Alaska Democrat Rep. Mary Peltola voted against a resolution that condemns the rash of recent attacks on pro-life facilities groups, and churches. The resolution passed 222-209 in the Republican-majority House of Representatives, with just three Democrats supporting the measure.
The resolution says that the House appreciates the good work that happens at these centers, where women who are in crisis with a pregnancy can get help and so the unborn child can experience life.
But Democrats said that abortion clinics have been under attack for years. Democrat women wore white in protest of the bill. Rep. Rosa DeLauro of Connecticut and others said that the resolution wasn’t good enough because it didn’t also condemn violence against abortion clinics and providers. She and many of the Democrat women who opposed the resolution wore white on the floor of the House in protest of the bill and another bill that would protect the life of a born-alive baby. Rep. Mary Peltola joined those wearing white.
Over 100 attacks on crisis pregnancy clinics and churches were documented following the leak of the Supreme Court draft opinion last year before the overturning of Roe v. Wade. The resolution that passed on Wednesday listed a number of those attacks, including pro-life centers that were torched by vandals.
“There have been now nearly 100 recorded acts of violence and intimidation against pro-life individuals and organizations by radical, pro-abortion activists since the initial leak of the draft Supreme Court Dobbs opinion,” said Missouri Republican Rep. Ann Wagner. “Following the leak and issuance of the Supreme Court’s decision in Dobbs vs. Jackson Women’s Health Organization, anti-life fanatics have targeted, destroyed, or vandalized, as I said, over 100 pro-life facilities, groups, and churches to further their radical cause.”
Some of those attacks as described in the resolution were in the Northwest, but they occurred around the country:
- May 3, 2022, individuals vandalized the Care Net Pregnancy Center in Frederick, Maryland, with pro-abortion graffiti, including the messages, “not real clinic,” “end forced motherhood,” and “go to [Planned Parenthood] instead”
- May 5, 2022, in Portland, Oregon, vandals smashed numerous windows and spray-painted graffiti on the Southeast Portland Pregnancy Resource Center
- May 7, 2022, activists vandalized a crisis pregnancy center in Denton, Texas, with the radical pro-abortion messages “not a clinic” and “forced birth is murder”
- May 7, 2022, in Fort Collins, Colorado, activists painted “my body my choice” on the doors of a Catholic parish
- May 8, 2022, Mother’s Day, individuals attempted to break into the Oregon Right to Life office in Keizer, Oregon, reportedly igniting and throwing two Molotov cocktails at the building
- May 8, 2022, vandals spray-painted pro-abortion messages such as “Abortion is a right,” “Fake clinic,” and “Liars” on the side of a pro-life pregnancy center in Manassas, Virginia
- May 8, 2022, a pro-life nonprofit center in Madison, Wisconsin, was set ablaze and vandalized with the words, “If abortions aren’t safe, then you aren’t either”
- May 13, 2022, activists left “threatening messages” on the front of the Alpha Pregnancy Center in Reisterstown, Maryland, including the messages, “if abortions’ aren’t safe, neither are you,” “you’re anti choice not pro life,” “not a clinic,” and were signed “Jane’s revenge”
- May 18, 2022, vandals targeted a “women’s faith-based medical clinic” in Auburn, Alabama, defacing the clinic’s sign and staff members’ vehicles
- May 25, 2022, in Lynnwood, Washington, anti-life activists smashed windows and vandalized the Next Step Pregnancy Center with the threat, “if abortion isn’t safe, you aren’t either”
- June 2, 2022, Jane’s Revenge claimed credit for an attack in which its members broke windows and scrawled messages including “God loves abortion” and “fake clinic” at Agape Pregnancy Resource Center in Des Moines, Iowa
- June 3, 2022, the Capitol Hill Crisis Pregnancy Center in Washington, DC, was the target of left-wing abortion extremists who threw red paint on the door, threw eggs at the window, and spray-painted the building with “Jane Says Revenge”
- June 6, 2022, in Asheville, North Carolina, vandals broke windows and left graffiti on the Mountain Area Pregnancy Services building
The resolution lists dozens of other actions against pregnancy centers and churches.
“This resolution is straightforward,” said Republican Rep. Jim Jordan of Ohio. “This is a resolution that says we appreciate the good work that happens at crisis pregnancy centers where they take in women, where they help them and help that unborn child so that unborn child gets to experience the gift of life.”
Three Democrats voted in favor of the bill: Reps. Vicente Gonzalez of Texas, Chrissy Houlahan of Pennsylvania, and Marie Gluesenkamp Perez of Washington.
