Well, this was expected: House Democrats are going to make abortion rights a top priority. They have to—they’re Democrats in the majority. Pushing an agenda that makes it easier to kill babies has to be at the top of their list lest they feel the wrath of the liberal base. With Planned Parenthood in the crosshairs, the pro-abortion caucus on the Hill is mobilizing a blitz against the House GOP and Trump White House’s pro-life agenda (via Roll Call):
An influential House caucus hopes to use the Democrats’ majority next year to counteract Republican efforts to restrict abortion and family planning, although the group still faces an uphill battle against a Republican Senate and administration with strong ties to the anti-abortion lobby.
The Pro-Choice Caucus has been recently overshadowed by its conservative rival, the Bipartisan Congressional Pro-Life Caucus, which counts Republican leadership and lawmakers from the influential Freedom Caucus among its members.
[…]
House Democratic leadership aides have said that women’s reproductive health issues will be a priority in the next Congress.
“Women’s right to comprehensive health care and affordable family planning is still under assault from the GOP Senate, the White House and the states,” said Henry Connelly, a spokesman for Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., the likely incoming speaker. “The new House Democratic Majority will fight back against these attacks, and work to reverse the damage inflicted by years of GOP attacks on women’s right to choose and access to affordable contraception.”
The abortion-rights caucus, which is led by co-chairs Diana DeGette, D-Colo., and Barbara Lee, D-Calif., has hosted events with Pelosi.
[…]
A final rule is expected by early 2019 that would bar grantees from performing abortions — even with non-federal funds — or referring patients to an abortion provider. This would affect organizations like Planned Parenthood that receive Title X funds.
Last year, the administration attempted to cut two years of grant funding for the pregnancy program, but later reinstated the money after a series of lawsuits prevented the changes from taking effect.
Other goals cited by groups include strengthening the 2010 health care law, overseeing Medicaid, and reversing the so-called Mexico City policy, which bars federal funding for international non-governmental organizations that provide abortion referrals or counseling or engage in abortion-rights advocacy.
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Admittedly, I have no issue with the distribution of contraceptives and sex education programs in schools. I know many disagree on that, but the larger issue—stopping abortions—is something that must remain constant priority with House Republicans. And it doesn’t appear they will be softening that stance either, which is a good thing. The issue we have to contend with is fighting the Democratic Party and their media allies who will, like last time, create an echo chamber that shatters the pro-life counterattacks in the media. And truth be told, the GOP pivots when it comes to fighting the Planned Parenthood talking points have not been good. It’s been this way for a while now. This is just one of many issues that will up the temperature in D.C. legislatively. The Republican Senate will block most whacko lefty initiatives, but none of this will be without intense media pressure from the Left. It’s going to be a ruckus, but conflict is what politics is at its heart. Sharpen the knives, GOP. The far left is coming.
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