The Pennsylvania Catholic Conference suuported "HB 818
and HB 587:
- "HB 818, [which] passed in the House in April, clearly prohibits the taxpayer supported insurance plans created under the federal health care exchange from covering elective abortions. On Tuesday, June 4, the Senate considered amendments that would have significantly weakened HB 818 and defeated them [i.e.,the Schwank Amendment to HB 818 and the Vance Amendment to HB 818 ]. HB 818 was passed by the full Senate on Wednesday, June 5 by a vote of 31 to 19....Governor Corbett signed the bill into law on June 17" (6/5/13).
- "Among the many atrocities revealed at Dr. Kermit Gosnell’s 'House of Horrors' abortion clinic in West Philadelphia was that several of his staff provided medical services without the proper training or license to do so. Consequently, a woman died and seven newborn babies were killed by infanticide in Dr. Gosnell’s abortion clinic....the Pennsylvania House of Representatives passed House Bill 587 to increase the penalty for those who commit the crime of impersonating a doctor of medicine....The legislation now moves to the state Senate" (12/17/13).
Among its 8 “Current Alerts,” the
Pennsylvania Catholic Conference has 5 which trigger contact to the governor
and/or our state legislator(s):
1.
Support Equal Education Funding in Pennsylvania (“Please
represent me by returning the nonpublic school textbook and auxiliary services
line items to equal that of the public schools in the state budget.”)
2. Respect All Parties in Adoption (“Please respect
the concerns of all parties involved in adoption proceedings and vote no on HB162.”)
4.
Stop Human Trafficking! (“Human trafficking
violates the dignity of the person….I ask you to represent me by supporting
Senate Bill 75.”)
5.
Sexual Orientation, Gender Identity, Gender
Expression and Religious Liberty (“Simply put, this legislation is
intolerant and prejudiced against people of faith….Please vote NO on HB/SB 300.”)
8.
I Support Marriage and Pennsylvania's DOMA (“Marriage
is a personal relationship with great public significance-not a private
affair-that affects all in society. Marriage is not just about adult
relationships; it is the foundation of the family. Every child has a mother and
a father. And every child has a basic right to a mother and a father united in
marriage….There are many ways to protect the basic human rights of all, but
redefining marriage serves no one's rights, least of all those of children.
Treating different things differently is not unjust discrimination. Pennsylvania's Defense of Marriage Act that
statutorily upholds this important building block of society is under attack,
but I wanted to let you know that this Pennsylvanian supports marriage.” While HB
1349 seeks to establish a Marriage Amendment in Pennsylvania to
preserve the definition of marriage, HB1686,
HB1647, and SB
719
seek to alter the definition of
marriage in Pennsylvania to include same sex couples.
Where did our incumbents stand on HB 818 (and its proposed weakening amendments) and HB 587?
How would challengers have stood on HB 818 and HB 587?
How would incumbents and challengers stand on HB162, SB 75, HB 1349, HB1686, HB1647, and SB 719 ?
Bucks County Representation in the Pennsylvania House:
District 18: No Democratic candidate to challenge Republican incumbent Gene DiGirolamo.
- DiGirolamo voted with the Pa Catholic Conf position on HB 818.
- DiGirolamo voted with the Pa Catholic Conf position on HB 587.
- DiGirolamo voted against the Pa Catholic Conf position on HB 162.
- How would DiGirolamo vote on SB 75?
- How would DiGirolamo vote on HB 300?
- How would DiGirolamo vote on HB 1349, HB1686, and HB1647?
District 29: No Democratic candidate to challenge Republican incumbent Bernard O'Neill.
- O'Neill voted with the Pa Catholic Conf position on HB 818.
- O'Neill voted with the Pa Catholic Conf position on HB 587.
- O'Neill voted against the Pa Catholic Conf position on HB 162.
- How would O'Neill vote on SB 75?
- How would O'Neill vote on HB 300?
- How would O'Neill vote on HB 1349, HB1686, and HB1647?
Distict 31: Republican candidate David William Gibbon (gibbon2014@gmail.com) is looking to challenge Democratic incumbent Steve Santarsiero. Gibbon did NOT respond to a request for information.
- Santarsiero voted against the Pa Catholic Conf position on HB 818.
- Santarsiero voted with the Pa Catholic Conf position on HB 587.
- Santarsiero voted against the Pa Catholic Conf position on HB 162.
- How would Santarsiero vote on SB 75?
- Santarsiero is a co-sponsor of HB 300, which the Pa Catholic Conf calls "intolerant and prejudiced against people of faith."
- As a co-sponsor of HB1686, it is assumed Santarsiero would oppose HB 1349 and support HB1647.
District 140: No Republican candidate to challenge Democratic incumbent John Galloway.
- Galloway voted with the Pa Catholic Conf position on HB 818.
- Galloway voted with the Pa Catholic Conf position on HB 587.
- Galloway voted against the Pa Catholic Conf position on HB 162.
- How would Galloway vote on SB 75?
- Galloway is a co-sponsor of HB 300, which the Pa Catholic Conf calls "intolerant and prejudiced against people of faith."
- How would Galloway vote on HB 1349, HB1686, and HB1647?
District 141: Republican candidate Joseph Lippolis (soondg@hotmail.com) is looking to challenge Democratic incumbent Tina Davis. Lippolis did NOT respond to a request for information.
- Davis voted against the Pa Catholic Conf position on HB 818.
- Davis voted with the Pa Catholic Conf position on HB 587.
- Davis voted against the Pa Catholic Conf position on HB 162.
- How would Davis vote on SB 75?
- Davis is a co-sponsor of HB 300, which the Pa Catholic Conf calls "intolerant and prejudiced against people of faith."
- As a member of the Pa House's "LGBT Equality Caucus," it is assumed that Davis would oppose HB 1349, and support HB1686 and HB1647.
District 142: Democratic candidates Ritchie Webb (WebbForPA@gmail.com) and Gina Kiley (email?) are vying for the chance to challenge Republican incumbent Frank Farry. Webb did NOT respond to a request for information, and an email address for Kiley was not found.
- As per http://www.ginakiley.com/content/issues, "I support a woman’s right to choose and make her own medical decisions, without government interference. I also support the ability of women to receive necessary preventative care services, including birth control and health screenings....I strongly support marriage equality in Pennsylvania so all citizens are free to marry the person they love. I support House and Senate Bill 300"
- Farry voted with the Pa Catholic Conf position on HB 818.
- Farry voted with the Pa Catholic Conf position on HB 587.
- Farry voted against the Pa Catholic Conf position on HB 162.
- How would Farry vote on SB 75?
- How would Farry vote on HB 300?
- How would Farry vote on HB 1349, HB1686, and HB1647?
District 143: As Charles B. Young is reported to have withdrawn, there is no Democratic candidate to challenge Republican incumbent Marguerite Quinn.
- Quinn voted with the Pa Catholic Conf position on HB 818.
- Quinn voted with the Pa Catholic Conf position on HB 587.
- Quinn voted against the Pa Catholic Conf position on HB 162.
- How would Quinn vote on SB 75?
- Quinn is a co-sponsor of HB 300, which the Pa Catholic Conf calls "intolerant and prejudiced against people of faith."
- How would Quinn vote on HB 1349, HB1686, and HB1647?
District 144: No Democratic candidate to challenge Republican incumbent Katherine Watson.
- Watson voted with the Pa Catholic Conf position on HB 818.
- Watson voted with the Pa Catholic Conf position on HB 587.
- Watson voted against the Pa Catholic Conf position on HB 162.
- How would Watson vote on SB 75?
- How would Watson vote on HB 300?
- How would Watson vote on HB 1349, HB1686, and HB1647?
District 145: Paul Clymer is not running for re-election. Democratic candidates Karen Chellew (email?), Jonathan McCartney (email?), and Brian Kline (bkline145@gmail.com) are vying for the chance to challenge Republican candidate Craig Staats (email?). Kline did NOT respond to a request for information, and email addresses for Chellew, McCartney, and Staats were not found.
- Among the "favorites" listed on https://www.facebook.com/craig.staats lists is CatholicVote.
District 178: No Democratic candidate to challenge Republican incumbent Scott Petri.
- Petri voted with the Pa Catholic Conf position on HB 818.
- Petri voted with the Pa Catholic Conf position on HB 587.
- Petri voted against the Pa Catholic Conf position on HB 162.
- How would Petri vote on SB 75?
- Petri is a co-sponsor of HB 300, which the Pa Catholic Conf calls "intolerant and prejudiced against people of faith."
- How would Petri vote on HB 1349, HB1686, and HB1647?
Bucks County Representation in the Pennsylvania Senate:
District 6: Democratic Kimberly Yeager-Rose is looking to challenge the incumbent, Robert Tomlinson.
- https://www.facebook.com/KimberlyRoseforSenate does not provide information on positions.
- Tomlinson voted with the Pa Catholic Conf position on HB 818.
- Tomlinson voted with the Pa Catholic Conf position on the Schwank Amendment to HB 818.
- Tomlinson voted with the Pa Catholic Conf position on the Vance Amendment to HB 818.
- How would Tomlinson vote on HB 587?
- How would Tomlinson vote on HB 162?
- Tomlinson voted with the Pa Catholic Conf position on SB 75.
- How would Tomlinson vote on SB 300?
- How would Tomlinson vote on HB 1349 and SB 719?
District 10: Democrat Stephen George Cickay Jr. is looking challenge the incumbent, Charles McIlhinney.
- "'...failure to support marriage equality, and failure to support women’s freedom...make Pennsylvania seem like a state that is heading backward instead of forward into the 21st century,' said Mr. Cickay" (http://newtown-pa.patch.com/groups/announcements/p/democrat-steve-cickay-running-for-pennsylvania-district-10-state-senate).
- McIlhinney voted with the Pa Catholic Conf position on HB 818.
- McIlhinney against the Pa Catholic Conf position on the Schwank Amendment to HB 818.
- McIlhinney voted against the Pa Catholic Conf position on the Vance Amendment to HB 818.
- How would McIlhinney vote on HB 587?
- How would McIlhinney vote on HB 162?
- McIlhinney voted with the Pa Catholic Conf position on SB 75.
- McIlhinney is a co-sponsor of SB 300, which the Pa Catholic Conf calls "intolerant and prejudiced against people of faith."
- How would McIlhinney vote on HB 1349 and SB 719?
- Planned Parenthood previously identified McIlhinney as one of their "pro-choice endorsed candidates."
District 12: Democrat Ruth S. Damsker is looking to challenge the incumbent, Stewart Greenleaf.
- "In 1973, The Supreme Court guaranteed a woman the right to choose an abortion in the landmark case Roe v. Wade. It is important that this right be preserved and protected....'Abstinence only' programs are not effective in reducing pregnancies....Prescription contraceptives should be covered under health insurance programs....Damsker believes that the Pennsylvania Human Relations Act should be amended to protect against discrimination based on sexual orientation or gender identity. Damsker supports amending the Pennsylvania Ethnic Intimidations Act to criminalize hate crimes based on sexual orientation or gender....Damsker believes that any discrimination based on sexual orientation or gender is unacceptable."(http://www.voteruth.com/positions/women-s-issues).
- Greenleaf voted with the Pa Catholic Conf position on HB 818.
- Greenleaf voted with the Pa Catholic Conf position on the Schwank Amendment to HB 818.
- Greenleaf voted with the Pa Catholic Conf position on the Vance Amendment to HB 818.
- How would Greenleaf vote on HB 587?
- How would Greenleaf vote on HB 162?
- Greenleaf voted with the Pa Catholic Conf position on SB 75 - PRIME SPONSOR.
- How would Greenleaf vote on SB 300?
- How would Greenleaf vote on HB 1349 and SB 719?
District 24: There is no Democrat challenging the incumbent, Bob Mensch.
- Mensch voted with the Pa Catholic Conf position on HB 818.
- Mensch voted against the Pa Catholic Conf position on the Schwank Amendment to HB 818.
- Tomlinson voted with the Pa Catholic Conf position on the Vance Amendment to HB 818.
- How would Mensch vote on HB 587?
- How would Mensch vote on HB 162?
- Mensch voted with the Pa Catholic Conf position on SB 75.
- How would Mensch vote on SB 300?
- How would Mensch vote on HB 1349 and SB 719?
Among all the incumbents from Bucks County, Davis, McIlhinney, and Santarsiero appear to be the most out of touch with Pa Catholic Conference positions. While McIlhinney's challenger is also out of touch with Pa Catholic Conference positions, the positions of Davis' challenger and Santarsiero's challenger are unclear.
(For this update, candidates were identified by Ballotpedia for the Pa House and Senate districts which include parts of Bucks County. Confusing matters for many will be the re-apportionment of districts, going into effect!)
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