Each one of you reading this bulletin has been blessed with the gift of life.

This month marks two years after Kermit Gosnell was found guilty for the senseless and horrific actions of delivering and then killing infants born alive. And as a lifelong supporter of the unborn, I was proud to support legislation that would ban abortions past 20 weeks.  

The legislation, which overwhelmingly passed the House, would ban abortions past 20 weeks, with an exception for instances of rape, incest, or when the life of the mother is at stake. Last Congress, the Congressional Budget Office estimated this bill, if enacted, would save 2,750 lives each year. That is a staggering number of lives that could be saved with the enactment of this bill.

What is even more alarming is the United States is one of only seven nations that allow elective, late-term abortions. That puts the United States in the same category as countries like Vietnam and North Korea.

As a society, I believe it is our duty to speak for those who cannot speak for themselves and allow them the right to be born into the world. This legislation would ensure there are no more so-called doctors, like Gosnell, in offices who have no respect for the right to life.

H.R. 36 isn’t the only pro-life legislation the House has supported in the 114^th Congress. In April of this year, I was proud to cast my vote in support of H.J.Res. 43, which would disapprove of the Reproductive Health Non-Discrimination Act (RHNDA) passed by the District of Columbia Council, which would require all D.C. employers to provide health-care coverage for contraceptives and elective abortions.

The House of Representatives is, and will continue, to work to protect human life and religious freedom. I’ve said this time and again that I firmly believe that all human life is significant and deserves to be treated with the highest dignity and respect. As your voice in Congress, I will continue to limit the incidence of this cruelty by denying federal dollars to fund abortion procedures, ensuring pregnant women are fully informed on the development of their unborn child and supporting alternatives to abortion like counseling and adoption services.