Two leading pro-life groups are asking Virginia pro-lifers to call and email their state legislators to urge them to help stop taxpayer funding of abortions. Statements LifeNews received from the Virginia Family Foundation and the Virginia Society for Human Life explain more about the Wednesday vote.
From the Family Foundation:
Last week Governor Bob McDonnell handed down a pro-life amendment that The Family Foundation had been strongly urging. This amendment prohibits health insurance plans that are part of federal health insurance exchanges required by Obamacare from covering abortion services except in cases of rape, incest and life of the mother. The amendment is to HB 1900 and SB 921, bills regarding state oversight of health exchanges. Without the governor’s amendment, pro-life citizens opposed to abortion will be mandated to fund this unethical destruction of human life.
The amendment simply continues what has been state law for the proposed exchanges since 2011 when the General Assembly adopted a similar amendment. Because the state has chosen not to create a state exchange but instead force the federal government to do so, the amendment is necessary. Twenty states have already taken this step and more are considering it. Despite the rhetoric of the abortion industry, private insurers can continue to offer elective abortion plans outside the exchanges if they wish.
Now the General Assembly must accept Governor McDonnell’s amendment at tomorrow’s Reconvened Session (i.e, the “Veto Session”) where it considers amendments and vetoes by the governor. While we are confident that the House of Delegates will adopt the amendment, the 20-20 Senate is questionable.
So that is really where the battle lies. Over the last several days we have mobilized citizens across Virginia to contact their legislators — especially key senators — to make sure they know the citizens of Virginia want this amendment passed.
Please contact your delegate and senator and urge them to support Governor McDonnell’s amendment to HB 1900 and SB 921. If you are not sure who they are, click here to find out. Then, or if you already know who they are, click here to look up your delegate’s contact information and here to look up your senator’s contact information.
Then contact the following key senators and urge them to vote YES on this important amendment as well:
Senator Harry Blevins: 757-546-2435 [email protected]
Senator John Watkins: 804-379-2063 [email protected]
Senator Charles Colgan: 703-368-0300 [email protected]
Senator Phil Puckett: 276-979-8181 [email protected]
Senator Frank Wagner: 757-671-2250 [email protected]
CLICK LIKE IF YOU’RE PRO-LIFE!
From the Virginia Society for Human Life:
Have you contacted your state legislators yet to prevent abortion funding in the new Virginia health care exchanges?
We are days from this year’s veto session of the General Assembly, when the vote on the Governor’s amendment to SB 921 and HB 1900 will be voted on. It is vital that the members of the GA hear from concerned pro-life Virginians like you!
Please tell your legislators to support the Governor’s amendments to stop taxpayer funding of abortion.
