Life Advocacy Briefing

Life Marchers Defy the Storm

SO OFTEN THE THOUSANDS WHO MARCH FOR LIFE in our nation’s capital are blessed with decent weather – above-freezing temperatures and often even sunshine. This year was different. The marchers were literally gathered in the midst of a steady snowfall. But the March went on as planned and drew a huge crowd to the National Mall to hear outstanding speeches and to pray together for the cause of Life.

House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) spoke on behalf of the Congress. New Jersey Rep. Chris Smith (R) gave his annual insightful address. And also on stage as a surprise speaker was celebrated University of Michigan football coach Jim Harbaugh. As is our custom, we will publish our transcriptions of these speeches over the next few weeks in Life Advocacy Briefing, starting today with Speaker Johnson’s. We hope you will share them with others.

A writer for Family Research Council’s publication The Washington Stand summarized the event this way: “Friday’s march was a reminder that there is still work to be done, but that the battle is worth our every effort, and that there are countless mothers, fathers and children who are saved because of the people who refuse to give up. The people who offer another option. The people who offer hope.” Amen.

Marching for Life in the States

NOW THAT THE SUPREME COURT HAS ACKNOWLEDGED that state governments have authority under the Constitution to legislate on the topic of doing away with human beings before they are born, pro-life citizens and the venerable March for Life committee are turning their attention to state venues for Life Marches.

Pro-life citizens will march in their state capitals in February: Wednesday, Feb. 21, Virginians will march on Richmond, and the following day, Feb. 22, Georgians will march on Atlanta.

Atlanta March Sponsor Georgia Life Alliance can be contacted at 678/597-8055 or via electronic mail to [email protected]; the Virginia March is reportedly sponsored by The Family Foundation, which can be contacted at 804/343-0010 or via electronic mail to [email protected].

House Moves Legislation for Life

THE U.S. HOUSE LAST WEEK TOOK UP TWO PROPOSALS aimed at supporting those facing unplanned pregnancies and encouraging them to carry through their parenthood.

We publish at the close of this Life Advocacy Briefing the voting records on final passage of HR-6914, the Pregnant Students’ Rights Act, and on the procedural motion taken beforehand to attempt to block the vote by sending the measure back to committee. The measure was introduced on Jan. 5 by Rep. Ashley Hinson (IA) and co-sponsored by Representatives Mary Miller (IL), Erin Houchin (IN), Nicholas Langworthy & Brandon Williams (both NY); all are Republicans.

HR-6914 “requires colleges to advise pregnant students of their rights to accommodations and other services,” reports Bianca Quilantan for Politico. It would, she writes, “mandate that colleges advise pregnant students of their rights to modified class schedules and excused absences for doctors’ appointments.” The Google description of the bill notes that the rights and resources required “must exclude abortion services.”

Rep. Hinson urged in her speech before the House: “I hope that my colleagues across the aisle will vote to empower pregnant women and support this vital, life-affirming legislation. There is no reason that providing additional resources and support to women who choose life should be partisan. Every woman who chooses to complete her studies through her pregnancy is another American citizen doubly contributing to our families, communities and workforce and should be an inspiration to us all.”

The measure was introduced last September in the Senate as S-2974, sponsored by Sen. Marco Rubio (R-FL) along with GOP Senators Rick Scott (FL), Mike Braun (IN), Cindy Hyde-Smith & Roger Wicker (MS), Ted Budd (NC), James Lankford (OK) and Marsha Blackburn (TN). It has not advanced from committee in the upper chamber.

The second House-passed bill, HR-6918, was filed Jan. 9 by Rep. Michelle Fischbach (R-MN). The Supporting Pregnant and Parenting Women and Families Act, was also passed after an attempt to send it back to committee.

Rep. Fischbach’s bill is co-sponsored by GOP Representatives Robert Aderholt (AL); Debbie Lesko (AZ); Daniel Webster (FL); Mary Miller (IL); Marionette Miller-Meeks (IA); Ron Estes (S); John Moolenaar (MI); Brad Finstad & Pete Stauber (MN); Michael Guest (MS); Christopher Smith (NJ); Nicholas Langworthy, Nicole Malliotakis & Claudia Tenney (NY); Mike Kelly & Guy Reschenthaler (PA); William Timmons (SC); William Timmons (SC); David Kustoff (TN); Dan Crenshaw & Pete Sessions (TX); Blake Moore (UT); Dan Newhouse (WA); and Carol Miller (WV).

We expect to be publishing the two roll calls on HR-6918 in next week’s edition. Both proposals were passed on Friday, Jan. 18, while the March for Life was gathering on the National Mall, and both were highlighted in Speaker Johnson’s speech.

Why We Stand

Jan. 18, 2024, March for Life speech by U.S. House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA)

             Thank you so much. Good afternoon. Welcome to the nation’s capital. We are delighted that you’re here and really sorry about the weather, especially for my friends from Louisiana; they are freezing. That’s my own state.

             It’s my great privilege to stand alongside Jeannie and all of my great colleagues who are joining us here today and so many extraordinary leaders who are braving the weather to join us for this important tradition. And it is an important one.

             We’re so encouraged to see all of you – everybody from across the land. The beauty of this event is that it’s a beautiful picture of America. We have people from all walks of life, all ages, all experiences, all backgrounds. And we’re all joining to celebrate life and what it means to be an American. Thank you for being a part of that.

             It was the great British statesman G.K. Chesterton who famously observed that America is the only nation in the world that was founded upon a creed. And he said it was listed with theological lucidity in the Declaration of Independence. What is that creed? What is it from our nation’s birth certificate, the Declaration, that makes us who we are? We know the language so well: We hold these truths to be self-evident – in other words, obvious – that all men are created equal – not born equal – created equal. That’s what the founders said. That’s right. And that they’re endowed by their Creator with certain inalienable rights, including the right to life and liberty, pursuit of happiness – those are inalienable rights – they cannot be taken away.

             And, and so it’s from the very beginning that our founders boldly proclaimed the self-evident truths that our rights do not come from government; our rights come from God, our Creator. That’s right. And it also means that every single person has inestimable dignity and value, and your value is not related in any way to the color of your skin or what zip code you live in, how good you are in sports, where you went to high school; it’s irrelevant. Your value is inherent, because it is given to you by your Creator. Our national creed is the essence of who we are in this country. It is the foundational principle that made us the freest, most successful, most powerful, most benevolent nation in the history of the world, and we can never forget that.

             I am myself the product of an unplanned pregnancy. In January of 1972 – exactly one year before Roe v. Wade – my parents, who were just teenagers at the time, chose life. And I am very profoundly grateful that they did.

             See, what we have to do right now – and I believe the reason all of you are here is, you understand that we have to build a culture that encourages and assists more and more people to make that same decision. This is a critical time to help all moms who are facing unplanned pregnancies, to work with foster children and to help families who are adopting, to volunteer and assist our vital pregnancy resource centers and our maternity homes and to reach out a renewed hand of compassion and to speak the truth in love. That’s what we do. All of us can play a role in that really important work. This is also a pivotal time to promote quality health care for both women and their unborn children.

             This week in Congress, you’ll be encouraged to know, the House passed the Pregnant Students’ Rights Act, because – that’s right [in response to applause] – because being pregnant while finishing your degree can be really difficult, but women should not be presented with a false choice of being a mom or being a student. That’s right.

             We also passed the Supporting Pregnant and Parenting Women and Families Act; that’s a big one, too. Right now, right now, you should know the Biden Administration is proposing a regulation to restrict funds to pregnancy resource centers. We know those are the centers that states rely on to assist expecting moms and dads, and that action would undercut that important work, the important material support that expecting and first-time mothers get from these centers. Our bill would prevent that regulation from coming into effect and ensure that the states can utilize these centers to help people in need. Who could be opposed to that?

             We’re, we’re passing these bills and we’re marching today, because it takes a lot of work to convince people that every single human child, every unborn child has a value that is too profound and precious to ignore. And we have every reason to be optimistic, my friends, that we can change public opinion.

             We find encouragement from the leaders of previous generations. We can learn from the great Americans who changed public opinion throughout our history. Abraham Lincoln and Frederick Douglass and Susan B Anthony. They challenged the prevailing narratives of their day, and they succeeded. You know how they did that? We have to remember this; this is the key. Their success was grounded in our nation’s creed that we just spoke about, and they reminded their fellow Americans about our founding principles and, as Lincoln said in his famous First Inaugural, [about] the better angels of our nature. We should do the same thing today.

             My friends, let’s be encouraged, let’s press on and hope that we can join together and make this great difference. I believe that we can. We can stand with every woman for every child, and we can truly build a culture that cherishes and protects life. God bless you. Thanks for braving the weather. We’ll see you soon.

House Voting Records

HR-6914 — Pregnant Students’ Rights Act — Motion to Recommit — Jan. 18, 2024 — Failed 207-213  [Democrats in italics] [New Members in ALL CAPS]

Voting No (pro-Life): Aderholt, Carl, Moore, Palmer, Rogers, Strong/AL; Biggs, Ciscomani, Crane, Gosar, Lesko, Schweikert/AZ; Crawford, Hill, Westerman, Womack/AR; Calvert, Duarte, M.Garcia, Issa, Kiley, Kim, LaMalfa, McClintock, Obernolte, Steel, Valadao/CA; Boebert, Lamborn/CO; Bean, Bilirakis, Buchanan, Cammack, Diaz-Balart, Donalds, Dunn, Franklin, Gaetz, Gimenez, Lee, Luna, Mast, Mills, Posey, Rutherford, Salazar, Steube, Waltz, Webster/FL; Allen, Carter, Clyde, Collins, Ferguson, Greene, Loudermilk, McCormick, A.Scott/GA; Fulcher, Simpson/ID; Bost, LaHood, Miller/IL; Baird, Banks, Bucshon, Houchin, Pence, Spartz, Yakym/IN; Feenstra, Hinson, Miller-Meeks, Nunn/IA; Estes, LaTurner, Mann/KS; Barr, Comer, Guthrie, Massie/KY; Graves, Higgins, Johnson, Letlow/LA; Harris/MD; Bergman, Huizenga, McClain, Moolenaar, Walberg/MI; Emmer, Finstad, Fischbach, Stauber/MN; Ezell, Guest, Kelly/MS; Alford, Burlison, Graves, Luetkemeyer, Smith, Wagner/MO; Rosendale, Zinke/MT; Flood, Smith/NE; Amodei/NV; Kean, Smith, VanDrew/NJ; D’Esposito, Garbarino, LaLota, Langworthy, Lawler, Malliotakis, Molinaro, Stefanik, Tenney, Williams/NY; Bishop, Edwards, Foxx, Hudson, McHenry, Murphy, Rouzer/NC; Armstrong/ND; Balderson, Carey, Davidson, Johnson, Jordan, Joyce, Latta, Miller, Turner, Wenstrup/OH; Bice, Brecheen, Cole, Hern, Lucas/OK; Bentz, Chavez-DeRemer/OR; Fitzpatrick, Joyce, Kelly, Meuser, Perry, Reschenthaler, Smucker, Thompson/PA; Duncan, Fry, Mace, Norman, Timmons, Wilson/SC; Johnson/SD; Burchett, Fleischmann, Green, Harshbarger, Kustoff, Rose/TN; Arrington, Babin, Burgess, Carter, Cloud, Crenshaw, DeLaCruz, Ellzey, Fallon, T.Gonzales, Gooden, Granger, Hunt, Jackson, Luttrell, McCaul, Moran, Nehls, Pfluger, Roy, Self, Sessions, VanDuyne, Weber, Williams/TX; Curtis, MALOY, Moore, Owens/UT; Cline, Good, Griffith, Kiggans, Wittman/VA; Newhouse, Rodgers/WA; Miller, Mooney/WV; Fitzgerald, Gallagher, Grothman, Steil, Tiffany, VanOrden/WI; Hageman/WY.

Voting Yes (anti-Life): Sewell/AL; Peltola/AK; Gallego, Grijalva, Stanton/AZ; Aguilar, Barragan, Bera, Brownley, Carbajal, Cardenas, Chu, Correa, Costa, DeSaulnier, Eshoo, Garamendi, R.Garcia, Gomez, Harder, Huffman, Jacobs, Kamlager-Dove, Khanna, Lee, Levin, Lofgren, Matsui, Mullin, Napolitano, Panetta, Pelosi, Peters, Porter, Ruiz, Sanchez, Schiff, Sherman, Swalwell, Takano, Thompson, Torres, Vargas, Waters/CA; Caraveo, Crow, DeGette, Neguse, Pettersen/CO; Courtney, DeLauro, Hayes, Himes, Larson/CT; Castor, Cherfilus-McCormick, Frankel, Frost, Soto, Wasserman–Schultz, Wilson/FL; Bishop, Johnson, McBath, D.Scott, Williams/GA; Case, Tokuda/HI; Budzinski, Casten, Davis, Foster, Garcia, Jackson, Kelly, Krishnamoorthi, Quigley, Ramirez, Schakowsky, Schneider, Sorensen, Underwood/IL; Carson, Mrvan/IN; Davids/KS; McGarvey/KY; Carter/LA; Golden, Pingree/ME; Hoyer, Ivey, Mfume, Raskin, Ruppersberger, Sarbanes, Trone/MD; Auchincloss, Clark, Keating, Lynch, McGovern, Moulton, Neal, Pressley, Trahan/MA; Dingell, Kildee, Scholten, Slotkin, Stevens, Thanedar, Tlaib/MI; Craig, McCollum, Omar/MN; Thompson/MS; Bush/MO; Horsford, Lee, Titus/NV; Kuster, Pappas/NH; Gottheimer, Kim, Menendez, Norcross, Pallone, Pascrell, Payne, Sherrill, Watson-Coleman/NJ; Leger-Fernandez, Stansbury, Vasquez/NM; Bowman, Clarke, Espaillat, Goldman, Higgins, Jeffries, Meeks, Meng, Morelle, Nadler, Ocasio-Cortez, Ryan, Tonko, Torres/NY; Adams, Davis, Foushee, Jackson, Manning, Nickel, Ross/NC; Beatty, Brown, Kaptur, Landsman, Sykes/OH; Blumenauer, Bonamici, Hoyle, Salinas/OR; Boyle, Cartwright, Dean, Deluzio, Evans, Houlahan, Lee, Scanlon, Wild/PA; AMO, Magaziner/RI; Clyburn/SC; Cohen/TN; Allred, Casar, Castro, Crockett, Cuellar, Doggett, Escobar, Fletcher, Garcia, V.Gonzalez, Green, Jackson-Lee, Veasey/TX; Balint/VT; Beyer, Connolly, McClellan, Scott, Spanberger, Wexton/VA; DelBene, Jayapal, Kilmer, Larsen, Perez, Schrier, Smith, Strickland/WA; Moore, Pocan/WI.

Not Voting: Lieu/CA; Buck/CO; Blunt-Rochester/DE; Moskowitz/FL; Rogers/KY; Scalise/LA; James/MI; Phillips/MN; Cleaver/MO; Bacon/NE; Velazquez/NY; DesJarlais, Ogles/TN.

HR-6914 — Pregnant Students’ Rights Act – Final Passage – Jan. 18, 2024 – Passed 212-207 [Democrats in italics] [New Members in ALL CAPS]

Voting Yes (pro-Life): Aderholt, Carl, Moore, Palmer, Rogers, Strong/AL; Biggs, Ciscomani, Crane, Gosar, Lesko, Schweikert/AZ; Crawford, Hill, Westerman, Womack/AR; Calvert, Duarte, M.Garcia, Issa, Kiley, Kim, LaMalfa, McClintock, Obernolte, Steel, Valadao/CA; Boebert, Lamborn/CO; Bean, Bilirakis, Buchanan, Cammack, Diaz-Balart, Donalds, Dunn, Franklin, Gaetz, Gimenez, Lee, Luna, Mast, Mills, Posey, Rutherford, Salazar, Steube, Waltz, Webster/FL; Allen, Carter, Clyde, Collins, Ferguson, Greene, Loudermilk, McCormick, A.Scott/GA; Fulcher, Simpson/ID; Bost, LaHood, Miller/IL; Baird, Banks, Bucshon, Houchin, Pence, Spartz, Yakym/IN; Feenstra, Hinson, Miller-Meeks, Nunn/IA; Estes, LaTurner, Mann/KS; Barr, Comer, Guthrie, Massie/KY; Graves, Higgins, Johnson, Letlow/LA; Harris/MD; Bergman, Huizenga, McClain, Moolenaar, Walberg/MI; Emmer, Finstad, Fischbach, Stauber/MN; Ezell, Guest, Kelly/MS; Alford, Burlison, Graves, Luetkemeyer, Smith, Wagner/MO; Rosendale, Zinke/MT; Flood, Smith/NE; Amodei/NV; Kean, Smith, VanDrew/NJ; D’Esposito, Garbarino, LaLota, Langworthy, Lawler, Malliotakis, Molinaro, Stefanik, Tenney, Williams/NY; Bishop, Edwards, Foxx, Hudson, McHenry, Murphy, Rouzer/NC; Armstrong/ND; Balderson, Carey, Davidson, Johnson, Jordan, Joyce, Latta, Miller, Turner, Wenstrup/OH; Bice, Brecheen, Cole, Hern, Lucas/OK; Bentz, Chavez-DeRemer/OR; Fitzpatrick, Joyce, Kelly, Meuser, Perry, Reschenthaler, Smucker, Thompson/PA; Duncan, Fry, Mace, Norman, Timmons, Wilson/SC; Johnson/SD; Burchett, Fleischmann, Green, Harshbarger, Kustoff, Rose/TN; Arrington, Babin, Burgess, Carter, Cloud, Crenshaw, Ellzey, Fallon, T.Gonzales, Gooden, Granger, Hunt, Jackson, Luttrell, McCaul, Moran, Nehls, Pfluger, Roy, Self, Sessions, VanDuyne, Weber, Williams/TX; Curtis, MALOY, Moore, Owens/UT; Cline, Good, Griffith, Kiggans, Wittman/VA; Newhouse, Rodgers/WA; Miller, Mooney/WV; Fitzgerald, Gallagher, Grothman, Steil, Tiffany, VanOrden/WI; Hageman/WY.

Voting No (anti-Life): Sewell/AL; Peltola/AK; Gallego, Grijalva, Stanton/AZ; Aguilar, Barragan, Bera, Brownley, Carbajal, Cardenas, Chu, Correa, Costa, DeSaulnier, Eshoo, Garamendi, R.Garcia, Gomez, Harder, Huffman, Jacobs, Kamlager-Dove, Khanna, Lee, Levin, Lofgren, Matsui, Mullin, Napolitano, Panetta, Pelosi, Peters, Porter, Ruiz, Sanchez, Schiff, Sherman, Swalwell, Takano, Thompson, Torres, Vargas, Waters/CA; Caraveo, Crow, DeGette, Neguse, Pettersen/CO; Courtney, DeLauro, Hayes, Himes, Larson/CT; Castor, Cherfilus-McCormick, Frankel, Frost, Soto, Wasserman–Schultz, Wilson/FL; Bishop, Johnson, McBath, D.Scott, Williams/GA; Case, Tokuda/HI; Budzinski, Casten, Davis, Foster, Garcia, Jackson, Kelly, Krishnamoorthi, Quigley, Ramirez, Schakowsky, Schneider, Sorensen, Underwood/IL; Carson, Mrvan/IN; Davids/KS; McGarvey/KY; Carter/LA; Golden, Pingree/ME; Hoyer, Ivey, Mfume, Raskin, Ruppersberger, Sarbanes, Trone/MD; Auchincloss, Clark, Keating, Lynch, McGovern, Moulton, Neal, Pressley, Trahan/MA; Dingell, Kildee, Scholten, Slotkin, Stevens, Thanedar, Tlaib/MI; Craig, McCollum, Omar/MN; Thompson/MS; Bush/MO; Horsford, Lee, Titus/NV; Kuster, Pappas/NH; Gottheimer, Kim, Menendez, Norcross, Pallone, Pascrell, Payne, Sherrill, Watson-Coleman/NJ; Leger-Fernandez, Stansbury, Vasquez/NM; Bowman, Clarke, Espaillat, Goldman, Higgins, Jeffries, Meeks, Meng, Morelle, Nadler, Ocasio-Cortez, Ryan, Tonko, Torres/NY; Adams, Davis, Foushee, Jackson, Manning, Nickel, Ross/NC; Beatty, Brown, Kaptur, Landsman, Sykes/OH; Blumenauer, Bonamici, Hoyle, Salinas/OR; Boyle, Cartwright, Dean, Deluzio, Evans, Houlahan, Lee, Scanlon, Wild/PA; AMO, Magaziner/RI; Clyburn/SC; Cohen/TN; Allred, Casar, Castro, Crockett, Cuellar, Doggett, Escobar, Fletcher, Garcia, V.Gonzalez, Green, Jackson-Lee, Veasey/TX; Balint/VT; Beyer, Connolly, McClellan, Scott, Spanberger, Wexton/VA; DelBene, Jayapal, Kilmer, Larsen, Perez, Schrier, Smith, Strickland/WA; Moore, Pocan/WI.

Not Voting: Lieu/CA; Buck/CO; Blunt-Rochester/DE; Moskowitz/FL; Rogers/KY; Scalise/LA; James/MI; Phillips/MN; Cleaver/MO; Bacon/NE; Velazquez/NY; DesJarlais, Ogles/TN, DeLaCruz/TX.