View this in your browser ([link removed])
Conservative Partnership Institute
John:
Good afternoon from Capitol Hill.
The House and Senate are in session this week. The House, having processed the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), is moving towards appropriations. The Senate will take up their version of the NDAA this week and likely finish next week.
The House Rules Committee, earlier this week, posted the Military Construction, Veterans Affairs, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2024 ([link removed]) (frequently referred to as just Milcon/VA). This appropriations bill provides the funding for these agencies. Usually, the Military Construction portion usually attracts a slew of earmark requests (here were the earmarks that were included ([link removed]) in this year’s bill). But an issue that conservatives are still working through, is the issue of the Biden-Harris Veterans Affairs Abortion Rule ([link removed]) .
The Biden-Harris rule would provide taxpayer funded abortion services, through the Veterans Affairs healthcare system, even in states where pro-life policies are in place. As Lila Rose of LiveAction pointed ([link removed]) out in early September of last year, “Section 106 of the Veterans Health Care Act of 1992 directs the Veterans Administration (VA) to provide women with “general reproductive health care … not including … abortions.” Simply stated, this rule stands in direct violation of the law. Earlier this year Congressman Michael Cloud ([link removed]) and Senator James Lankford introduced ([link removed]) legislation to overturn this rule. The Senate
([link removed]) held a vote on this earlier this year and it failed 48-51 ([link removed]) . The House has yet to directly weigh in on the matter.
The Veterans Administration, prior to this rule, had never performed abortions. Then in September of 2022, the VA announced ([link removed]) that they had performed their first abortion. According ([link removed]) to Life News, “A department leader estimated ([link removed]) about 1,000 unborn babies will be aborted every year under the new rule.”
Fast forward to just a couple months back. Conservatives on the House Appropriations Committee brought much needed attention to this issue in committee. During the markup of FY 2024 spending bills in the Appropriations Committee, conservatives were able to ensure that abortions would only be performed if certain exceptions could be met. Conservatives in the House know there is still work to be done. This is why conservative Congressman Andy Ogles has offered an amendment ([link removed](rape%20incest)230717094110273.pdf) to the bill that would strip out the “exceptions” that were inserted into the bill in Committee - effectively fully ending the abortion rule. If Rep. Ogles amendment is not adopted, then exceptions will be codified into the appropriations language, as opposed to defunding the rule entirely.
MilCon/VA will likely be considered after the Agriculture appropriations bill, both of which the House is hoping to push through next week. The abortion issue will not be the only flash point either. Spending levels and the use of recissions will be a key feature of the debate next week as well.
The Latest From Around The Conservative Movement
* The American Conservative: Establish a Special Inspector General for War ([link removed])
* The Federalist: Idaho Republicans Urge State Libraries to Ditch American Library Association After it Promoted Porn to Kids ([link removed])
* House Freedom Caucus: Fighting Against Woke and Weaponized Government ([link removed])
* DailyWire: San Francisco Stores are Taking Extreme Security Measures to Fight Petty Theft ([link removed])
* State Freedom Caucus Network: Montana Became the First State to Break All Ties with the American Library Association ([link removed])
One More Thing…
ICYMI: The Center for Immigration Studies Testified in front of the House Homeland Security Committee ([link removed]) (35:40)…
Sincerely,
Hugh Fike
Director of Government Relations
============================================================
CONSERVATIVE PARTNERSHIP INSTITUTE
300 Independence Ave SE
Washington, DC 20003
(202) 742-8988 Tel | (202) 595-0282 Fax
** CPI.org ([link removed])
** DONATE ([link removed])
Invest in America’s Future With A Legacy Gift
The Conservative Legacy Society is a special group of supporters who help us represent their values into the future by remembering CPI in their will, by designating CPI as a beneficiary, or by making a planned gift. To learn more, visit ** [link removed] ([link removed])
.
Conservative Partnership Institute is a 501(c)(3) charitable and educational foundation that provides leaders in Washington with the training and resources they need to effectively advance conservative principles. Charitable contributions are tax-deductible for income, gift, and estate taxes. Our federal tax identification number is 82-1470217.
You received this email because you subscribed to the CPI email list.
** Update Profile ([link removed])
| ** Unsubscribe ([link removed])
Copyright © 2023 Conservative Partnership Institute, All rights reserved.
