Pro-Life Provisions in Homeland Security Appropriations Bill

Today the House Appropriations Committee approved the FY 2019 Homeland Security Appropriations bill. During the markup, Rep. Robert Aderholt (R-AL) offered an amendment to prevent funding for elective abortion for detainees of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and provide conscience protection for ICE employees. The amendment was adopted 30-20; with 29 Republicans and 1 Democratic Member (Cuellar) voting to support the amendment and 20 Democratic Members voting against.

ICE does not currently pay for elective abortions per administrative guidance, but the Aderholt Amendment is needed to put this safeguard into law and to ensure that no ICE employee can be compelled to facilitate abortion. This position has been included in House appropriations bills from FY 2013 - FY2018, and it was part of President Trump’s Budget Request for FY 2019.

Urban Air Mobility

Yesterday the House Committee on Science, Space, and Technology held a hearing on “Urban Air Mobility – Are Flying Cars Ready for Take-Off?”

As chartered, the purpose of the hearing was to learn about urban air mobility research and development efforts. The hearing examined the potential benefits and challenges of ‘flying cars’ or vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) aircrafts from a public and private sector perspective, including discussion of when such technology may be commercially available.