{"id":33177,"date":"2025-02-04T17:38:50","date_gmt":"2025-02-04T17:38:50","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/cincinnatirighttolife.org\/?p=33177"},"modified":"2025-02-04T17:38:51","modified_gmt":"2025-02-04T17:38:51","slug":"whos-who-in-congressional-leadership-a-pro-life-primer","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/cincinnatirighttolife.org\/whos-who-in-congressional-leadership-a-pro-life-primer\/","title":{"rendered":"Who’s who in congressional leadership: a pro-life primer"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

By: SBA Team, originally published January 8, 2025, Susan B. Anthony Pro-Life America<\/a><\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The 119th<\/sup> Congress kicked off on Friday, and even a blizzard isn\u2019t stopping the new Republican majority from conducting the people\u2019s business \u2013 including the first major pro-life bill<\/a> of 2025.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As the GOP retakes the reins, here are some of the key allies in leadership to watch:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

House leadership<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Speaker of the House: Mike Johnson (Louisiana): <\/strong>Johnson was a staunch pro-life advocate long before entering politics, practicing constitutional law as senior counsel for Alliance Defending Freedom (formerly Alliance Defense Fund). In the 118th<\/sup> Congress, he was a leading voice<\/a> against the wave of pro-abortion violence that followed the leak of the Dobbs <\/em>decision and worked hard to stop the Biden administration\u2019s discrimination against pregnancy centers<\/a>. In 2024, he brought<\/a> as his guest to Biden\u2019s State of the Union address the director of a local pregnancy center that was targeted by vandals.<\/p>\n\n\n

\n
\"\"<\/a><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n

Majority leader: Steve Scalise (Louisiana): <\/strong>Hailed by President Trump as \u201cthe legend from Louisiana,\u201d Scalise is widely known as a determined survivor of cancer and an attempted assassin\u2019s bullet. It\u2019s no surprise he\u2019s also a leader<\/a> in fighting for the lives of vulnerable children born and unborn. Previously as Republican Whip, in the wake of the Ralph Northam infanticide scandal, he spearheaded a petition<\/a> to bring the Born-Alive Abortion Survivors Protection Act to the floor over the opposition of Nancy Pelosi and House Democrat leaders who repeatedly refused requests to hold a vote.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Whip: Tom Emmer (Minnesota): <\/strong>As part of the Republican leadership team, Emmer set a strong agenda for the new House majority in the 118th<\/sup> Congress with pro-life legislation<\/a> to protect babies born alive, stop taxpayer-funded abortion and more. He signed the Dobbs <\/em>congressional amicus brief and is a perennial supporter of the March for Life. With a consistently excellent voting record<\/a>, he holds an A+ on SBA Pro-Life America\u2019s congressional scorecard.<\/p>\n\n\n

\n
\"\"<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n

Republican Conference chair: Lisa McClain (Michigan):<\/strong> McClain was elected in 2020 \u2013 a member of a record-breaking class of pro-life women<\/a> elected to Congress that year. As a freshman, she introduced legislation to stop government-supported experiments using the bodies of aborted babies, as well as co-sponsoring bills to end taxpayer-funded abortion, protect babies from painful late-term abortions and more. She also signed the pro-life congressional amicus brief in the Dobbs <\/em>case. A mom of four, she is now the highest-ranking Republican woman in the House, succeeding Elise Stefanik.<\/p>\n\n\n

\n
\"\"<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n

National Republican Congressional Committee chair: Richard Hudson (North Carolina): <\/strong>Rep. Hudson has served in leadership roles throughout his House tenure and has an outstanding pro-life record<\/a>. Recently, Hudson led a Republican response<\/a> (along with Senate colleague Ted Budd) to the shocking military briefing that portrayed mainstream pro-life organizations as terrorist groups, resulting in Fort Liberty furiously disavowing the slides and promising to drop them from future presentations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n\n\n\n

Senate leadership<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Majority leader: John Thune (South Dakota): <\/strong>Pro-life advocates can be very pleased by Thune\u2019s election as the top Senate Republican, succeeding Mitch McConnell. Dannenfelser notes<\/a>, \u201cSen. Thune is an unwavering defender of life, voting consistently and courageously to protect the lives of unborn children and newborns\u201d including by introducing<\/a> the Born-Alive Abortion Survivors Protection Act. Furthermore, \u201c\u2026his outstanding leadership in defeating South Dakota\u2019s extreme abortion amendment<\/a> is another testament to his dedication to protecting moms and babies.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n

\n
\"\"<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n

Watch Thune call out the Democrats\u2019 extremism and callousness to the humanity of children in the womb (from 2022):<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n