Late Saturday night the members of the U.S. House of Representatives made a historic vote as they narrowly voted in favor of a health care reform bill. Just prior to the final vote on the bill, the members of the House had the opportunity to vote on the Stupak-Pitts Amendment that maintains the status quo of restricting taxpayer funding of abortion.
Catholic Representative Nancy Pelosi, Speaker of the House, an ardent proponent of abortion, allowed the vote on the amendment after considerable pressure and leadership from Pro-Life Democrats including Rhode Island’s Representative James Langevin.
We congratulate and commend Representative Langevin for his hard work on the Stupak Amendment. His courageous stand for life is truly a proud occasion for Catholics across Rhode Island. The Congressman stood tall in his convictions and true to his deep Catholic faith. However, we are again disappointed by Congressman Patrick Kennedy’s anti-life vote to reject the Stupak Amendment. Once again he has let Rhode Island down with his lack of understanding of the authentic meaning of social justice and the sanctity of human life. Rather than a courageous stand against the leaders of Congress and their pro-abortion cohorts from Planned Parenthood, Kennedy chose to join those quisling Catholics in Congress who voted against the protection of human life.
We hope that Rhode Island Senators Jack Reed and Sheldon Whitehouse will display the courage of Congressman Langevin and not the cowardly betrayal of social justice and human life of Congressman Kennedy.
