By Hunter Hines
Christian Action League
September 11, 2015
WASHINGTON, D.C. – According to various media reports, Representatives for North Carolina in the United States House, Walter Jones, David Rouzer, Mark Meadows, and Mark Walker are listed among 28 Republicans who have signed a letter stating they will oppose any bill that funds Planned Parenthood.
Planned Parenthood came under intense political pressure recently when videos surfaced depicting the organization harvesting and selling fetal tissue. Although Planned Parenthood vehemently denies the charge, the video evidence is indisputable and has resulted in calls nationwide for federal funding to be cut off from the group.
Twenty-eight is the maximum number of Republicans GOP leaders can lose in a vote without help from the Democrats to pass legislation. As of Thursday, at least 32 lawmakers had signed the letter.
In July, Rep. Mick Mulvaney (R – S.C.) spearheaded the letter sent to the House leadership. The letter reads:
“Given the appalling revelations surrounding Planned Parenthood, we cannot in good moral conscience vote to send taxpayer money to this organization while still fulfilling our duty to represent our constituents. We must therefore oppose any spending measure that contains funding for Planned Parenthood…”
Pressure regarding the matter continues to grow on House Speaker John Boehner (R-Ohio). Boehner said in a press conference on Thursday all options remain on the table. He added despite concerns the situation might lead to a government shutdown, Republicans were not intentionally working to that end.
He said, “The goal here is not to shut down the government, the goal is to stop the horrific practice of an organization selling baby parts.”
According to The Hill, “Rep. Diane Black (R-Tenn.) has a stand-alone bill that would defund the organization and her spokesman said she has secured a commitment from House GOP leadership for her measure to come to a floor vote in the coming weeks.”
Jones, who is a cosponsor on Black’s bill, H.R. 3134, the Defund Planned Parenthood Act of 2015, said in a statement back in July:
“It is absolutely indefensible that Planned Parenthood continues to receive taxpayer dollars when they are responsible for the deaths of over 300,000 babies a year and the trafficking of the parts of these aborted babies. This is nothing more than taxpayer-funded murder. I will continue to do everything I can to protect some of the most vulnerable among us—unborn children. It is a moral obligation to do so.”
Meadows also stated in July that he thought every American, regardless of their stance on abortion, ought to be shaken to the core by the clandestine videos taken. He said the videos “display an utter lack of human decency…I am deeply disturbed…I pray for the soul of our nation.”
Walker noted in a statement that was released on Wednesday:
“After hearing from hundreds of constituents, one of my top priorities upon returning to Washington [referring to the August recess] was to join my conservative colleagues in this fight.”
Rev. Mark Creech, executive director of the Christian Action League, said he was thankful to God for the principled stand each of these North Carolina representatives in Congress has taken.
“The three issues of marriage, life, and religious liberty are non-negotiable for conservative evangelicals and these men get it right on all three. The right to life, I think, is supreme. If that right is not vigorously and zealously protected, you can be certain no other right is safe. I must be clear on this point, what has been revealed by these Planned Parenthood videos is astounding and shows the depth of depravity these merchants of death are willing to go. It is highly immoral what they are doing. But let me add that any of us, lawmaker or citizen complicit with the actions of Planned Parenthood, is just as immoral.”
After Friday, lawmakers have eight days left to pass legislation to keep the government funded through October 1st.