CNN: Group applauds inclusion of abortion in 'Pledge'

This article originally appeared on CNN.com.

 

Group applauds inclusion of abortion in ‘Pledge’
By: Staff

Washington (CNN) – They’re not prominent, but social issues are addressed in the House Republicans’ “Pledge to America,” which GOP lawmakers in the House formally unveiled Thursday. And a social conservative group is applauding the move and says their efforts may have helped push the language into the document.

The 21-page document does include a “pledge to honor families, traditional marriage, life, and the private and faith-based organizations that form the core of our American values.”

Lower in the document, there’s a call for opposition to the use of taxpayer dollars to pay for abortions, which is tied to the larger issue of overhauling the new health care reform law.

Several Republican sources said there was no intention to directly address social issues because the electorate is so heavily focused on jobs and spending. But the language was added, according to a GOP source, after conservative Rep. Mike Pence of Indiana argued that social issues should be included in the document representing the agenda of House Republicans.

The Susan B. Anthony List on Thursday applauded the release of the document.

“Today, in its ‘Pledge to America’ the pro-life Republican House leadership has echoed the voices of pro-life Americans calling for a Congress that will protect Life. The pro-life legislative priorities included in their Pledge reinforce Republican Party unity as we approach these critical mid-term elections,” said Susan B. Anthony List President Marjorie Dannenfelser, in a statement.

“The Susan B. Anthony List looks forward to mobilizing our grassroots network of over 280,000 pro-life Americans in support of the strongly pro-life GOP leadership and new members in order to pass this and other commonsense pro-life legislation right away in the next Congress,” added Dannenfelser.

The group, also known as SBA, is a non-profit organization with a mission to advance politicians who oppose abortion. SBA says that in the weeks leading up to the release of the Pledge, they mobilized more than 10,000 people to petition House GOP leaders to make sure abortion language was included in the document.

– CNN Deputy Political Director Paul Steinhauser contributed to this report

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