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September 13, 2016

Trump-Pence reaffirm commitment to appointing strict constructionists to Supreme Court, defending Hyde Amendment, and protecting religious liberty

 GOP presidential nominee Donald Trump and his running mate, Indiana Gov. Mike Pence
 GOP presidential nominee Donald Trump and his
running mate, Indiana Gov. Mike Pence
Last Friday/Saturday, GOP presidential nominee Donald Trump and his running mate, Indiana Gov. Mike Pence spoke at the 11th annual pro-life Values Voter Summit in Washington, DC.

Mr. Trump spoke to the largely Evangelical audience about many issues. Of critical interest to pro-lifers was his view on appointments to the Supreme Court:

But one of the most important [issues] – some people think it’s actually the most important – is the filling of the seats [on the] United States Supreme Court. You see what’s happening right now? Essentially it’s four and four. And you see what – how bad it is. We’re going to pick great judges. I’ve already put a list of 11 Federalist Society, highly recommended, got uniform great reviews on these 11 people. And we are going to put truly great people. Maybe we use Judge Scalia of the ultimate example of what we’re looking for, OK?

This will determine whether or not we remain a constitutional republic, frankly. That’s what’s going to happen. I have pledged to appoint judges who uphold the Constitution, to protect your religious liberty, and apply the law as written. We reject judges who rewrite the Constitution to impose their own personal views on 300 million-plus Americans. We’re not going to have that. I’ve made public a list of judges, as I said, that will guide my selection process. Hillary Clinton has refused to provide such a list. And we brought it up.

Let’s see a list. You ever saw the list you would walk out of here not feeling very well. Because she knows the extremist judges she would pick would be rejected by the overwhelming majority of the American public. They’d be rejected. ….

Gov. Pence, whose history of pro-life advocacy goes back decades to his time in the House of Representatives, spoke on Saturday at the Summit, affirming his and Mr. Trump’s pro-life credentials in numerous passages. For example

Let me make it crystal clear: People who know me well know that I’m pro-life, I don’t apologize for it. I want to live to see the day that we put the sanctity of life back at the center of American law, and we send Roe v. Wade to the ash heap of history, where it belongs.”

He added, to loud applause,

Let me assure you the Trump-Pence administration will stand for the sanctity of life and defend the unborn from the first day we take office. I’m truly grateful for Donald Trump’s strong commitment to the sanctity of life. He understands the moral imperative of advancing the cause of life.

And Pence said

When President Trump takes office we will work with the Congress and sign into law the Pain-Capable Unborn Child Protection Act. We will end late term abortions nationwide. As my running mate said not so long ago, “We should not be one of seven countries that allows elective abortion after 20 weeks. It goes against our core values.”

Click here for more from National Right to Life.