Jen Kiggans Supported Mike Johnson, An Anti-Abortion Extremist, In His Race To Become Speaker Of The House

Kiggans Supported Mike Johnson’s Bid To Become Speaker Of The House

Kiggans Supported Mike Johnson For Speaker Of The House, Calling Him An “Honest, Hardworking, And Principled Conservative.” “Today, Congresswoman Jen Kiggans (VA-02) released the following statement after Congressman Mike Johnson (LA-04) was elected to serve as Speaker of the House of Representatives. ‘Today, I voted to restore governance in Washington by supporting Congressman Mike Johnson as the next Speaker of the House. ‘During my conversations with Mr. Johnson, he presented himself as an honest, hardworking, and principled conservative. He listened to my concerns about the devastating impact a government shutdown would have on thousands of working families in Southeast Virginia and understands the need to prioritize our military. He also provided reassurance that our defense budget will be protected.” [Rep. Jen Kiggans, Press Release, 10/25/23]

Kiggans Congratulated Speaker Mike Johnson On His Election To Speaker Of The House. In a Twitter post Kiggans said, “Congratulations to the newly elected Speaker of the House @RepMikeJohnson! It’s time to resume the important work of funding our government, supporting our ally Israel, securing our southern border, bolstering our national defense, and getting our economy back on track!” [Congresswoman Jen Kiggans, Twitter, 10/25/23]

Image: see original report, p. 89

[Congresswoman Jen Kiggans, Twitter, 10/25/23]

Kiggans Posted A Selfie With Mike Johnson And Congratulated Him Following His Election To Speaker Of The House. In a Twitter post on her campaign page, Kiggans said, “The House has a Speaker…! Congratulations to @MikeJohnson from on becoming the 56th Speaker of the U.S. House. I am eager to get back to work to pass our funding bills and support our ally Israel.” [Jen Kiggans, Twitter, 10/25/23]

Image: see original report, p. 90

[Jen Kiggans, Twitter, 10/25/23]

Mike Johnson Was An Anti-Abortion Extremist Who Wanted To Ban Abortion With No Exceptions

Johnson Cosponsored The Life At Conception Act. [H.R. 431, Cosponsors, 1/20/23]

• The Life At Conception Act Would Implement Equal Protection Of The Right To Life For “Each [...] Preborn Human Person.” “To implement equal protection under the 14th article of amendment to the Constitution for the right to life of each born and preborn human person. [...] To implement equal protection for the right to life of each born and preborn human person, and pursuant to the duty and authority of the Congress, including Congress’ power under article I, section 8, to make necessary and proper laws, and Congress’ power under section 5 of the 14th article of amendment to the Constitution of the United States, the Congress hereby declares that the right to life guaranteed by the Constitution is vested in each human being.” [Congress.gov, 1/20/23]
• The Life At Conception Act Did Not List Exceptions, Including Life Of Mother, Rape, Or Incest. [Congress.gov, 1/20/23]

Johnson Cosponsored A Bill to Prohibit The Defense Department From Paying For Abortion Services. “This bill prohibits the Department of Defense (DOD) from providing certain funding related to abortion services. Specifically, the bill prohibits DOD from paying or reimbursing any fees or expenses for a health care professional (who provides health care at a military medical treatment facility) to gain a license in a state if the purpose of gaining the license is to provide abortion services. The bill also repeals the DOD memorandum titled Ensuring Access to Reproductive Health Care (October 20, 2022). Such memo sets forth DOD policies and procedures in response to the Supreme Court's ruling in Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health Organization. Under the bill, DOD may not obligate or expend funds to carry out the memo or any successor memo.” [H.R. 1297, Summary, 3/1/23; H.R. 1297, Cosponsors, 3/1/23]

Johnson Voted Against The Ensuring Access To Abortion Act To Prohibit Individuals From Interfering With A Patient’s Ability To Cross State Lines To Obtain An Abortion In A State Where It Is Legal. In July 2022 Johnson voted against: “Passage of the bill, as amended, that would prohibit individuals from interfering with patients’ ability to access to abortion services in another state where the services are legal. Specifically, it would prohibit any person acting under color of state law from preventing, restricting or retaliating against health care providers’ ability to provide abortion services that are legal in the provider’s state to patients who do not reside in that state; a person’s ability to assist in providing such services; or a person’s ability to travel or assist another person traveling across state lines to obtain an abortion. It would also prohibit individuals from preventing, restricting or retaliating against the interstate movement of any drug approved by the Food and Drug Administration for the termination of a pregnancy. It would allow the U.S. attorney general or a harmed individual to bring a civil action in U.S. district court for declaratory and injunctive relief against an individual who violates the prohibitions.” The bill passed by a vote of 223-205. [H.R. 8297, Vote #362, 7/15/22; CQ, 7/15/22]

The Ensuring Access To Abortion Act Protected People Who Assist Others In Receiving Out Of State Abortions And Shielded Transportation Of Abortion Drugs Between States. “The legislation protects women who travel to another state to receive an abortion if their home state prohibits the medical procedure. And in states where abortion is lawful, the bill seeks to make it illegal for facilities to limit access to the medical procedure for individuals who arrived from out of state. Additionally, the measure includes a provision to protect people who assist others in receiving an abortion in a state where they do not reside. It also shields the state-to-state transportation of abortion drugs that have received approval from the Food and Drug Administration.” [The Hill, 7/15/22]

Johnson Voted Against The Right To Contraception Act To Establish A Statutory Right For Individuals To Obtain And Health Care Providers To Provide Contraceptives. In July 2022 Johnson voted against “Passage of the bill that would establish that individuals have a statutory right to obtain contraceptives and health care providers have a right to provide contraceptives, contraception and related information. It would prohibit any limitation or infringement of these rights that impedes access to or singles out the provision or providers of contraceptives, contraception or related information. It would supersede any federal and state law that conflicts with its provisions. It would allow the U.S. attorney general or a harmed individual to bring a civil action in U.S. district court for equitable relief against an individual who violates these provisions. It would allow health care providers to bring action on behalf of themselves, their staff or their patients.” The bill passed by a vote of 228-195. [H.R. 8373, Vote #385, 7/21/22; CQ, 7/21/22]

Johnson Voted For The Born Alive-Survivors Protection Act. In January 2023 Johnson voted for: “Passage of the bill that would require health care practitioners to provide the same care to a child that is ‘born alive’ after an abortion or attempted abortion as they would for a child born at the same gestational age and to ensure the child is immediately transported and admitted to a hospital; require hospital and clinic practitioners and employees to report any knowledge of failures to provide such care; and impose criminal fines and penalties for failures to meet these requirements. It would state that a child born alive under these conditions is a legal person under U.S. law, entitled to the protections of U.S. law, and it would specifically make any act that kills or attempts to kill such a child punishable as murder or attempted murder. The bill would also prohibit the prosecution of the mother of a child born alive after an abortion or attempted abortion and permit such mothers to seek relief through civil action against any person who violates the bill’s requirements, including monetary and punitive damages.” The bill passed by a vote of 220-210. [H.R. 26, Vote #29, 1/11/23; CQ, 1/11/23]

• The Born Alive Bill Would Punish Doctors For Providing Care To Patients. “The offensively named ‘born-alive’ legislation is another cruel and misguided attempt to interfere with evidence-based medical decision making between patients and their physicians...Laws that ban or criminalize evidence-based care and rely on medically unsupported theories and misinformation are dangerous to families and their clinicians. This

bill negatively affects all obstetric and gynecologic care.” [The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, accessed 6/26/23]

Johnson Cosponsored A Bill Banning Telehealth Appointments To Prescribe Medication Abortion. “This bill restricts the use of telehealth for chemical abortions (also known as medication abortions). Specifically, it requires a provider who dispenses or prescribes medication for a chemical abortion to physically examine the patient, be physically present at the location of the chemical abortion, and schedule a follow-up visit for the patient. The bill provides an exception for a chemical abortion that is necessary to save the life of a mother whose life is endangered by a physical disorder, illness, injury, or condition. The bill establishes criminal penalties—a fine, a prison term of up to two years, or both—for a provider who does not comply with the requirements. A patient who undergoes a chemical abortion may not be prosecuted.” [H.R. 421, Summary, 1/20/23; Cosponsors, 1/20/23]

Johnson Tweeted In Support Of Imprisoning Doctors Who Performed Abortions. “BREAKING: Late yesterday, the La. Department of Health informed abortion facilities in our state that the right to life has now been RESTORED! Perform an abortion and get imprisoned at hard labor for 1-10 yrs & fined $10K-$100K” [Rep. Mike Johnson, Twitter, 6/25/22]

Image: see original report, p. 92

[Rep. Mike Johnson, Twitter, 6/25/22]

Rep. Mike Johnson Called The Overturning Of Roe “A Joyous Day.” “Nearly a half century ago, an activist Supreme Court invented the ‘right to abortion’. On this joyous day, a new majority of Justices faithful to the Constitution finally corrected that devastating error. Thanks be to God!” [Rep. Mike Johnson ,Twitter, 6/24/22]

Johnson Accosted An OBGYN And Director Of The Alabama Women’s Rights Center In A House Judiciary Hearing. NARRATOR: “During a House Judiciary hearing on Wednesday, Johnson had a controversial exchange with Doctor Yashica Robinson. Doctor Robinson is an OBGYN and director of the Alabama Women’s Wellness Center in Huntsville.” REP MIKE JOHNSON: “Okay let me ask you, let me ask you—do you support the right of a woman who is seconds away from birthing a healthy child to have an abortion?” DR. ROBINSON: “I think that the question that you’re asking does not realistically reflect abortion care in the United States—” REP JOHNSON: “In that scenario, do you support her right to abort that child?” DR. ROBINSON: “I won’t entertain theoreticals.” REP JOHNSON: “It’s not a theoretical ma’am. You’re a medical doctor.” DR ROBINSON: “I am a medical doctor and that has never happened—.” REP JOHNSON: “Never happened in your practice, ma’am, but it happened.” NARRATOR: “The administrator for the Hope Medical Group in Shreveport says Johnson’s comments were quote ‘meant to agitate. No physician would commit homicide as he is suggesting.’” [KTAL News, YouTube, 5/20/22] (VIDEO)

HEADLINE: “House Speaker Mike Johnson Once Referred To Abortion As ‘A Holocaust’” [CBS News, 10/26/23]

HEADLINE: “Before Mike Johnson Was Speaker, He Was Blaming Abortion For School Shootings.” [New York Magazine, 10/26/23]

Mike Johnson Claimed That Abortion Could Be Blamed For School Shooting In A 2015 Interview. “In an interview with New York Magazine in 2015, Johnson claimed abortion could be blamed for school shootings, suggesting: ‘When you break up the nuclear family, when you tell a generation of people that life has no value, no meaning, that it’s expendable, then you do wind up with school shooters.’” [Forbes, 11/6/23]

HEADLINE: “House Speaker Mike Johnson Has Long Opposed Abortion And LGBTQ+ Rights” [Louisiana Illuminator, 10/29/23]

Before He Was Elected To Public Office, Mike Johnson Was The Senior Spokesperson For The Alliance Defending Freedom. “Before the newly elected U.S. House Speaker Mike Johnson was in public office, the Louisiana Republican’s restrictive stances on gender identity, abortion and sexuality were honed at the conservative Christian legal group Alliance Defending Freedom, where he served as a senior spokesperson and attorney.” [Louisiana Illuminator, 10/29/23]

• The Alliance Defending Freedom Was The Legal Force Behind Many Of The Most Restrictive Abortion Laws In The Country. “Alliance Defending Freedom, or ADF, is the legal force behind dozens of the most restrictive abortion laws and pieces of anti-LGBTQ+ legislation in the country. It provided the model abortion ban enacted by Mississippi that led to the Supreme Court overturning Roe v. Wade. ADF attorneys are challenging the FDA’s approval of medication abortion.” [Louisiana Illuminator, 10/29/23]