HOUSE Republican Leader John Boehner

President’s Move on Embryonic Stem Cells Divides and Distracts America

Yesterday, President Obama reversed a long standing executive order that barred federal funding of embryonic stem cell research.  The President’s decision opened the door to federal support for the divisive and destructive practice of embryonic stem cell research - a move which has distracted and divided America at a time when a bipartisan and unified nationwide focus on the economy is desperately needed.

House Republican Leader John Boehner (R-OH) stated that the president’s decision to use federal money to support embryonic stem cell research “runs counter to President Obama’s promise to be a president for all Americans.”  Leader Boehner continued: “Creating and preserving jobs should be our No. 1 priority right now. . .Checking the boxes on the list of liberal special interest groups’ priorities simply makes it harder to get the type of bipartisan cooperation we need to get our economy back on track.”

The President’s action has divided the nation and caused a needless distraction at a time when American families and small businesses are looking desperately to Washington for bipartisan solutions on the economy.  Reaction from around the country:

New York Daily News: “President Obama reverses Bush’s stem cell research ban; debate rages along abortion fault lines” (emphasis added)

President Obama made good on another campaign pledge Monday, but stirred up fresh criticism that pet projects are sidetracking him from fixing the tanking economy.  The President. . .scored points with his base by overturning a Bush administration order and promising to ‘vigorously support’ embryonic stem-cell research that could lead to cures for deadly ailments like diabetes and Parkinson’s disease. . .The move to reverse an executive order signed by George Bush in 2001 triggered another backlash over Obama’s decision to move quickly on agenda items like health care, education and the environment that won’t help cure the ailing economy - and could cost him political capital.

Ryan T. Anderson in The Weekly Standard: “Perpetuating a Needless Stem-Cell War”  (emphasis added)

Bad ethics and bad science, Obama’s decision earlier this morning is bad politics, too.  Obama ran on a platform of fulfilling George W. Bush’s promise to be a uniter, not a divider–to be the president of the entire United States, and not just of special interests.  He acknowledged this morning that ‘many thoughtful and decent people are conflicted about, or strongly oppose, [embryo-destructive] research.’  He said that he “understands their concerns” and that ‘we must respect their point of view.’  As such, he promised ‘that we will never undertake this research lightly.  We will support it only when it is both scientifically worthy and responsibly conducted.’  But by his actions today, Obama has shown himself to take unnecessarily divisive approaches to controversial questions. He has committed the nation–and all its taxpayers–to supporting unethical, lethal research.

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Decision to Revoke ‘Conscience Clause’ Faces Mounting Criticism

In a statement last Friday, Republican Leader John Boehner (R-OH) noted the Obama Administration’s decision to repeal a federal rule that allows doctors and nurses to decline to perform abortions for moral or religious reasons will “hurt faith-based health providers and hospitals throughout our nation who are committed to caring for Americans at this critical time.”  The administration’s decision is a step backward for the pro-life movement and supporters of the conscience regulations—proposed and finalized last year—are making clear their disappointment.

In an interview with CNSNews.org, Senator Tom Coburn (R-OK), an OB-GYN by profession, warned “a lot of us will go to jail” before being forced to perform medical procedures against their moral beliefs.  CNS correctly reports that Federal funding “is widespread in the health care sector owing to such programs as Medicare, Medicaid, the newly expanded SCHIP insurance program for children, and the many billions in federal funds spent each year on medical research.”

Republican Conference Chairman Mike Pence, in a statement last week, added his voice of concern, saying: “Weakening the conscience protections of healthcare providers would not only undermine their moral beliefs, but also have a devastating impact on the patients who rely upon their services.”

A spokesperson for the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops noted the bishops were “gravely concerned” about the administration’s rescinding of conscience rights protections for health workers.  “Efforts to nullify or weaken any conscience protection will undermine our national heritage of diversity and religious freedom, reduce patients’ access to life-affirming health care, and endanger the national consensus required to enact much-needed health care reform.”

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So-Called “Freedom of Choice” Act Would Deepen the Tragedy of Roe v. Wade

Today marks the 36th anniversary of Roe v. Wade.  Since that fateful decision was handed down by the U.S. Supreme Court, nearly 50 million abortions have been performed.

Each year, hundreds of thousands gather not far from where Barack Obama took the oath of office this past Tuesday to “March for Life” and commemorate the lives ended in abortion since the Court legalized the practice in 1973.  Those who attend, and the millions more who support the pro-life cause, seek to promote a “culture of life” by urging the adoption of policies which will protect all innocent human life.

This year presents a new challenge to life: the so-called “Freedom of Choice Act” (FOCA).  Despite its name, FOCA would deprive Americans of their freedom to enact almost any restraint on abortion at any stage of pregnancy.  It would overturn hundreds of current laws on conscience rights, informed consent, limits on tax-funded abortion, and parental involvement in minors’ abortion decisions.

During the 2008 presidential campaign, then-candidate Obama vowed that signing FOCA would be the “first thing” he would do if he were elected president.

Led by Leader John Boehner (R-OH), a total of 105 House Republican Members of Congress sent a letter to the President urging him to reconsider his support for the Freedom of Choice Act:

You have expressed a desire to be a president for all Americans, and to use your presidency to promote initiatives that bring Americans together, rather than drive them apart.  We recognize it will not always be easy for you to do this.  However, too much is at stake for this divisive and destructive legislation to move forward and life-saving laws to be rolled back.  We respectfully urge you to withdraw your pledge to sign FOCA, and that you pledge not to sign legislation that incrementally enacts FOCA by rescinding existing pro-life laws and legal protections.

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