Pro-Life Congressman Steve Scalise Still in Critical Condition After Shooting, Needs Another Surgery

National   |   Steven Ertelt   |   Jun 15, 2017   |   10:10AM   |   Washington, DC

Prayers are still needed for pro-life Congressman Steve Scalise, who was injured yesterday after he was shot by a liberal activist.

Scalise sustained a single rifle shot to the left hip. The bullet traveled across his pelvis — fracturing bones, injuring internal organs, and causing severe bleeding. He was transported in shock to MedStar Washington Hospital Center, a Level I Trauma Center.

Scalise underwent immediate surgery and an additional procedure to stop bleeding.  He has received multiple units of blood transfusion. His condition is critical, and he will require additional operations, the hospital indicated.

Scalise was one of four people shot while at a practice baseball game in Alexandria, Virginia, shortly after 7 a.m. T Wednesday. The shooting suspect, James Hodgkinson, was killed by police. Scalise was shot in the hip and several Capitol police officers were also victims of the shooting. Because he is part of the Republican leadership, Scalise has protection from the US Capitol Police.

James T. Hodgkinson, 66, of Belleville, Illinois, was identified by law enforcement officials as the gunman who opened fire on Republican lawmakers at a Virginia baseball field, and he has died from his injuries, President Donald Trump said Wednesday.

“The assailant has now died from his injuries,” Trump said in comments about the shooting.

Click here to sign up for pro-life news alerts from LifeNews.com

Hodgkinson, reportedly an avid supporter of and campaign volunteer for pro-abortion Sen. Bernie Sanders, was shot and mortally wounded by police before being taken into custody.

There is no doubt about the shooter’s politics. A Washington Post reporter said that Hodgkinson’s Facebook page was “an extended screed against Trump.” A recent post by Hodgkinson said, “Trump is a Traitor. Trump Has Destroyed Our Democracy. It’s Time to Destroy Trump & Co.” He often used profanities when referring to the president

Congressman Scalise is a prominent pro-life Advocate in Congress with a longstanding record fighting abortion.

He led the effort calling on the Obama Administration to reverse its unconstitutional mandate forcing religious organizations to include drugs that can cause abortion and birth control in the health care plans of their employees.

“This radical mandate by the Obama Administration is an attack on the religious freedoms guaranteed to all Americans by the Bill of Rights,” Scalise, a pro-life Republican from Louisiana, said. “Religious organizations and hard-working taxpayers should not be forced by the federal government to pay for abortion-inducing drugs, contraceptives, or sterilizations in their health care plans.”

“This is an offensive example of Obamacare’s violation of the conscience rights of American employers just so this Administration can force their radical agenda on hard working taxpayers,” Scalise continues. “We are calling on the Obama Administration to reverse this offensive mandate in order to allow any employer that opposes mandated coverage of abortion-inducing drugs and other contraceptives to seek an exemption out of respect for their religious rights. I’m proud to stand with the vast majority of Americans who respect religious freedom in demanding that this mandate be reversed, and I will continue working tirelessly with other Members of Congress to prevent this attack on the Bill of Rights.”

He has also strongly supported efforts to defund the Planned Parenthood abortion business.

“The right to life is our most precious gift from God, and it is offensive and unacceptable that a single cent of taxpayer dollars would be sent to an organization that systematically aborts infants and sells their body parts. House Republicans will continue to promote a culture that respects life at every stage,” he told LifeNews.