By Terry Vanderheyden
WASHINGTON, February 3, 2006 (LifeSiteNews.com) – New Republican House Leader, John Boehner, declared his intention to uphold the right to life of the unborn before his election.
Boehner, who has been re-elected eight times in his Western Ohio district, defeated Missouri Congressman Roy Blunt and John Shadegg of Arizona Thursday in a secret-ballot election by Republican members of Congress. Blunt, who replaced Tom Delay temporarily as house leader since September, lost on second ballot, by a vote of 122 to 109. Blunt retains his previous position as Majority Whip, the No. 3 leadership position in the House.
Boehner, a Roman Catholic and graduate of Xavier University in Cincinnati, declared his intention to continue to fight for the rights of the unborn. He addressed a House Values Action Team by letter Tuesday, in which he affirmed that he believes life begins at conception, reiterating his commitment to protect life at all stages. “It is a commitment I have felt deeply throughout my life, and a commitment I will uphold unapologetically,” Boehner wrote, as reported by the Washington Times.
“I am humbled and honored by the confidence my Republican colleagues have expressed in me with today’s vote,” he wrote in a statement Thursday. “This afternoon, House Republicans are united behind our Speaker, eager to renew our commitment to the principles that prompted Americans to put us in the majority.”
Boehner also promised that as majority leader he would advance bills banning human cloning, to introduce an amendment to protect marriage, and to table fetal pain legislation. Boehner has acted as Republican education ad workforce chairman for five years.