GOP Leader Boehner to Get Pro-Life Award for Opposing Pro-Abortion Health Care
by Steven Ertelt
LifeNews.com Editor
April 23, 2010
Washington, DC (LifeNews.com) — When it come to exposing the massive abortion funding in the health care bill Congress passed and President Barack Obama signed, outside of pro-life groups House Republican Leader John Boehner was one of the leading elected officials urging opposition to it.
Boehner will receive an award from Americans United for Life at a May 5 event to thank him for speaking out.
During the health care debate, Boehner focused on the new "abortion premium" fee — with the Obama proposal directing insurance companies to assess the cost of elective abortion coverage and charge a minimum of $1 per enrollee per month.
"President Obama’s health care proposal is an affront to the American people and drastically moves away from current policy. The American people deserve more from their government than being forced to pay for abortion," he said.
Boehner also stood up with pro-life groups against the fallacy that Obama’s executive order would somehow stop this and other examples of abortion funding and promotion.
Now, Americans United for Life will honor the GOP leader, who could become the Speaker of the House if republicans defeat enough Democrats in November, with its "Defender of Life" award.
Charmaine Yoest, president of AUL, told LifeNews.com today: "The Henry J Hyde Defender of Life Award – memorializing the life and work of Representative Henry J. Hyde, former Chairman of the House Judiciary Committee – is given to an elected official who demonstrates outstanding leadership in the cause of Life."
"This year’s award will be presented on May 5th to House Minority Leader John A. Boehner for his courageous efforts and extraordinary leadership in the fight to prevent taxpayer-funded abortion during the health care reform debate," she added.
The Hotline reported said Charmaine Yoest, president of AUL, saying, "His work with us has been remarkable, but he hasn’t gotten much attention for it."
"Part of the reason that we are giving him the award is that we want to draw attention to the fact that he has been very involved," she added.
Yoest also appreciated the closing speech Boehner gave that drew national attention for his "Hell No" in saying how Republicans and the American people wouldn’t support the pro-abortion health care bill.
"He was the one who challenged President Obama," Yoest said.
The AUL award is named for former pro-life Congressman Henry Hyde, a champion against abortion who also led the fight that bears his name to stop forcing taxpayers to fund abortions.
The Hotline indicates a Boehner aide said he admires the late Illinois congressman the most of all of his past and current colleagues on Capitol Hill and said Boehner is "very humbled to be recognized by those who have devoted their lives to working to protect the rights of the unborn."
Related web sites:
Americans United for Life – https://www.aul.org
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