Ohio Congressman Charlie Wilson Faces Heat for Backing Pro-Abortion Senate Bill
by Steven Ertelt
LifeNews.com Editor
March 19, 2010
Washington, DC (LifeNews.com) — Rep. Charlie Wilson, an Ohio congressman who is normally included on lists of pro-life Democrats in the House, is facing heat for his decision to support the Senate pro-abortion health care bill. A national pro-life women’s group says Wilson is abandoning his constituents, who oppose abortion funding.
The House is expected to vote Sunday on the Senate health care measure, which funds and promotes abortions.
Wilson is justifying his vote by denying abortion funding is part of the bill.
“This bill is not perfect, but it is a strong step forward," he told the Vindicator newspaper. “I am confident that the language in the Senate bill ensures that there will be no federal funding for abortions."
In a press call with liberal religious leaders who are putting health care above pro-life principles, Wilson expanded on his support for the pro-abortion measure,
"As a pro-life Catholic, I think the language in the Senate bill clearly ensures that there will be no federal funding of abortion," he added.
But Susan B. Anthony List president Marjorie Dannenfelser told LifeNews.com "Wilson’s rationale for this support flies in the face of church teaching and the Catholic Bishops, who have condemned the language."
Dannenfelser noted Archbishop Charles Chaput of Denver called the Senate health care bill "not merely defective, but also a dangerous mistake… Catholics and other persons of good will concerned about the foundations of human dignity should oppose it."
She added, "Congressman Wilson support for the Senate language goes completely against his pro-life record and principles. Congressman Wilson has put himself on the side of Barbara Boxer, who last November told McClatchy News’ Rob Hotakainen that the Senate language was ‘only an "accounting procedure" that will do nothing to restrict coverage.’"
The pro-life women’s leader also told LifeNews.com that Wilson should be reminded of polling results showing his constituents on the other side.
"Charlie Wilson has betrayed his principles and his constituents," she said.
Dannenfelser pointed out: "In Ohio’s sixth district, 80% of voters oppose the use of tax dollars to fund abortions, according to a survey commissioned by the Susan B. Anthony List this week. Sixty-four (64%) percent of Rep. Wilson’s constituents surveyed also said that they would be less likely to vote for him next Election Day if he supported healthcare with abortion funding (51% much less likely). Congressman Wilson has made this choice to his own political peril."
Polling conducted in the past two weeks in 19 key Democratic districts by the polling company / WomanTrend and commissioned by the Susan B. Anthony List found that, in virtually every district, at least two-thirds of voters opposed "using tax dollars to pay for abortions" and would reject a candidate who "votes for healthcare legislation that includes federal government funding of abortion."
The SBA List has spent nearly $2 million in pro-life grassroots activism campaigns against abortion funding in healthcare reform.
Through the SBA List, activists have sent over 1.2 millions letters and petitions to Congress opposing tax-payer funding of abortion in health care. In addition, the organization has conducted 1.3 million automated calls, 60,000 patch-through constituent calls, targeted television and radio advertisements, and two regional media and mobilization tours in pro-life Democratic districts.
Related web sites:
Susan B. Anthony List – https://www.sba-list.org
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