Life Advocacy Briefing
June 17, 2024
Not Yet / House Rebuffs Biden VA Abortions / Family Interference Rejected
Judge Lets Non-Physicians Sell RU-486 in North Carolina
The Outrage Escalates / Fighting Back / House Voting Records
Not Yet
THE SUPREME COURT LAST WEEK TURNED BACK AN APPEAL of a lower court ruling which sought to bar chemical abortions. The ruling, though, was not on the substance of the lawsuit; it was based on what the Court saw as lack of eligibility on the part of the plaintiffs to bring such an action. The overall question, therefore, is still open to litigation in the future.
House Rebuffs Biden VA Abortions
THE U.S. HOUSE ON JUNE 5 PASSED A MILITARY SPENDING BILL which blocks the Biden Regime’s taxpayer subsidy of abortions through the Veterans Administration. The move can be thought of as a broadening of the long-standing Hyde Amendment, which has always been said to protect taxpayers from such abuse but applies only to the Dept. of Health & Human Services. No President before the current one has used the VA to expand his assault on innocent human life.
HR-8580, now in the Senate, is titled the “Military Construction, Veterans Affairs & Related Agencies Appropriations Act of 2025,” and covers far more than the abortion prohibition, but it was that provision which prompted an attempt by House Democrats to recommit the bill to committee for the purpose of stripping out the abortion prohibition. And the tightness of the roll call on a bill which customarily receives strong bipartisan support no doubt stemmed from the measure’s pro-life reform clause.
We publish the roll calls on the “recommit” motion and on final passage at the close of this Life Advocacy Briefing. The final-passage vote was 209 to 197. We must note: Some House Members cast votes on this bill which appear to be based on issues other than abortion. Since the abortion prohibition was a principal issue at stake, we publish the votes as “pro-life” or “anti-life,” but we acknowledge that in a few cases, the abortion issue was probably not paramount in determining the individual Member’s vote.
The language of the bill, reports Calvin Freiburger for LifeSiteNews, states, “none of the money it provides for ‘may be used to implement, administer or otherwise carry out the Dept. of Veterans Affairs interim final rule published on Sept. 9, 2022,’ or for ‘any abortion, including through a medical benefits package or health benefit program that includes coverage of abortion’ except in cases of rape, incest or ‘life-endangering physical’ danger to a mother.”
Family Interference Rejected
A PUBLIC SCHOOL TEACHER IN NEW HAMPSHIRE HAS BEEN FIRED, reports Calvin Freiburger for LifeSiteNews, “for allegedly using sick leave to take a student for an abortion without parental consent.” This is not the first time a public school teacher has abetted a secret abortion on a student, but it is encouraging that the revelation of the incident has sparked outrage and that action was taken to dismiss the perpetrator.
“‘I am horrified to hear that a teacher in our New Hampshire schools felt the right way to help a pregnant student who felt unsupported in her pregnancy was to research abortion facilities and call [in] sick to take a student to an abortion rather than to help her speak with her parents and find support from her family,’ Republican State Rep. Erica Layton responded,” quoted by Mr. Freiburger. “‘By taking the rightful place of that student’s parents, this teacher denied her family the opportunity to step up and support her. Undermining families should not be taken lightly, and assuming the worst of parents is a dangerous precedent.’” Well said.
Judge Lets Non-Physicians Sell RU-486 in North Carolina
A FEDERAL DISTRICT JUDGE HAS BLOCKED a North Carolina law providing that abortion pills may be prescribed only by physicians and requiring an in-person follow-up appointment with the prescribing physician, claiming such requirements, notes Calvin Freiburger for LifeSiteNews, “were inconsistent with US Food & Drug Administration (FDA) guidelines.”
US District Judge Catherine Eagles, who assumed office last August after appointment by Pres. Joseph Biden, “allowed other rules that the federal agency did not specifically address,” notes Mr. Freiburger, “including in-person consultation, examination and ultrasounds before prescribing abortion pills.”
The state’s attorney general, Democrat Josh Stein, “had refused to defend the law in court,” reports Mr. Freiburger, “prompting GOP lawmakers to do so. It is not clear whether Republican legislative leaders plan to appeal the ruling.”
For his part, Mr. Stein, notes Mr. Freiburger, “said he was ‘proud’ to defend abortion and was ‘pleased’ by the ruling, which he praised for allowing ‘increased access’ to abortion pills, though he lamented that it left various restrictions in place.”
Mr. Stein has served two terms as attorney general and is now the Democratic Party’s nominee for governor in the November election, where he will face Lt. Gov. Mark Robinson (R).
The Outrage Escalates
THE GOVERNOR OF MASSACHUSETTS, Democrat Maura Healey, last week announced a “‘first-in-the-nation public education campaign,’” reports Ben Johnson for The Washington Stand (TWS), smearing pro-life pregnancy centers.
“The $1 million taxpayer-funded onslaught, overseen by the Massachusetts Dept. of Public Health,” warns Mr. Johnson, “tells pregnant women, ‘Even if you’re not looking for an abortion, these centers are not a safe or trusted place to go for reproductive health care.’
“The campaign claims,” writes Mr. Johnson, “since pregnancy resource centers do not commit abortions, they deny women ‘comprehensive’ health care. It also accuses pro-life women’s centers of employing ‘untrained staff’ and spreading ‘misinformation about abortion.’”
This is a taxpayer-funded propaganda drive, offering an online “‘toolkit,’” notes Mr. Johnson, which “features downloadable ‘fact sheets,’ graphics of scowling women next to the slogan ‘Avoid Anti-Abortion Centers,’ sample social media messages and links to 30- and 15-second online videos.” Included in the campaign is a guide for “how to ‘file a complaint against an anti-abortion center.’”
Chiming in on the governor’s launch of the propaganda campaign were several Democratic Members of the US House from the Massachusetts delegation. Said US House Minority Whip Katherine Clark, quoted by Mr. Johnson, “‘These are con artists posing as healthcare professionals.’” And Rep. Jake Auchincloss asserted, reports TWS, “‘These clinics present a public health risk.’”
Not to be outdone, US Sen. Ed Markey (D-MA) said, reports Mr. Johnson, he “hoped ‘pregnant people’ would learn about ‘the dangers of anti-abortion centers that mislead and misinform patients, collect and share their most sensitive health data and dissuade them from making the medical decisions that are right for them.’
“Yet the campaign’s claims are undocumented, unproven or contradicted by itself,” writes Mr. Johnson. “None of the campaign’s materials cited a single example of actual harm caused by a pro-life pregnancy resource center. The state’s website claims PRCs ‘will often mislead you about how far along your pregnancy is,’ without providing proof.
“The Healey Administration also states,” notes Mr. Johnson, “that pro-life women’s centers ‘may delay scheduling your appointments so that you miss the timeframe when you can obtain an abortion.’ But abortion is essentially unlimited in Massachusetts. The anti-PRC campaign links to an official state website which clarifies abortion can be carried out even in the third trimester if the abortionist claims it is necessary to ‘preserve the patient’s physical or mental health.’ Thanks to the expansive definition abortionists and judicial activists have given ‘mental health,’” writes Mr. Johnson, “that loophole essentially allows any abortion for any reason, at any point during pregnancy.”
Fighting Back
ONE OF THE VICTIMS OF THE JUSTICE DEPT. CRUSADE AGAINST PRO-LIFERS has filed suit against the DOJ, seeking $4.3 million, reports Emily Mangiaracina for LifeSiteNews, “citing ‘malicious’ and ‘retaliatory’ prosecution after he and his family were subjected to an FBI raid.”
Pro-life advocate Mark Houck, who lives in the Philadelphia area, was acquitted on two felony charges of having supposedly violated the probably unconstitutional Freedom of Access to Clinic Entrances (FACE) Act.
The federal prosecution of the father of seven followed a dawn raid on his home in 2022, notes Ms. Mangiaracina, “by dozens of heavily armed FBI agents. …
“The pro-life father filed a complaint in November 2023 under the federal Tort Claims Act,” reports LifeSiteNews, “naming six police officers who raided his home, according to the Federalist. Having passed the mandated six-month notice period, the claim became an active lawsuit as of late May.
“[Mr.] Houck has accused the Biden DOJ of ‘malicious prosecution, retaliatory prosecution, abuse of process, false arrest, assault and intentional infliction of emotional distress committed by federal employees and agents against Mr. Houck, Mrs. Houck and their children.’”
House Voting Records
Motion to Recommit – HR-8580 – Military Construction, Veterans Affairs, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act with Abortion Prohibition – June 5, 2024 – Failed 199-207 (Democrats in italics; new Members in 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, FONG, M.Garcia, Kiley, Kim, LaMalfa, McClintock, Obernolte, Steel, Valadao/CA; Boebert, Lamborn/CO; Bean, Bilirakis, Buchanan, Diaz-Balart, Donalds, Dunn, Franklin, Gaetz, Gimenez, Lee, Luna, Mast, Mills, Posey, Rutherford, Steube, Waltz, Webster/FL; Allen, Carter, Clyde, Collins, Ferguson, Greene, Loudermilk, 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, Rogers/KY; Graves, Higgins, Johnson, Letlow, Scalise/LA; Harris/MD; Bergman, Huizenga, James, McClain, Moolenaar, Walberg/MI; Emmer, Finstad, Fischbach, Stauber/MN; Ezell, Guest, Kelly/MS; Alford, Graves, Luetkemeyer, Smith, Wagner/MO; Rosendale, Zinke/MT; Bacon, 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, Rouzer/NC; Armstrong/ND; Balderson, Carey, Davidson, 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, DesJarlais, Fleischmann, Harshbarger, Kustoff, Ogles, Rose/TN; Arrington, Babin, Burgess, Cloud, DeLaCruz, Ellzey, Fallon, T.Gonzales, Gooden, Granger, Hunt, Jackson, Luttrell, McCaul, Moran, Nehls, Pfluger, Roy, Sessions, VanDuyne, Weber, Williams/TX; Curtis, Maloy, Moore, Owens/UT; Cline, Good, Griffith, Kiggans, Wittman/VA; Newhouse, Rodgers/WA; Miller, Mooney/WV; Fitzgerald, Grothman, Steil, Tiffany/WI; Hageman/WY.
Voting Yes (anti-Life): Sewell/AL; Peltola/AK; Gallego, 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, Lieu, Matsui, Mullin, Napolitano, Panetta, Pelosi, Peters, Ruiz, Sanchez, Schiff, Sherman, Swalwell, Takano, Thompson, Torres, Vargas, Waters/CA; Caraveo, Crow, DeGette, Neguse, Pettersen/CO; Courtney, DeLauro, Hayes, Himes, Larson/CT; Blunt-Rochester/DE; Castor, Cherfilus-McCormick, Frankel, Frost, Moskowitz, Soto, Wasserman–Schultz/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/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/MI; Craig, McCollum, Omar, Phillips/MN; Thompson/MS; Bush, Cleaver/MO; Horsford, Lee, Titus/NV; Kuster, Pappas/NH; Gottheimer, Menendez, Norcross, Pallone, Sherrill/NJ; Leger-Fernandez, Stansbury, Vasquez/NM; Clarke, Espaillat, Goldman, Jeffries, KENNEDY, Meeks, Morelle, Nadler, Ocasio-Cortez, Ryan, Suozzi, Tonko, Torres, Velazquez/NY; Adams, Davis, Foushee, Jackson, Manning, Nickel, Ross/NC; Beatty, Brown, Kaptur, Landsman, Sykes/OH; Blumenauer, Bonamici, Hoyle, Salinas/OR; Boyle, Cartwright, Dean, Deluzio, Houlahan, Lee, Scanlon, Wild/PA; AMO, Magaziner/RI; Clyburn/SC; Cohen/TN; Allred, Casar, Castro, Crockett, Cuellar, Doggett, Escobar, Fletcher, Garcia, V.Gonzalez, Green, Veasey/TX; Balint/VT; Beyer, Connolly, Scott, Spanberger, Wexton/VA; DelBene, Jayapal, Kilmer, Larsen, Perez, Schrier, Smith, Strickland/WA; Moore, Pocan/WI.
Not Voting: Grijalva/AZ; Issa, Lofgren, Porter/CA; Cammack, Salazar, Wilson/FL; McCormick/GA; Mrvan/IN; Tlaib/MI; Burlison/MO; Kim, Pascrell, Watson-Coleman/NJ; Bowman, Meng/NY; Murphy/NC; Evans/PA; Green/TN; Carter, Crenshaw, Jackson-Lee, Self/TX; McClellan/VA; VanOrden/WI.
Final Passage – HR-8580 – Military Construction, Veterans Affairs, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act with Abortion Prohibition – June 5, 2024 – Passed 209-197 (Democrats in italics)
Voting “yes”/pro-Life: Aderholt, Carl, Moore, Palmer, Rogers, Strong/AL; Peltola/AK; Biggs, Ciscomani, Crane, Gosar, Lesko, Schweikert/AZ; Crawford, Hill, Westerman, Womack/AR; Calvert, Duarte, Fong, M.Garcia, Kiley, Kim, LaMalfa, Obernolte, Steel, Valadao/CA; Boebert, Lamborn/CO; Bean, Bilirakis, Buchanan, Diaz-Balart, Donalds, Dunn, Franklin, Gaetz, Gimenez, Lee, Luna, Mast, Mills, Posey, Rutherford, Steube, Waltz, Webster/FL; Allen, Carter, Clyde, Collins, Ferguson, Greene, Loudermilk, 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, Rogers/KY; Graves, Higgins, Johnson, Letlow, Scalise/LA; Golden/ME; Harris/MD; Bergman, Huizenga, James, McClain, Moolenaar, Walberg/MI; Emmer, Finstad, Fischbach, Stauber/MN; Ezell, Guest, Kelly/MS; Alford, Graves, Luetkemeyer, Smith, Wagner/MO; Zinke/MT; Bacon, 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, Rouzer/NC; Armstrong/ND; Balderson, Carey, Davidson, 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, DesJarlais, Fleischmann, Harshbarger, Kustoff, Ogles, Rose/TN; Arrington, Babin, Burgess, Cloud, DeLaCruz, Ellzey, Fallon, T.Gonzales, V.Gonzalez, Gooden, Granger, Hunt, Jackson, Luttrell, McCaul, Moran, Nehls, Pfluger, Roy, Sessions, VanDuyne, Weber, Williams/TX; Curtis, Maloy, Moore, Owens/UT; Cline, Good, Griffith, Kiggans, Wittman/VA; Newhouse, Perez, Rodgers/WA; Miller, Mooney/WV; Fitzgerald, Grothman, Steil, Tiffany/WI; Hageman/WY.
Voting “no”/anti-Life: Sewell/AL; Gallego, 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, Lieu, Matsui, McClintock, Mullin, Napolitano, Panetta, Pelosi, Peters, Ruiz, Sanchez, Schiff, Sherman, Swalwell, Takano, Thompson, Torres, Vargas, Waters/CA; Caraveo, Crow, DeGette, Neguse, Pettersen/CO; Courtney, DeLauro, Hayes, Himes, Larson/CT; Blunt-Rochester/DE; Castor, Cherfilus-McCormick, Frankel, Frost, Moskowitz, Soto, Wasserman–Schultz/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/IN; Davids/KS; McGarvey/KY; Carter/LA; 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/MI; Craig, McCollum, Omar, Phillips/MN; Thompson/MS; Bush, Cleaver/MO; Rosendale/MT; Horsford, Lee, Titus/NV; Kuster, Pappas/NH; Gottheimer, Menendez, Norcross, Pallone, Sherrill/NJ; Leger-Fernandez, Stansbury, Vasquez/NM; Clarke, Espaillat, Goldman, Jeffries, Kennedy, Meeks, Morelle, Nadler, Ocasio-Cortez, Ryan, Suozzi, Tonko, Torres, Velazquez/NY; Adams, Davis, Foushee, Jackson, Manning, Nickel, Ross/NC; Beatty, Brown, Kaptur, Landsman, Sykes/OH; Blumenauer, Bonamici, Hoyle, Salinas/OR; Boyle, Cartwright, Dean, Deluzio, Houlahan, Lee, Scanlon, Wild/PA; Amo, Magaziner/RI; Clyburn/SC; Cohen/TN; Allred, Casar, Castro, Crockett, Cuellar, Doggett, Escobar, Fletcher, Garcia, Green, Veasey/TX; Balint/VT; Beyer, Connolly, Scott, Spanberger, Wexton/VA; DelBene, Jayapal, Kilmer, Larsen, Schrier, Smith, Strickland/WA; Moore, Pocan/WI.
Not Voting: Grijalva/AZ; Issa, Lofgren, Porter/CA; Cammack, Salazar, Wilson/FL; McCormick/GA; Mrvan/IN; Tlaib/MI; Burlison/MO; Kim, Pascrell, Watson-Coleman/NJ; Bowman, Meng/NY; Murphy/NC; Evans/PA; Green/TN; Carter, Crenshaw, Jackson-Lee, Self/TX; McClellan/VA; VanOrden/WI.