Pro-Life Chris Christie Announces Campaign as He Vetoes Planned Parenthood Funding a 6th Time

National   |   Steven Ertelt   |   Jun 30, 2015   |   11:44AM   |   Washington, DC

Republican Governor Chris Christie of New Jersey, who is pro-life on abortion,launched his campaign for the Republican nomination for president today. The campaign announcement comes the day after he vetoed state taxpayer funding for the Planned Parenthood abortion business a sixth time.

Christie is pro-life and vetoed Planned Parenthood funding five times before he ran for re-election in a state that is not known as a bastion of conservatism. Yesterday, Christie vetoed funding that would be directed to the Planned Parenthood abortion business again.

Christied vetoed A3672/S3103, which would have the state health department spend $7,453,000 on family planning services — with much of the funding headed to the nation’s abortion business. In a veto message, Christie said:

”Unfortunately, accompanying the bipartisan achievement of another balanced budget is another annual ritual of attempting to pass additional unbudgeted spending for selected interests. In what has sadly become a predictable routine, once again, the sponsors of this bill and its companion bill seek to circumvent the budget process and pass legislation that would bestow bonuses to certain family planning clinics and establish a costly new Medicaid program within the Department of Human Services.  Because of the new financial burden these bills will levy on New Jersey’s taxpayers outside of the budget process, I am returning these bills without my approval.”

Christie noted his Fiscal Year 2016 budget already provides funds, as have his past budgets, to important preventative health measures such as the New Jersey Cancer Education and Early Detection Program which funds mammograms, pap smears, and prostate exams. The budget he signed last Friday also continues funding for the State’s Federally Qualified Health Centers that provide vital health care services to thousands of low-income New Jerseyans.

Marie Tasy of new Jersey Right to Life applauded Christie for vetoing the bill.

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“Christie eliminated funding in the budget for Planned Parenthood when he first became Governor and has vetoed every obsessive attempt by pro-abortion legislators to use taxpayer money to fund them since then,” she said in an email to LifeNews.com.

Christie’s campaign announcement comes just a couple months after he re-states his pro-life views on abortion and endorsed a Congressional bill to ban abortions after 20 weeks. Christie announced his support for the Pain-Capable Unborn Child Protection Act with the following statement:

“I am proud to be a pro-life Republican. I believe that every life is an individual gift from God, and that no life is disposable. When I was preparing to run for Governor of New Jersey there were those who told me there was no way I would be elected as a pro-life candidate.  I told them that they were wrong, that the voters would accept the sincerity of my beliefs even if they felt differently. Today, I am a living example that being pro-life is not a political liability anywhere in America.”

He continued: “I also know that there are areas where all Americans – regardless of being pro-life or pro-choice – can come together. One proposal that brings Americans together is the Pain-Capable Unborn Child Protection Act which would protect unborn children beginning at 20 weeks, or five months of pregnancy, based on their ability to feel pain. America is one of just seven countries that permits elective abortions past this point. We can do far better than this. I urge Congress to take swift action on this important issue.”

In August 2012, Christie visited the Southern Jersey Family Medical Center’s Burlington City Health Center to kick off National Health Center Week.

“The Burlington City Health Center and all of our New Jersey community health centers are an essential part of our health safety net for those who otherwise would not have a medical home,” Christie said, according to Newsroom Jersey. “These centers offer affordable, high-quality care to residents and families in need. I am proud of the strong support my administration has provided for community health centers in the budget – $113 million in Medicaid and $46.4 million for the uninsured. With this assistance, we are making sure the people and communities who rely on these services lead healthy lives now and in the future.”

During a speech in Janaury 2012, Christie made it clear he takes a strongly pro-life stance on abortion.

“I stand with you,” on opposing abortion, the governor told the pro-life crowd, and “with each and every one of those precious human lives.”

“What we need to do each and every day is to live our lives in a way that encourages everyone to understand why this cause is so important,” Christie said, according to the Asbury Park Press. ”To show that we respect the life of every human being, and that every human being is one of God’s creatures and deserves the love and respect that God gives to all us.”

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“As long as I have the honor of serving as governor, you will know you will have someone sitting in that office who understands the issue, who appreciates it and will continue to stand up and speak strongly in favor for the protection of every human life in New Jersey.”

Christie said elected officials who are pro-life must “speak loudly and clearly (and) leave no ambiguity about how we feel about this issue.”

Talking about his own views, Christie added: “As you all may know this is not an issue that I always understood nor was I always on your side. It is an issue I came to grow and learn about in a very personal way. My daughter Sarah will turn 15 in February. When I heard her heartbeat at three months in our doctor’s office, it was at that moment that it became clear to me that being on the sidelines on this issue was not something I could live with. I needed to speak out in favor of a very simple idea, that that child is a life which deserves protection.”

During the 2012 presidential election, Christie admonished Mitt Romney to select a pro-life running mate, which Romney eventually did in Paul Ryan.

“If you’re voting for somebody at the top of the ticket who’s pro-life, and vice presidents often – not always, but often – wind up succeeding to leadership of the party, if not leadership of the country,” Christie said. “You know, people want some consistency in that regard.”

Christie complained Democrats are monolithic on abortion.

“The Democratic Party won’t even let someone who’s pro-life speak at their convention,” Christie said.

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