National Right to Life PAC endorses Steve Chabot for Congress,

criticizes vote of incumbent Steve Driehaus for pro-abortion health bill

WASHINGTON – The political arm of the nation’s largest pro-life organization, the National Right to Life PAC (NRL PAC), today endorsed Steve Chabot in his campaign to regain Cincinnati’s First District seat in the U.S. House of Representatives.

NRLC President Dr. Wanda Franz and Steve Chabot.

In a letter to Chabot sent and released today, NRL PAC said:  “During your previous service in the House (1995-2008), you were a leader in enacting major pro-life legislation,” including “the landmark Partial-Birth Abortion Ban Act – of which you were the chief sponsor.”  The letter noted, “During your service in the House, you cast over one hundred key pro-life votes.”

The NRL PAC letter continues:  “In sad contrast, the current occupant of the First District seat, Steve Driehaus, voted to enact President Obama’s massive health care legislation (H.R. 3590), although it lacked the pro-life protections that the National Right to Life Committee, the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, and other major pro-life groups had fought for long and hard  – protections that were necessary to prevent future federal funding of elective abortion and federal subsidies for private insurance plans that cover elective abortion (some of which will be administered directly by the federal government).  On this critical issue, Mr. Driehaus talked a good game, but ultimately came down on the side of President Obama, who successfully blocked the pro-life protections from being included in the bill – just as, throughout his political career, Mr. Obama had opposed the very types of pro-life policies that you championed.”

Mr. Driehaus has touted an executive order signed today by President Obama.  In a March 21 statement, National Right to Life said that this order “was issued for political effect.  It changes nothing.  It does not correct any of the serious pro-abortion provisions in the bill.  The president cannot amend a bill by issuing an order, and the federal courts will enforce what the law says.”  The NRL statement on the executive order is posted here: www.nrlc.org/AHC/Release032110.html

Mike Gonidakis, executive director of Ohio Right to Life PAC, the political committee of the state’s NRL affiliate, commented:  “Whether Steve Driehaus was duped by the offer of a worthless Obama executive order or was merely attempting to provide himself political cover, he bears responsibility for the greatest expansion of abortion since Roe v. Wade.  Pro-lifers in the first Congressional District will remember his health care vote in November.”