Republicans Delay Winter Meeting to Participate in March for Life

Date: 

Tuesday, January 7, 2014
BY MICHAEL GRYBOSKI, CHRISTIAN POST REPORTER
January 6, 2014|2:15 pm

The head of the Republican National Committee has announced that the political party's winter meeting will be delayed so that members can attend a major pro-life rally.

RNC Chairman Reince Priebus stated that the RNC will delay its meeting so that he and other RNC members can attend the annual March for Life on Jan. 22 in Washington, D.C.

Raffi Williams, deputy press secretary with the RNC, told The Christian Post that the decision came in large part because the RNC was meeting in the nation's capital.

"This is the first time in years that the RNC has held the winter meeting in DC. This means it is also the first time the RNC has had the opportunity to send our members to participate in the March for Life as a part of the winter meeting," said Williams.

"The Republican Party is a pro-life party, it is in our platform and we will continue to fight for the life of the unborn."

Williams also told CP that the change "is basically the RNC delaying the start of the first afternoon a couple hours and chartering a couple of buses for members so they can attend."

"Since our winter meeting and the March for Life coincided we thought it only fitting for our members to attend the March with the thousands of activists who come from around the country to take part in the fight for the unborn," said Williams.

The March for Life is an annual large-scale pro-life demonstration held in Washington, D.C. on the anniversary of the U.S. Supreme Court decisionRoe vs. Wade.

Each year, untold thousands of pro-life activists from across the country and abroad come to the national mall to hear speakers, music, and eventually to walk.

A spokesman for the March for Life directed The Christian Post to an official statement from the organization regarding the news.

"The March for Life welcomes the news from the Republican National Committee that they will postpone their winter meeting so that members may attend and participate in the March on January 22nd," reads the statement.

"We are pleased that the Chairman Reince Priebus recognizes the importance of the life issue and has given it priority in the Committee's calendar."

Other pro-life groups have also expressed their approval of the decision by Priebus to delay the RNC winter meeting.

Marjorie Dannenfelser, president of the pro-life group Susan B. Anthony List, sent out a statement hailing Priebus' words as "great news."

"I met with Chairman Priebus to express my gratitude on behalf of our membership across the country," stated Dannenfelser.

"So today, we celebrate, and we look forward to building upon Chairman Priebus's willingness to stand up for the unborn. I hope to see you at the March!"