LLDF has received information that members of Congress are seeking support from voters so that pro-life provisions traditionally included in the annual appropriations bills will remain in tact. Read more to find out how you can show your support:
Representatives Jim Jordan (R-Ohio) and Heath Shuler (D-N.C.) are seeking assistance from pro-life groups willing to urge Members of the House to sign their letter regarding pro-life provisions traditionally included in the annual appropriations bills. As you know, these provisions, often referred to as riders, are contained in multiple appropriations bills and must be retained each year for the policies to remain in place. The provisions deal with issues such as funding for abortion, conscience protection for health care providers and embryo research. Removing any of these provisions would represent an erosion of current pro-life law.
The most well known pro-life rider is the Hyde amendment which both pro-lifers and the pro-abortion Alan Guttmacher Institute agree reduces abortions. A Policy Review published by Guttmacher laments the reduction in abortions saying, “Perhaps the most tragic result of the funding restrictions, however, is that a significant number of women who would have had an abortion had it been paid for by Medicaid instead end up continuing their pregnancy.” According to the same article studies have concluded “that 18–38% of women who would have had an abortion continued their pregnancies after Medicaid funding was cut off.”
The Jordan/Shuler letter addressed to Speaker Pelosi, Appropriations Chair David Obey, and Rules Committee Chair Louise Slaughter calls for the retention of pro-life provisions. It further asks that Members be given an opportunity for an up or down vote on the policies if the Committee reports bills in which any pro-life provision is deleted.
If your congressional representative is on the list below, please contact him or her immediately and urge them to sign the Jordan-Shuler letter. The deadline is February 20, 2009.
| Bachus, Spencer | Boccieri, John | Bonner, Jo | Boozman, John |
| Brown-Waite, Ginny | Buyer, Steve | Calvert, Ken | Cantor, Eric |
| Capito, Shelley Moore | Carney, Chris | Carter, John | Costello, Jerry |
| Crenshaw, Ander | Deal, Nathan | Diaz-Balart, Mario | Donnelly, Joe |
| Doyle, Mike | Dreier, David | Emerson, Jo Ann | Gerlach, Jim |
| Granger, Kay | Griffith, Parker | Hastings, Doc | Heller, Dean |
| Issa, Darrell | Kanjorski, Paul | LaTourette, Steve | Lewis, Jerry |
| LoBiondo, Frank | Luetkemeyer, Blaine | McHugh, John | McKeon, Howard |
| Melancon, Charlie | Mica, John | Miller, Gary | Mollohan, Alan |
| Murphy, Tim | Murtha, John | Nunes, Devin | Oberstar, Jim |
| Ortiz, Solomon | Paulsen, Erik | Poe, Ted | Rahall, Nick |
| Rehberg, Dennis | Reichert, Dave | Rohrabacher, Dana | Royce, Ed |
| Skelton, Ike | Upton, Fred | Wilson, Charlie | Young, Don |