Amendment to Budget Reconciliation Bill to Add Born-Alive Abortion Survivor Protection – Feb. 4 – Failed 52-48 (needing 60 Yes)

  2. Paul Amendment to Exclude Planned Parenthood from Covid Relief Funding – March 6 – Failed 47-51

  3. Motion to Discharge Nomination of Xavier Becerra (HHS Secretary) from Committee – March 11 – Adopted 51-48

  4. Motion to Close Debate on Nomination of Xavier Becerra – March 17 – Adopted 50-49

  5. Confirmation of Xavier Becerra – March 18 – Confirmed 50-49

  6. Motion to Close Debate on Nomination of Vivek Murthy (Surgeon General) – March 23 – Adopted 57-43

  7. Confirmation of Vivek Murthy – March 23 – Confirmed 57-43

  8. Motion to Close Debate on Nomination of Rachel Levine (HHS Ass’t Secretary) – March 24 – Adopted 52-48

  9. Confirmation of Rachel Levine – March 24 – Confirmed 57-43

  10. Motion to Close Debate on Nomination of Vanita Gupta (Assoc. Atty. Gen.) – April 21 – Adopted 51-49

  11. Confirmation of Vanita Gupta – April 21 – Confirmed 51-49

  12. Motion to Discharge Committee on Nomination of Chiquita Brooks-LaSure (Chief, Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services) – May 12 – Adopted 51-48

  13. Motion to End Debate on Nomination of Chiquita Brooks-LaSure – May 24 – Adopted 52-43

  14. Confirmation of Chiquita Brooks-LaSure – May 25 – Confirmed 55-44

  15. Braun Amendment to Bar NIH $ for Human-Animal Experimentation – May 26 – Failed 48-49

  16. Motion to End Debate on Nomination of Kiran Ahuja (Dir., Personnel Mgmt.) – June 22 – Adopted 50-50 + 51st “yes” vote by V.P. Harris*

  17. Confirmation of Kiran Ahuja – June 22 – Confirmed 50-50 + 51st “yes” vote by V.P. Harris*

  18. Motion to End Debate on Nomination of Tracy Stone-Manning (Dir., Bureau of Land Mgmt.) – Sept. 30 – Adopted 50-48

  19. Confirmation of Tracy Stone-Manning – Sept. 30 – Confirmed 50-45

*The Vice President, who presides over the Senate, is granted authority by the Constitution to cast a vote in order to break a tie.

SENATE VOTING RECORD INDEX – Listed by Position and State

(anti-Life votes are cited via Uppercase letters; absent votes are cited via lowercase letters)

100% pro-Life: Shelby/AL; Boozman & Cotton/AR; Rubio & Scott/FL; Crapo & Risch/ID; Braun/IN; Ernst & Grassley/IA; McConnell/KY; Hyde-Smith & Wicker/MS; Hawley/MO; Daines/MT; Fischer & Sasse/NE; Cramer & Hoeven/ND; Inhofe & Lankford/OK; Graham & Scott/SC; Rounds & Thune/SD; Hagerty/TN; Lee/UT; Capito/WV; Johnson/WI; Barrasso & Lummis/WY. All Republicans.

100% pro-Life with absences: Tuberville(s)/AL; Young(m)/IN; Paul(r,s)/KY; Kennedy(n)/LA; Tillis(o)/NC; Toomey(b)/PA; Blackburn(o,s)/TN; Cornyn(r,s) & Cruz(m)/TX. All Republicans.

Mostly pro-Life: Sullivan[F,G](b)/AK; Marshall[F,G] & Moran[L](m,s)/KS; Cassidy[F,G]/LA; Blunt[M,N]/MO; Burr[N](c)/NC; Portman[F,G]/OH; Romney[F,G]/UT. All Republicans.

Mixed record: Murkowski[B,F,G,H,I,J,K,M,N]/AK; Collins[C,D,E,F,G,H,I,L,M,N]/ME. Both Republicans.

Mostly anti-Life: Casey[except A]/PA; Manchin[except A](o)/WV. Both Democrats.

100% anti-Life with absences: Hirono(d,e)/HI; Heinrich(l)/NM; Murray(m)/WA. All Democrats.

100% anti-Life: Kelly & Sinema/AZ; Feinstein & Padilla/CA; Bennet & Hickenlooper/CO; Blumenthal & Murphy/CT; Carper & Coons/DE; Ossoff & Warnock/GA; Schatz/HI; Duckworth & Durbin/IL; King/ME; Cardin & VanHollen/MD; Markey & Warren/MA; Peters & Stabenow/MI; Klobuchar & Smith/MN; Tester/MT; Cortez-Masto & Rosen/NV; Hassan & Shaheen/NH; Booker & Menendez/NJ; Lujan/NM; Gillibrand & Schumer/NY; Brown/OH; Merkley & Wyden/OR; Reed & Whitehouse/RI; Leahy & Sanders/VT; Kaine & Warner/VA; Cantwell/WA; Baldwin/WI. All are Democrats, though Mr. King terms himself an “independent” but caucuses with the Democratic Party.

 

Light at the End of the Tunnel?

Dec. 1, 2021, Commentary by Gary Bauer, chairman, Campaign for Working Families

             You always have to be cautious about making assumptions based on oral arguments at the Supreme Court. But for those of us dedicated to the sanctity of life, it’s hard not to be hopeful after today’s arguments in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health, the most serious challenge to Roe v. Wade in decades.

             A decision isn’t expected until the summer. But judging from the frantic reactions of CNN and the Huffington Post, I guarantee you that those who have profited from the stack of infant corpses will not sleep well tonight.

             Few cases in the Court’s history have had such a negative impact on the United States as Roe v. Wade. That case took a whole class of American citizens, our unborn children, and declared they had no rights we were bound to respect.

             Like the infamous Dred Scott decision that legalized slavery when it declared that black Americans had no right we were bound to respect, Roe v. Wade treated unborn children like Styrofoam cups to be discarded at will. Since January 1973, more than 60 million children have been destroyed by abortion. The Supreme Court was wrong in Dred Scott, and it was wrong in Roe v. Wade!

             Sadly, America is among just seven countries in the entire world that permit abortion on demand. We’re on the fringe of international law, and today’s pro-abortion legal regime is on the fringe of American public opinion. The overwhelming majority of Americans oppose abortion-on-demand.

             When it comes to Covid, progressives reflexively chant “Follow the science.” Well, if there’s one group that is most certainly not following the science, it’s the pro-abortion Left. Basic biology tells us that life begins at conception. Beyond that, scientific advances, including advanced ultrasounds, gave us a window into the womb. We more fully understand now the humanity of the unborn child today than we did way back in 1973, especially the unborn child’s ability to feel pain. Doctors now operate on babies in the womb; is the mother the patient? No, it’s the child, because there are obviously two people involved.

             Abortion is a wrong, not a right.