Republicans drop plans to push pro-life bill in US House of Representatives
January 22, 2015
Republican leaders in the US House of Representatives have pulled back from plans to pass legislation that would have banned abortions after the 20th week of pregnancy.
In a stunning political setback for the pro-life movement, the Republican leadership abandoned the proposal on January 21, just as hundreds of thousands of activists were gathering in Washington for the annual March for Life. A vote on the legislation had originally been planned for January 22, the anniversary of the Roe v. Wade decision.
The “Pain Capable Unborn Child Protection Act” was a mainly symbolic effort. It would have faced heavy opposition in the Senate, and if approved there would certainly have been vetoed by President Obama. Nevertheless the Republican decision to drop the proposal—which had been approved handily in the last session of Congress—was a jolt to Republican pro-lifers.
The decision to drop the proposal reportedly came after female Republicans expressed concern about the political fallout from the vote. But opinion polls have consistently shown overwhelming public support for legal restrictions on late-term abortions.
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Further information:
- Abortion bill dropped amid concerns of female GOP lawmakers (Washington Post)
- Why Everyone Should Be Terrified By The GOP’s Abortion Bill Debacle (The Federalist)
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Posted by: peggyo526737 -
Jan. 23, 2015 6:49 PM ET USA
They should care more about what God thinks than what female voters think.
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Posted by: unum -
Jan. 22, 2015 6:10 PM ET USA
If the Republican House leadership is so weak that it can't get the majority party to pass a bill that has already been passed once, don't count on the Republicans delivering on any of their promises in this session of Congress. If this trend continues, I can envision a lot of Catholics staying home for the 2016 election because they have nothing to vote for but a corrupt Congress that can't keep its promises.
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Posted by: JosephAnthony -
Jan. 22, 2015 3:28 PM ET USA
The most bizarre part of this is how Republicans consistently lose politically for supporting restrictions that supermajorities of Americans claim to want. This demonstrates how efficient the pro-choice propaganda machine is.
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Posted by: Defender -
Jan. 22, 2015 10:43 AM ET USA
Since 2016 is a presidential election year, this would be the time for ALL the bishops in the United States to take Canon Law and the Catechism seriously and deal with CINO politicians and wannbe’s. It has been obvious for far too long that the Catholic press has refrained from asking the bishops the “hard” questions concerning allowing CINO politicians a free ride. This also applies to the bishops collectively and their voting guide. This is the time for bishops to develop a spine and act!
