US Senate Site of Jam-Packed Pro-Life Gathering - Feinstein's Attempt to Block Pro-Lifers Unsuccessful
by Staff
January 29, 2008
(christiansunite.com) -- The 14th annual National Memorial for the Pre-born and their Mothers and Fathers, an annual prayer service to remember all the victims of abortion, drew a capacity crowd on January 22nd in the US Senate Hart Building on Capitol Hill in Washington, DC. Hundreds of attendees were led in Bible readings and prayers by more than 40 members of the clergy representing numerous Christian denominations and traditions.This year's event was almost shut out of its normal venue in the US Capitol complex. For the first time in 13 years the Senate Rules Committee tried to block pro-lifers from using the facilities. The new hostility to pro-life groups indicates a complete reversal of policy by the new Democrat senate leadership.
After waiting three months, organizers were told that each of three rooms requested for the event were booked by other groups and therefore were unavailable. When National Memorial founder, the Reverend Rob Schenck (pronounced SHANK), president of the National Clergy Council, asked the chief clerk to see the assignment calendar, his request was denied. Only after Schenck threatened to hold a news conference asking why Rules Committee chairwoman Dianne Feinstein could not find space in any of the usual buildings did the committee offer a hall in what amounts to the attic of the Senate Hart Building. The notice came just three days before the event.
"It's clear that Senator Feinstein's office did not want pro-lifers using these facilities anymore," said Schenck. "When her staff people were backed into a corner, they tucked us as far away as possible. The service was very well attended but it failed to send the strong signal to the senators that our visible presence had in past years."
During today's service, Reverend Schenck briefly left the event and took a video camera to the three rooms he was told would be occupied during the same time period. Each of the venues was empty and unused. Schenck captured the state of each room on video, documenting the time period by panning clocks on the walls used by senators to mark voting and hearing schedules.
"These empty rooms prove that Senator Feinstein's committee staff not only lied to us about their use, but to the three senate offices that requested them on our behalf. It's an egregious ethical failure on the part of the Rules Committee and clearly demonstrates a prejudice against pro-life people and groups by the new senate leadership," said Schenck.
