WASHINGTON, D.C., February 4, 2016 (LifeSiteNews) – Tuesday's vote to override President Obama's veto that protected Planned Parenthood's federal funding may have failed, but a leading member of Congress told LifeSiteNews that the effort was still a success.
“To me, the rights of the unborn is the greatest human rights issue we face today,” said House Ways and Means Committee Chairman Kevin Brady, R-TX. “Let the president stand on the wrong side of history, and let those who back his veto up do it as well. And for those of us who have been fighting in the pro-life movement for a long time, we rarely get these clear, moral choices, and the American public gets to see where people stand. And I think that's a good thing.”
Brady, who spoke with LifeSiteNews shortly before the vote, predicted that it would fail. “It most likely won't happen, but here's what will happen. We will have a clear, moral choice, which is something I believe is perhaps the most important thing we do – to just line people up, and decide, where exactly do you stand?”
“We knew the president would veto this, but I believe exercising your constitutional power to legislate, to lay a law on the president's desk, is never wasted if you're fighting for your principles and your constituents,” Brady continued. “And I'm thrilled that we got a bill, finally, through the Senate, and to the president's desk, and so we still got an uphill fight, but at least the American public knows where everyone stands.”
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Last year, Republicans in both chambers faced criticism for not attaching a defunding measure to any must-pass legislation, such as the omnibus bill to fund the federal government until September 30 of this year. However, Brady said the standalone vote was a better tactic.
“Pro-life groups weren't interested in holding our military hostage on this or any other issue. That's what Democrats, that's what liberals, do. [Pro-life groups] wanted a clear moral choice vote because too often, people like to put these measures into big bills where lawmakers can wiggle one way or the other, and explain that because of something else, they couldn't support it. And I'm just tired of that.”
“I like votes that are clear, up or down. No one can wiggle around where they stand, morally or with their principles. And I think these types of votes are far more important. I know the House has fought repeatedly to defund Planned Parenthood and their gruesome practices. This shouldn't be the end of our fight at all. We're hopeful we'll have a Republican, pro-family president who will sign this bill when we get it to them.”
With the presidential election heating up, many pro-life groups are focused on getting a pro-life president in the White House. Asked about GOP difficulties in the Senate, Brady said that neither the Senate or the White House can be ignored.
“They're both extremely important. Having a pro-life, pro-family president ensures not only is there not a veto we have to overcome, but you'll have a president actually using the bully pulpit to talk about this human rights issue. I think that's critically important.
“The House is going to deliver pro-life, pro-family issues to the Senate again and again. I'm frustrated. I wish the Senate would lower their 60-vote rule for key issues such as this and the Iran nuclear agreement, and executive orders on amnesty and other issues. As long as that rule is in place, we're going to have a challenge.
“I hope, in the states, people pay attention to the Senate candidate they're voting for, because it could make a huge difference as well. With this bill, we showed that even without 60 votes in the Senate, there is a way to get these bills to a president, hopefully to one who signs them.”
“For me, this isn't just a political issue,” explained Brady. “My wife and I had no luck getting pregnant. We adopted two little boys because two women in completely different situations chose life. That's the only reason we have a family. It's a joy, and so every opportunity we get to encourage adoption, and to fight for pro-life legislation, I'm all in on it. And many of our members are. But it has been difficult with this president to get that done.”
Looking at 2017, Brady expressed confidence that pro-lifers do have allies in the House leadership, even as he indicated that difficulties exist in the Senate and, possibly, the White House. “Here's the good news – we have, in Paul Ryan, an extremely pro-life speaker. I'm hopeful we have an extremely pro-life president, as well.”
“We'll deal with the Senate in whatever form that takes next year. I've been a member of the Values Action Team for a long, long time, and been involved in almost every pro-life issue we've brought to the House. But my priority is defunding Planned Parenthood and ending their gruesome practices.”
Brady said that “common ground” could also be garnered between abortion opponents and supporters on “banning sex-selection” with abortion, preventing people from “being taken across state lines” for abortions, and banning abortion after 20 weeks' gestation, which is when unborn babies can survive outside the womb.
