Spare us the
ad hominem, Kat. Here's the record. Contend it:
* FOR ZERO EXCEPTIONS ON HYDE AMENDMENT. On Jun. 17, 1977, Mr. Gammage paired in favor of the Hyde amendment “to prohibit the use of federal funds to finance or encourage abortions.” The amendment outlawed the use of federal funds “to pay for abortions in all cases,” including “when the mother’s life would be endangered by carrying the fetus to term,” an exception that existed at that time in federal law. “Women’s and civil rights groups fought hard against the Hyde amendment…claiming it discriminated against poor women who could not afford abortions unless Medicaid paid for them. … These groups also argued that the…amendment would not necessarily cut down on abortions, but would simply force poor women to seek cheap, unsafe ones.” The House adopted (201-155) the amendment. (RV 326, HR 7555, 1977, CQ, pp. 262-65, 1,200, 1,320-21)
* FOR 1 EXCEPTION ON MEDICAID ABORTIONS. On Aug. 2, 1977, Mr. Gammage voted for a motion to concur “in a Senate-passed amendment relating to abortion with an amendment to bar the use of any funds appropriated in the bill for abortions, except where the life of the mother would be endangered by continuing the pregnancy.” In effect, he voted to continue the current, 1-exception ban on publicly funded abortions. The House agreed to (238-182) the motion. (RV 466, HR 7555, 1977, CQ, pp. 1,686-87)
* AGAINST “MEDICALLY NECESSARY” EXCEPTION. On Sep. 27, 1977, Mr. Gammage voted against a motion to suspend the rules “and pass a resolution to instruct the House conferees to agree to the Senate-passed amendment barring the use of federal funds for abortion except where the mother’s life was endangered or where medically necessary, or in cases of rape or incest. Opponents considered ‘medically necessary’ a wide-open loophole in the bill.” The House rejected (164-252) the motion. (Health/Education/Welfare, CQ, Feb. 4, 1978, pp. 262-65)
* AGAINST ADOPTING LESS-RESTRICTIVE FUNDING BAN. On Oct. 12, 1977, Mr. Gammage voted against a “motion that the House recede from its abortion position in order to adopt a less restrictive position.” The House agreed to 209-206) the motion. (Health/Education/Welfare, CQ, Feb. 4, 1978, pp. 262-65)
* AGAINST EXCEPTION FOR “SERIOUS HEALTH DAMAGE.” On Oct. 13, 1977, Mr. Gammage voted against concurring with a Senate amendment to add an exception “where the continuation of the pregnancy might endanger the life of the mother or result in ‘serious health damage’ to the mother or the fetus.” The House rejected (163-234) the motion. (Health/Education/Welfare, CQ, Feb. 4, 1978, pp. 262-65)
* NO ON ADDING NARROW HEALTH, RAPE, INCEST EXCEPTIONS. On Nov. 29, 1977, Mr. Gammage voted against the Mahon-Brooks compromise “to accept a Senate amendment to bar the use of federal funds for abortion except where pregnancy would endanger the life of the mother or cause her ‘severe and long-lasting physical health damage,’ and to permit funds for ‘medical procedures’ for victims of rape or incest if the offenses were reported to the police, a public health agency or its equivalent.” The House rejected (183-205) the compromise. (Health/Education/Welfare, CQ, Feb. 4, 1978, pp. 262-65)
* AGAINST ADDING NARROW EXCEPTION FOR “FORCED” RAPE. On Dec. 6, 1977, Mr. Gammage paired against the Michel amendment “to permit the use of funds for medical procedures only in cases of ‘forced’ rape or incest, which were ‘promptly’ reported to police or a public health agency (eliminating reporting to ‘equivalent’ agencies). The changes were intended to rule out abortion in cases of statutory rape (sexual intercourse with a minor below the legal age of consent) and to reduce the possibility that women, once pregnant, might belatedly decide to report rape in order to qualify for a federally financed abortion. The provisions permitting abortion in cases of danger to the life of the mother or severe and long-lasting physical health damage were unchanged.” The House rejected (177-200) the amendment. (Health/Education/Welfare, CQ, Feb. 4, 1978, pp. 262-65)
* AGAINST ADDING EXPANDED RAPE EXCEPTION. On Dec. 7, 1977, Mr. Gammage paired against a modified Michel amendment “eliminating the reference to ‘forced’ rape in the earlier Michel amendment.” The House narrowly rejected (171-178) the amendment. (Health/Education/Welfare, CQ, Feb. 4, 1978, pp. 262-65)
* AGAINST ADDING RESTRICTED EXCEPTIONS FOR HEALTH, RAPE. On Dec. 7, 1977, Mr. Gammage paired against the final compromise of 1977 in which Rep. Michel offered “an amendment introducing a new requirement that two doctors must attest to any ‘severe and long-lasting physical health damage’ claimed by a woman as reason for seeking a federally financed abortion. The final provision also allowed the use of federal funds for abortion where the life of the mother would be endangered if the fetus were carried to term, and for such medical procedures necessary for the victims of rape or incest, when the offense has been reported promptly to a law enforcement agency or public health service.” (Health/Education/Welfare, CQ, Feb. 4, 1978, pp. 262-65)
* AGAINST DELETING HYDE AMENDMENT. On Jun. 13, 1978, Mr. Gammage voted against the Stokes amendment to delete “language prohibiting the use of funds for abortions unless the life of the mother was in danger.” This amendment would have allowed unrestricted Medicaid abortions. The House rejected (122-287) the amendment. (RV 381, HR 12929, 1978, CQ, pp. 1,535, 1,588-89)
* AGAINST EXCEPTIONS FOR HEALTH, RAPE & INCEST. On Jun. 13, 1978, Mr. Gammage voted against the proposal by Jim Wright to “substitute the 1977 compromise language” that “allowed abortions when the mother’s life or long-term health was endangered or in cases or rape or incest.” This compromise language would have replaced the “more restrictive language … permitting federal funds for abortions only to save the life of the mother,” according to a Capitol Hill publication. The House rejected (198-212) the Wright amendment. (RV 382, HR 12929, 1978, CQ, pp. 1,535-39, 1,588-89)
* AGAINST MAHON ABORTION COMPROMISE. On Oct. 14, 1978, Mr. Gammage voted against the Mahon “motion to recede from the House position and concur in the Senate amendment with an amendment to prohibit the use of appropriated funds for abortions except when the life of the mother was in danger or in cases of rape or incest that had been promptly reported to health or law enforcement agencies or if the pregnancy would cause long-lasting physical health damage to the mother as determined by two physicians.” The House agreed (198-195) to the motion. (RV 815, HR 12929, 1978, CQ, pp. 3,156-57)
http://www.chrisbell.com/newsroom/010806_gammage_choiceI'm willing to accept -- from the candidate -- an explanation that his position has evolved. That would be an intelligent, logical thing for any thinking person to do.
I'm
not willing to accept that the tenor of the times or the 'herd mentality' dictated his votes. That would be similar to the excuses people have made for the KKK membership of Robert Byrd, for example.
It's up to Bob to explain his votes now.