Ohio Republicans Lay Out Pro-Life Plans in GOP-Controlled House

Reps. Jim Jordan and Brad Wenstrup outlined on Friday plans they had in store to further the pro-life movement, providing their remarks to Breitbart News during a March for Life reception on Capitol Hill.

The pair, who both represent solid red districts in the Buckeye State, spoke about how they aimed to use their new majority powers to approach abortion, a heated issue that has taken on a new and highly polarized life in the post-Roe era.

“I think our focus should be on trying to make sure there’s equal treatment under the law for what happened in the aftermath of the Dobbs decision — and the Dobbs leak,” Jordan, the House Judiciary Committee chairman, said.

Jordan is leading numerous high-profile investigations of the Justice Department (DOJ) and other federal agencies through his position on the Judiciary panel over the next two years.

One of his priorities, he said, is probing the DOJ’s response — or possible lack thereof — to what the Family Research Council has identified as more than 100 attacks on churches and pregnancy centers since the Dobbs decision leaked to Politico in May, seven weeks before the Supreme Court would reveal the landmark decision to the public.

“Anything we can do to help the marshal at the Supreme Court, figure out how [the leak] happened” is also on his agenda, Jordan added.

Wenstrup, cochair of the GOP Doctors Caucus, was also present at the event, which the Ohio GOP delegation has held for years (save a break because of coronavirus mandates) to celebrate the Washington, DC, march, attended by thousands annually.

The march had served as the pro-life movement’s protest of Roe since the early ’70s. Now, in the wake of the movement’s monumental victory, the focus has begun shifting to cultural and legislative solutions to reduce the occurrence of abortion.

Wenstrup acknowledged pro-life legislation, while it could pass through the House, would likely not become law while Democrats controlled the Senate and White House. But, he said, House Republicans can shape messaging through just their chamber’s legislative pursuits.

“Sometimes when you’re passing bills, they may not become law, but you’ve sent a message. You’ve sent a message for people to think about. And, so, you know, a lot of our laws come about because of attitude, attitude of the American people. … So if we can continue the message of the beauty of life and the opportunities of life in America, and that there are people willing to help you,” Wenstrup said as he delved into his own experience of adopting his daughter at four months after her birth mother “chose life.”

Wenstrup added, “We really want people to start thinking about those types of things. The positives that come from that.”

Attendees of the reception included local Ohioan religious leaders, churchgoers, several Mount Notre Dame high schoolers belonging to the school’s Respect for Life Club, college students from Miami University of Ohio, Ohio Sen. Kristina Roegner, and many others who filtered in and out after marching.

Jordan told the pro-lifers in the room, “It takes a willingness to assume the risk associated with trying to do something worthwhile because you get involved in politics today, and you’re going to get attacked. The left is coming after you, the cancel culture mob, but you guys do it because life is that special, that precious, that sacred, and you were willing to fight the good fight and keep the faith and make it happen.”

He added, “It’s important to keep it up. It’s important we continue to push forward.”

Write to Ashley Oliver at aoliver@breitbart.com. Follow her on Twitter at @asholiver.