As per a 2/25/09 letter sent to the Democratic leadership in the U.S. House of Representatives,
"for many years pro-life measures have been added to the various appropriations bills to prevent taxpayer dollars from being used to promote or perform abortion, protect the consciences of health care professionals, and prevent funding for unethical human embryo experiments....Some of these measures have been in place for over thirty years....Members of both parties have expressed strong support for these measures, which reflect the moral concerns of many Americans who do not wish to see their tax dollars used for any organization that provides abortion services. We respectfully request that the pro-life riders be included in any legislation reported out of the Appropriationi Committee....If this Congress intends to rescind these riders, at a minimum the American people deserve a full debate with an up-or-down vote" <http://focusfamaction.edgeboss.net/download/focusfamaction/pdfs/2009-02-25_jordan_shuler_letter.pdf>.
The letter was signed by 180 of your colleagues in the House (157 Republicans and 23 Democrats). Rumors of your own ambition to run for the Senate and the conspicuous absence of your signature give new meaning to the lyrics of the Who's old song. Surely, your "dreams, they aren't as empty as...[your] conscience seems to be."
