Dear Chairwoman Ronna Romney McDaniel,
As a matter of political expediency at the beginning of the national abortion debate, many politicians coalesced around the idea of the three exceptions of opposition to abortion, now found in the Hyde Amendment. As you know, Hyde allowed for abortions to be paid for by taxpayers in the cases of rape, incest and when the mother’s life is in danger. But the 1970s are long past, and as former abortion advocates like Dr. Bernard Nathanson, co-founder of NARAL, have since admitted, the data cited by the burgeoning abortion industry at that time was completely fabricated. And yet, using the abortion industry philosophy, abortion has been forced on the nation by politically leveraging less than 2 percent of abortions, according to the abortion industry itself.
Since that time, much of the framework on the abortion debate has been locked in stone, as the courts did not allow much movement, and the discussion of abortion remained in a time capsule. But things are changing today as a growing number of Americans understand that not only was Roe poorly decided, it can be reversed with the issue of life returning to the states where voters can have a voice on public policy.
In fact, in January of this year, Students for Life of America commissioned a poll and found that 65 percent of Millennials want a voice and a vote on abortion policy. A recent Marist poll found that 80 percent of Americans would like abortion limited to — at most — the first three months of pregnancy, if not outright banned. People are ready to make a difference for life at the grassroots.
Last week, the state of Alabama took an incredible step in passing a near-complete ban on abortion. Missouri followed them by passing a pro-life mega bill that prohibits abortion after eight weeks, but also prohibits Down Syndrome abortions and gender-targeted abortions. It’s clear that leaders in those states and others are ready to fully challenge Roe v. Wade and are preparing for a post-Roe America.
As pro-lifers, we may come from a variety of religious, racial, ethnic, and political backgrounds. That being said, the Republican Party is currently the only major political party that supports protections for pre-born life. Meanwhile, the Democratic Party races towards a pro-infanticide position by supporting not just abortion through all nine months of pregnancy, but even in some cases, supporting the deaths of babies born during abortion.
With such a widening gulf between the parties, we are asking that the Republican Party continue their support of the abolition of abortion as it supported the abolition of slavery. And we ask those in the party to reconsider the decades-old talking points that have become stale in light of what we have learned about life in the womb, the harms of abortion to women and their preborn children, and the human rights concerns emerging from the racial disparities of abortion as well as the prejudice against children conceived in rape and incest.
As a society, we don’t issue birth certificates with points ranking some people as better than others based on their parents’ race, income, marital status or events on the night of conception. A birth certificate tells a simple truth: a unique life is in the world.
We understand that issues like rape and incest are difficult topics to tackle; nevertheless, it is our view that the value of human life is not determined by the circumstances of one’s conception or birth. This view in fact is aligned strongly with the Republican Party’s belief that anyone, when given an opportunity, can rise to new heights and overcome their circumstances and their background.
As a crime, rape and sexual assault must be handled with the full force of the law. But a child conceived in rape is still a child. We don’t blame children for other matters outside their control. Why should we do so here?
The time has come for the Republican Party and pro-life advocates to reconsider the messaging that the abortion industry used and still uses to justify their deadly enterprise. For too long the debate over protecting life left out children conceived in difficult circumstances, so it’s not surprising that opening up that discussion now reveals room to educate on protecting these children. Please join us in that discussion, advocating for all our children, no matter their conception story.
There are no better witnesses to the value of all life, no matter how a child was conceived, than pro-life leaders today whose birth stories began in such moments. We hope you will meet with us to learn more on how we can collectively advocate for a pro-life America at this moment in time, as life is too precious a national resource to waste.
The pro-life movement is ready and willing to aid you and all political and cultural leaders in best advocating for a culture that respects and protects all life.
Sincerely,
Kristan Hawkins
President, Students for Life of America
Ryan and Bethany Bomberger
The Radiance Foundation.
Lila Rose
President, Live Action
Travis S. Weber
Vice President for Policy, Family Research Council
Abby Johnson
CEO & Founder, And Then There Were None
Tom McClusky
President, National Pro-Life March Education & Defense Fund
Father Frank Pavone
National Director, Priests for Life
Lauren Muzyka
Executive Director, Sidewalk Advocates for Life
Larry Cirignano
Children First Foundation
Connie Eller
Missouri Blacks for Life
Allan Parker
President, The Justice Foundation
Brendan H. O’Connell
President, Life Matters TV and Media, Inc.
Cheryl Sullenger
Senior Vice President, Operation Rescue
Joe Langfeld
Executive Director, Human Life Alliance
Preston Noell III
President, Tradition, Family, Property, Inc.
Lynn Mills
Director, Pro-Life Michigan
Christopher Bell
President, Co-founder, Good Counsel
Brian Gibson
Executive Director, Pro-Life Action Ministries
Cynthia Collins
Operation Outcry
