We Face Another 2000

They say it doesn't get any closer than the 2000 presidential election, but the 2002 Senate and House elections promise to be a close second. What pro-lifers do between now and November 5 will be crucial in determining whether the pro-life initiatives favored by pro-life President George W. Bush are considered by a sympathetic or a hostile Senate and House.

The Democrats currently control the U.S. Senate by a single seat -- 51 to 49. This gives pro-abortion senators the chairs of key committees. Worse, it makes pro-abortion Senator Tom Daschle (D-SD) the majority leader, with great powers to block or to expedite legislation.

 

Pro-life President George W. Bush meets with pro-abortion Democratic Senate Majority Leader Tom Daschle (D-SD).

The Republicans currently control the U.S. House with 223 members compared to 208 Democrats, one Independent, and three vacant seats previously held by Ohio Democrats Jim Traficant (who was expelled from the House following his conviction on corruption charges) and Tony Hall (who resigned to accept an appointment from President Bush as U.S. ambassador to the United Nations' food and agricultural agencies, headquartered in Rome), and Hawaii Democrat Rep. Patsy Mink, (who died recently).

Pro-life Rep. Dennis Hastert (IL) is serving as Speaker of the House. If Democrats take control, it is very likely that the next Speaker will be pro-abortion Rep. Richard Gephardt (MO). Also, important committees currently chaired by pro-life Republican members would switch over to the control of pro-abortion Democratic members, who would then set the agenda for the House.

Throughout 2001 and 2002, the House of Representatives passed numerous pro-life measures that President Bush supports, including a ban on human cloning, the Partial-Birth Abortion Ban Act, the Unborn Victims of Violence Act, and the Child Custody Protection Act. But Daschle, using his majority leader powers, has so far blocked all of them from even coming to a vote in the Senate.

President Bush and the children need the help of all pro-lifers November 5.