In a first “test” of his leadership as Speaker of the House, Rep. Mike Johnson, R-LA, is facing pressure to back down on his strong pro-life stance against a radical measure that would allow abortion-causing drugs to be shipped nationwide.
“A majority of the House Republican conference backs a provision in the food and agriculture funding bill that would ban mail delivery of abortion pills nationwide, with some hard-liners even pledging to oppose any version without it,” Politico reported October 26. “But a handful of Republican centrists who face tough reelection bids next year say federal curbs on mifepristone, a widely used abortion pill, are ‘a non-starter.’”
Johnson has pledged to get a spate of 12 government spending bills through and avoid a government shutdown when funding runs out in the middle of next month. He has also told lawmakers that he wants to bring the agriculture bill to the floor by November 13.
“If mifepristone stays in the bill it’s dead. If mifepristone comes out it’s dead,” said Republican Rep. Kelly Armstrong of North Dakota. “So, until we solve that problem, we can’t get to the next one.”
Politico spoke with CatholicVote Director of Government Affairs Tom McClusky, reporting that he told Politico he and other conservative leaders have been meeting since the bill failed on the floor in September with Reps. Nancy Mace (R-S.C.), Lori Chavez-DeRemer (R-Ore.), several New York Republicans, and other centrist holdouts to persuade them to back the abortion pill restrictions. Among the groups’ arguments: the Supreme Court may strike down the FDA rule allowing mail delivery of abortion bills as early as next year.
“We’re also telling them: ‘Look, you ran on a pro-life platform,” McClusky added. “You can’t say you’re pro-life and allow abortion drugs to be used so widely.’”
Politico interviewed several commentators and politicians who suggested Johnson ought to appease so-called “moderate” pro-choice Republicans in order to broker a compromise and avoid a shutdown.
“How Johnson proceeds over the next three weeks will provide one of the first looks at how he plans to navigate the pitfalls that ensnared his predecessor Kevin McCarthy, and whether he plans to make good on his promises to protect the at-risk Republicans who helped the GOP clinch its narrow majority,” the publication wrote.
Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick. R-PA, told Politico that he hasn’t changed his mind since voting against the bill in September. “If there’s any provision in there that’s extreme, then I’ll vote against the bill — it’s that simple,” he said.
“New York Reps. Marc Molinaro, Nick LaLota and Anthony D’Esposito all confirmed they remain opposed as well — with some arguing that the provision has no chance of passing the Senate and others arguing that abortion policy should be decided at the state level,” Politico added.
McClusky, however, expressed confidence that Johnson would not take such a route.
“I’d be very surprised if the new speaker were to suggest taking it out at this point,” McClusky said about the abortion pill provision. “Our efforts are better put [on winning over holdouts] than on backing down.”
From Catholic Vote
Interesting that the names of many who oppose the bill have “Catholic- sounding names”.
Imagine that death pills in the mail.
Imagine a death jab posing as a vaccine.
Oh, yeah.
Stand strong, as a faithful Christian, Speaker Johnson. You are in our prayers. May you be God’s blessing to our poor, suffering, sinful nation, after many horrific years, of feminist-power, promiscuity, LGBT agenda, gay “marriage,” and abortion–baby-killing propaganda and promotion, of our shameful, “post-Conciliar, bad-Catholic,” former Speaker, Rep. Nancy Pelosi. Share with us, strongly and proudly, your Protestant church’s new “covenant marriage,” with your lovely wife, and big family, of four beautiful children! Help renew, restore and rehabilitate our tragically fallen, poor, sinful America, in the true, Biblical teachings, of Jesus Christ! God bless you, Speaker Johnson.
I mistakenly gave a thumbs up and should have left it blank as I have no idea what this Speaker of the House believes. I do hope God uses him to bring about good though.
According to 2023 statistics, one out of every four American children today, grow up in fatherless homes. And nearly half of all children are born to unmarried mothers. 40-50% of all first marriages in the U.S. end in divorce. And 60-67% of all second marriages in our country end in divorce. Help is desperately needed, for American marriages, families and children! Our young, new Speaker of the House, Rep. Mike Johnson, a Southern Baptist, born Jan. 30, 1972, said that he grew up in a home in which his parents divorced. This led him to be a staunch advocate of lifelong, committed Christian Marriage. When he and his wife decided to marry, in 1999, they wanted to enter into a Protestant Christian “Covenant Marriage,” before God, to strengthen the foundation and future of their marriage. Covenant Marriages, started by Protestant Christian Evangelicals, are legally recognized in three states– Arizona, Arkansas, and Louisiana, which is the Johnsons’ home state. Covenant Marriages were developed by the Louisiana State Legislature, to legally require couples to seek religious or professional counseling, prior to filing for divorce. In a Covenant Marriage, a couple must seek pre-marital counseling, to fully explore potential issues, before entering into a Covenant Marriage. The married couple then pledges to a lifelong marriage. Of course, in the case of filing for a divorce, in extreme, unforeseen circumstances– such as wife-beating, etc.– a judge will readily pursue the best legal pathways, as necessary, in the case of divorce. In the Catholic Church, we recognize Holy Matrimony as one of the Seven Sacraments instituted by Jesus Christ. Our Church does not recognize divorce. However, in an extreme circumstance, a married couple can apply for a Church annulment. Church annulments given prior to Vatican II were extremely rare.
I think our Catholic Church in America may have another type of Vocations crisis– a crisis in the Vocation to Holy Matrimony!
You gotta have somebody to marry.
Nobody cares about Diane Feinstein anymore, now that she’s dead. Just goes to show you that serving in Congress isn’t really acontdnp
Your comment reflects a big part of the Catholic Marriage Vocations Crisis, that I mentioned. Where, in today’s immoral world, can a faithful Catholic find a potential spouse for the Catholic Sacrament of Holy Matrimony? Sacramental Marriage and Family, with Christ at the center, is beautiful. It is the source of the Domestic Church. The God-ordained, holy, lifelong union of one man and one woman, joined together in holy, matrimonial love, elevates their union in Christ, to a very high level, whereas hippie sex in the gutter destroys people in body, mind, heart and soul– and hands them right over, unfortunate misfits– as slaves to the Devil. Birth control and abortion further destroy their very souls. This problem has been going on since the late 1960s. I recall good, responsible, mature Protestants as well as Catholics in the late 1960s and into the 1970s– both just “nominal” church-goers as well as devout ones– sadly remarking, “Where can I find a nice girl — a lovely young woman to date and possibly marry, with good values, a potentially good future wife and future good mother of our future children? Doesn’t anyone want that anymore? Are there no really nice girls, with good values and good morals left, in America?” And– “Where can I find a real man with excellent values, and good morals– very mature and responsible– to possibly date and marry, a potentially excellent husband and good father to our future children? Are there no real men– and good men— left, in America?” A society that is irresponsible and wallows in “me-generation” selfishness and sin– without any children– will soon collapse and die. And they will disappear in the history books.