WASHINGTON – U.S. Sen. Roger Wicker, R-Miss., has joined a majority of his Republican colleagues in the Senate in sending a letter to Majority Leader Harry Reid regarding several alarming pro-abortion provisions in the remaining appropriations bills. In the letter, 35 senators expressed their willingness “to take full advantage of our rights under Senate rules to prevent massive taxpayer subsidies for abortion-related activities.”

“I have consistently fought to protect the lives of unborn babies and worked to advance policies that will give women alternatives to abortion,” said Wicker. “We should be working to decrease abortions, not funding abortion on demand. My Republican colleagues and I are prepared to use every tool at our disposal to ensure that taxpayers are not forced to fund abortion in the Democrats’ health care legislation or in our annual spending bills.”
            
Below is text of the letter sent to Harry Reid:

December 2, 2009

The Honorable Harry Reid
Majority Leader
United States Senate
Washington, D.C. 20510

Dear Mr. Leader:

We have grave concerns regarding the exclusion of longstanding funding limitations on abortion in the various appropriations bills that are currently before Congress.  These measures, which have enjoyed broad bipartisan support for many years, are meant to ensure that taxpayers are not forced to pay for or promote elective abortions either in the United States or abroad.   

Yet provisions calling for taxpayer financed abortions and the promotion of abortion have been included in the FY2010 Financial Services and State/Foreign Operations Appropriations bills. We cannot, in good conscience, allow these provisions to move forward, even in an omnibus appropriations bill.  

We want to assure you that we are prepared to take full advantage of our rights under Senate rules to prevent massive taxpayer subsidies for abortions and abortion-related activities.      
                
Sincerely,

Lamar Alexander (R-TN), John Barrasso (R - WY), Robert Bennett (R-UT), Bond, Christopher S. - (R - MO), Sam Brownback (R - KS), Jim Bunning (R - KY), Richard Burr (R - NC) , Saxby Chambliss (R - GA), Tom Coburn (R - OK), Bob Corker (R - TN), John Cornyn (R - TX), Mike Crapo (R - ID), Jim DeMint (R - SC), John Ensign (R - NV), Michael Enzi (R - WY), Lindsey Graham (R - SC), Chuck Grassley (R - IA), Judd Gregg (R - NH), Orrin Hatch (R - UT), Kay Bailey Hutchison (R - TX), Jim Inhofe (R - OK), Johnny Isakson (R - GA), Mike Johanns (R - NE), Jon Kyl (R - AZ), George LeMieux (R - FL), John McCain (R - AZ), Mitch McConnell (R - KY), James Risch (R - ID), Pat Roberts (R - KS), Jeff Sessions (R - AL), Richard Shelby (R - AL), John Thune (R - SD), David Vitter (R - LA), George Voinovich (R - OH), Roger Wicker (R - MS).

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