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Vice President Mike Pence and wife Karen speak at the March for Life Rally.

WASHINGTON, D.C., January 18, 2019 (LifeSiteNews) – U.S. Vice President Mike Pence and Second Lady Karen Pence surprised the March for Life Rally crowd Friday, with Vice President Pence reaffirming their pro-life commitment along with that of President Donald Trump.

Life is winning in the United States, Pence told the Rally crowd, and the Trump administration continues to stand with the pro-life community.

Karen Pence introduced her husband, telling pro-lifers it was a privilege to stand with them for life.

“Thank you for being here, for standing in the cold for something that you believe in,” she said, thanking them as well for their stories of courage, regret, forgiveness, starting over, hope, inspiration, and truth.

Vice President Pence received sizable applause after his wife’s introduction and throughout his address.

He said it was a joy to be with the pro-life crowd and he shared with them his admiration for his wife.

“She’s a mother, she’s an advocate for military families, she’s traveled across this country,” said Pence.

The crowd gave him an even bigger ovation when he said, “She’s even an art teacher in a Christian school” — a quip about recent attacks on his wife for teaching at a Christian school, where morality is observed.

“And I couldn’t be more proud of our Second Lady, my wife Karen Pence!” he gushed to another round of applause.

Addressing March for Life Foundation president Jeanne Mancini, March board members, members of Congress, other fellow Americans, and “especially all of the great young people in this pro-life generation,” Pence said emphatically, “We’re the Pences, and we’re pro-life!”

Pence was also slated to address the March for Life Rose Dinner on Friday evening, a fundraiser for the event. He addressed last year’s March and spoke in 2017 as well at the March Rally, just after he and Trump took office, the first time a vice president of the United States had done so.

Trump called out the mainstream media for ignoring the March in an interview with ABC News just before the 2016 March for Life. He has tweeted support for the March and addressed the pro-life event last year via live stream, another first for a U.S. president.

Pence welcomed to the nation’s capital the pro-life pilgrims who had come this year from across the country for the largest pro-life event in the United States.

The pro-life community gathered to stand for life and for compassion, he said, “And we gather here because we believe as our founders did that we are all of us – born and unborn – endowed by our Creator with certain unalienable rights and first among these rights is the right to life.”  

Forty-six years ago this month, the majority in the Supreme Court turned its back on that right, said Pence, but in that moment a movement was born, one that is defined by compassion and love.

“A movement animated by faith and truth,” Pence continued. “And a movement that’s been winning hearts and minds every day since.”

“Because of all of you gathered here,” he added, “all those you represent, and all those who’ve gone before, we know in our heart of hearts that life is winning in America once again.”

The cause of life is winning through the compassion of caregivers and volunteers at pregnancy centers across the country, the vice president went on to say, and through the generosity of millions of adoptive families who open their hearts and their homes.

He also lauded and thanked the men and women who step forward to serve in public office and advance the cause of life from Washington, D.C., to statehouses across the country.

“And to all gathered here today, we urge you to stand strong,” Pence urged the pro-life crowd. “Be prepared to give a reason for the hope that you have. Be prepared to defend life, but do so with gentleness and respect.

“They will attack you,” the vice president said. “They will question your hearts to silence others, but don’t listen to them. Listen to the truth.”

Pence then evoked God to underscore the sanctity of human life, stating, “And know that He who said, 'Before I formed you in the womb I knew you,' also said I will never leave you or forsake you as you stand for His creation, as you stand for the right to life.”

Pro-life supporters can be confident that they do not stand alone, he said, pledging the continued support of the Trump administration.

“You are joined by tens of millions across this nation,” said Pence. “And know that you have an unwavering ally in this vice president, in our family, and you have a champion in the president of the United States of America, President Donald Trump.”  

He recounted Trump’s pro-life accomplishments since taking office two years ago. Among them are reinstituting the Mexico City Policy, keeping his promise on judicial appointments by appointing more conservative men and women to federal courts of appeals than any president in American history, and signing legislation to empower states to defund Planned Parenthood.

“The truth is President Donald Trump is the most pro-life president in American history,” said Pence. “An we are grateful for your support.”

While life is winning in America again, Pence said the gathering for the March for Life takes place because there is still much work to do, and he promised the administration’s continued backing.

“So we urge you to stand strong,” he said. “Stand with that love and compassion as you stand for life, and know that we will stand with you until that great day comes where we restore the sanctity of life to the center of American law.”

Pence concluded by introducing Trump’s recorded address, where the president promised to veto any legislation reaching his desk “that weakens the protection of human life.”