January 2, 2024
Savanna Deretich, Government Affairs Coordinator
GUEST POST: In 2023, Students for Life Action (SFLAction) worked along with a number of pro-life, pro-family allies — family groups, conservative think tanks, and U.S. Congress members offices – to send cohesive, united messages of support for LIFE in law. Those efforts included signing onto letters highlighting different issues throughout the first half of this 118th Congress.
The list of letters SFLAction supported, including brief excerpts of the text, include:
Heritage Action – Highlighting Legislation the Pro-Life Dobbs Coalition sent to Congress.
“We write to urge you to exercise Congress’s constitutional authority to legislate abortion policy at the federal level and pursue a robust pro-life agenda. The measures outlined below are the initial steps towards our ultimate goal: an America where every person is protected and welcomed in both life and law, from conception. The policies we highlight are the floor, not the ceiling, of what we expect from a pro-life majority in the House of Representatives…”
Heritage Action– PEPFAR coalition letter highlighting the dangers of the new Biden proposed addition to include abortion care in the funding.
“The American people do not support using taxpayer dollars to fund abortion at home or abroad. For that reason, there exists longstanding precedent not to fund abortion, directly or indirectly, through U.S. foreign assistance. We are concerned that grants from the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) are used by nongovernmental organizations that promote abortions and push a radical gender ideology abroad. We urge you to ensure that any re-authorization of PEPFAR ensures that taxpayer money is not used for such purposes.”
Heritage Action– DOD and NDAA letter. Link to article talking more about the issue from FOX.
“On February 16, 2023, President Biden politicized the National Defense Authorization Act, when the Department of Defense began using taxpayer dollars to fund all travel expenses for service members and their families to receive elective abortions. We, the undersigned, believe this unjust, and illegal policy must be fully repealed through the NDAA in order for a “clean” bill to move forward.”
SBA – Thank you letter to pro-life appropriators.
“On behalf of the many millions of members in all 50 states that our collective organizations represent, we would like to express our gratitude for the ways this committee is working to protect the unborn and women and girls.”
People United for Privacy Foundation – PUPF ACE Act coalition letter.
“The undersigned nonprofit organizations and policy leaders write in strong support of the free speech and citizen privacy provisions in the ‘American Confidence in Elections (ACE) Act’ (H.R. 8528), introduced by Congressman Rodney Davis. This thoughtful legislation protects and strengthens important First Amendment rights that Americans have enjoyed since the founding of our country.”
Family Research Council – A coalition letter to Rep. Rogers & Wicker outlining concern with DOD policy and highlighting how they can address it.
“We, the undersigned, believe that if the Biden administration’s immoral, unjust, and illegal Department of Defense abortion policy is not otherwise revoked it must be fully repealed through the National Defense Authorization Act. As Armed Services committee markups of the NDAA commence this week, the time is now to put a stop to this policy.”
Family Research Council – A letter to CVS & Walgreens regarding the FDA approving sell prescriptions of mifepristone.
“Converting your pharmacies into abortion clinics presents many potential legal concerns for your company. Federal law (18 U.S.C. 1461) prohibits the mailing of any substance, drug, or medicine intended for producing an abortion.1 This statute covers not only the senders of such drugs, but also other individuals involved in the transmission or receipt of these drugs through the mail.”
READ: The Best Pro-Life Bills Currently Moving in Congress
Republican Study Committee – Their annual budget
“On behalf of our nearly 1,400 active pro-life student groups and tens of thousands of trained student activists in all 50 states, please stand with us in support of Representative Kevin Hern and the Republican Study Committee’s Fiscal Year 2023 Budget, the most pro-life congressional budget ever proposed. The RSC budget makes the sanctity of human life a top priority, advancing the codification of measures that would permanently and reliably protect innocent human life.”
Republican Study Committee – Chairman Hern support letter (St. Francis letter)
“Termination from Medicare is a serious and rare penalty, often resulting in the closure of terminated facilities. It is critical that this process protects the health and safety of the patients seeking care at CMS facilities and does not reflect political or religious bias.”
Sen. Lankford’s office – HHS & Oklahoma funding for Title X
“Senator James Lankford (R-OK) is leading the Oklahoma congressional delegation on a letter to Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Xavier Becerra for suspending the $4.5 million Title X Family Planning grant awarded to the Oklahoma State Department of Health (OSDH).”
Rep. Chris Smith – the PEPFAR Coalition .
“We are concerned that grants from the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) are used by nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) that promote abortions and push a radical gender ideology abroad. We urge you to ensure that any re-authorization of PEPFAR ensures that taxpayer money is not used for such purposes.”
SBA – Federal Protections
“Pro-life members of Congress have historically supported thoughtful legislation to protect the unborn at various gestational limits. Now that the stranglehold of Roe is finally gone, members of Congress must boldly and creatively work together to end the tragic human rights crisis of abortion in our nation.”
Americans United for Life – Paid family leave in NDAA
“Paid leave is an issue with broad bipartisan support and facilitates family formation and strengthening, which is critical for the families of our men and women in uniform who serve on the front lines here and around the world.”
Center for Family and Human Rights (C-Fam) – Sarah Cleveland Opposition Letter
“Biden’s nominee to the International Court of Justice, the world’s most powerful court, is a pro-abortion globalist and a judicial activist. If appointed she will be a threat to sovereignty, democracy, and self- government in every country in the world.”
Sen. Budd – Letter to Secretary of Defense on abortion policy
“Secretary Austin, you have broken your promise to the American people not to politicize the military, and your actions have harmed and threaten to further harm institutional norms within our democracy.”
Sen. Hyde-Smith & Rep. Chris Smith – TANF Pregnancy Letter. Temporary Assistance to Need Families (TANF) program. The preamble to the proposed rule expressly singles out pregnancy centers and States that use TANF funds to support alternatives to abortion programs.
“U.S. Senator Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-Miss.) and U.S. Representative Christopher H. Smith (R-N.J.-04), chairs of the Senate and House Pro-Life Caucuses, respectively, are leading bicameral opposition to a proposed rule that targets the use of Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) funding by pregnancy centers and alternatives to abortion programs.”
Rep. Chris Smith – ORR Proposed Rule Letter. Urging HHS and House to not codify the Biden Administration policy of transporting minors to obtain abortion
“Dear Secretary Becerra, we submit this comment with grave concern for unaccompanied minors under the Biden Administration’s care who would be subject to the callous and coercive nature of the Office of Refugee Resettlement’s (ORR) proposed rule, “Unaccompanied Children Program Foundational Rule.” The proposed rule should not be finalized in its current form as it codifies the ORR’s determination to facilitate abortions with federal tax dollars.”
One of the major ways of succeeding and creating movement on Capitol Hill is through building relationships with other like-minded groups. Even though it is a “lame duck session”, the strength of collaborating with other groups has been fruitful so far. Members are noticing there are strong life groups working hard and willing to fight tooth and nail to protect human life, together. Our team at SFLAction has had several friends, connections, and staffers from members offices expressed they read our newsletters, see our content, and want support and input from SFLAction on legislation. The momentum on Capitol Hill is growing, and we are so grateful to all the pro-life champions behind the scenes that have worked with us over the last couple of years.
